Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 17th January 2026
Reviewed by Claire Moore
5*****
The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet — two wholesome college sweethearts whose perfectly planned evening takes a very strange turn when their car breaks down outside a spooky mansion. What follows is an unforgettable encounter with the outrageously charismatic Dr Frank’n’Furter, and a night of mischief and corsets. It’s camp, chaotic, a little outrageous, and completely unapologetic about it.
As a Rocky Horror first-timer, I can’t lie — I was genuinely excited to finally experience the show that’s drawn over 35 million people to theatres since 1973, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked from the very first number — Science Fiction/Double Feature — with the iconic usherette, brilliantly played by Laura Bird, setting the scene and pulling us straight into Rocky Horror’s wonderfully weird world. At its heart, Rocky Horror isn’t really about the plot at all — it’s about freedom, letting go of the rules, and giving yourself permission to be whoever you want to be for a couple of hours. It celebrates individuality in the loudest, sparkliest way possible.
The whole cast throw themselves into the madness with infectious energy, but Dr Frank’n’Furter, played in Sheffield by Stephen Webb (with Jason Donovan joining the tour in Liverpool, Eastbourne and Bristol), is the undeniable heartbeat of the show — commanding the stage with charisma, excess and just the right amount of danger. The contrast with the clean-cut innocence of Brad (James Bisp) and Janet (Haley Flaherty) is a joy to watch and provides many of the evening’s biggest laughs. Add in their outstanding voices and you have the perfect combination.
Nathan Caton also deserves a mention as the Narrator — his stage presence and comic timing earn him huge laughs throughout the night.
But what really makes this show work is the audience. Shouting back familiar lines, whooping at every entrance and turning the Lyceum into something closer to a late-night party than a traditional theatre — it just feels so good to be part of something so fun and it’s impossible not to get swept up in it all. And of course, there’s the Time Warp. That brought back a few memories of youth club discos, and it turns out I might still have the moves — as did everyone else in the theatre, who joined in with absolute enthusiasm.
I loved it and can’t think of a better way to brighten up a cold January evening. It definitely won’t be the last time I see it — and who knows, next time I might even dig out some fishnets.