Stephen Fry, The Great British Bake Off’s Mel Giedroyc and Spice Girl Emma Bunton will join Richard O’Brien on stage for The Rocky Horror Show’s gala performance on 17 September when the production is live screened to cinemas across the UK and Europe.
The news comes as Olivier Award winner David Bedella is announced to make his West End return in the role of Frank ‘N’ Furter alongside O’Brien, Ben Forster and Haley Flaherty for the show’s week-long residency at the Playhouse Theatre from 11 to 19 September.
Bedella, who won an Olivier Award in 2004 for his role in Jerry Springer – The Opera, returns to the London stage following recent performances in Southwark Playhouse’s In The Heights and Putting It Together at the St James Theatre.
Winner of ITV’s Superstar, Forster takes on the role of Brad prior to his performance as Buddy in Elf at the Dominion Theatre this Christmas, while Matilda The Musical’s Flaherty will play Janet. All three performers have previous experience of appearing in The Rock Horror Show, be it on tour or in the capital.
While the West End trio will appear for all 11 performances of the cult hit, Fry, Giedroyc and Bunton are set to make guest appearances for one night only in the gala performance held in aid of Amnesty International.
This special live screened performance will give theatre fans the opportunity to see Fry on the London stage for the first time since his performance in the Shakespeare’s Globe production of Twelfth Night, Giedroyc outside the Great British Bake Off tent and Bunton excited to be “shaking [her] tush to the Time Warp”.
Fry described the opportunity to join the show for a one-off performance as “A dream come true”, while producer Howard Panter tells audiences to prepare for what promises to be “An unmissable cinema event.”
The Rocky Horror Show will begin its limited run at the Playhouse Theatre following Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed take on 1984, which closes on 5 September.