Florrie Elizabeth.

I wonder if writer Richard O’Brien expected The Rocky Horror Show to enthral audiences of hundreds more than 45 years after it debuted at the tiny Royal Court in London. Exploring themes of gender identity and sexuality in a tribute to mid-20 th century science fiction, O’Brien’s outrageous and energetic Rocky Horror Show is an immense amount of fun. The show follows the eye-opening encounters of newly engaged couple Brad and Janet, who unintentionally become the guests of a death-defying extravaganza one stormy night. Stephen Webb marvels as scientist Frank-N-Furter, commanding the stage of the tour’s remarkable cast throughout his confident portrayal of the wild Transylvanian transvestite. Philip Franks excels as The Narrator, modernising the 1973 musical with a remark on Brexit proceedings and responding with sharp wit to engagement from the audience, and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Joanne Clifton puts on an equally compelling performance as Janet. Clifton’s

We know our elderly population are vulnerable and yet Age UK found that one million older people still feel lonelier in the cold, festive season. It’s our duty to end this.  Florrie Andrew investigates how we can help. Candles are lit on the side table. A wreath hangs on the door. In the corner of the living room, a small Christmas tree is set up, and there is a hazy reflection of fairy lights twinkling in the steamed-up windows.  A mince pie warms in the oven, ready to tuck into when the Queen’s Speech broadcasts at 3.  It’s a typical Christmas scene; yet, it is missing one key feature. Someone to share it with. Research carried out by Contact the Elderly found that almost half a million older people face spending Christmas Day alone this year. Christmas is usually associated with sharing special moments with loved ones but, for those who are widowed, live far away from family or simply don’t have someone close to them to share it with, the festive season may serve as a reminde

After being accepted for a work placement back in November, on Monday 25th June the time had finally arrived to get the train to Victoria for the start of my placement at Press Association. I was to work in the Features department, which covers everything from food to health to travel. I arrived early for my placement on the first day, where I met Ella Walker, the Acting Features Editor. After a quick tour of the office, I immediately got started on the first commission of my placement, an article for BT Lifestyle on fears of dog flu becoming a pandemic, with a deadline set for before lunchtime. I used multiple sources to research and verify the medical information behind dog flu, and gave the topic context by giving a brief summary of the impact of swine flu. As I researched using specialist websites, I took extra care to make sure that I explained the disease in a clear yet informative way. Once the article was submitted, I headed off to lunch and found the Cardinal Place rooftop

Full of charm, wit and heartwrenching emotion, the Take That musical is simply divine. The musical follows the lives of a group of 16-year-old schoolgirls who have bonded over their adoration for 'the band'. The girls’ dream becomes reality when they have the opportunity to see the boy band live but tragedy strikes and their friendship breaks apart. 25 years on, a competition win could rekindle the girls once more. Featuring all the Take That classics from ‘Never Forget’ to ‘Rule the World’, this is a musical no 90s fan can miss. www.thebandmusical.com 'The Band' are made up of the five winners from BBC One's Let It Shine AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri and Sario Solomon who make up pop group Five to Five. The sublime quintet is on stage for the majority of the production, touchingly representing the fact that, deep down, the boys are there wherever the girls go. Each performer offers vocals just as strong as the other a

From the moment the lights come on, it is clear that something is not right in the Manningham household. Set in Victorian Britain, the 1938 Patrick Hamilton play is where the term ‘gaslighting’ originates from- and it does not take long to work out why. Domineering Jack Manningham [Rupert Young] has psychologically manipulated his wife Bella [Kara Tointon] into doubting her sanity, in order to achieve his own aims. When a peculiar retired police officer [Keith Allen] with an acute interest in the life of the Manninghams unexpectedly arrives, this thrilling play truly commences. While the play begins quite slowly, a sudden twist reveals why the time for heavy character development was necessary. Kara Tointon portrays the maddened Bella with credibility and precision.  Her chilling, stilted stage speech contrasts perfectly with the arrogance of Young's patriarchal Jack. That said, for a character of such turbulence in the play, Young’s portrayal of Jack is understated in the first

With a population of more than 8.5 million and approximately 50 million visiting the city each year, it is no secret that New York City is a bigg'un. Manhattan alone spreads across an area of 59 km 2 There is simply so much to do in New York that many would agree makes it impossible to see and do everything that 'should be done' on a touristy trip to the Big Apple. I was fortunate enough to spend a long weekend in the city last year and, frankly, I thought NYC was sublime. However, four days is not a lot of time in a place that is as big as this city is but I felt I accomplished a pretty  considerate amount. If you plan to see the touristy sites of New York, I thoroughly recommend the New York City Pass . It costs $116 per person and gives you entry into six attractions. It can be used over nine days and comes in a handy booklet. I found that the pass gives you a sense of purpose and makes deciding what places to visit on your long weekend just that much easie