It's loud, raunchy and camp. Yes, the irrepressible Rocky Horror Show is back. PAUL REVEL chats to creator Richard O'Brien and the show's stars, Nigel Planer and David Bedella.

RICHARD O'Brien, then 31 years old, premiered his new musical at Chelsea's Royal Court Theatre in 1973. Two years later the Rocky Horror Show was still playing to packed houses and was made into a film starring Meatloaf, Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry.

More than 30 years on, both the stage show and film have become an enduring cult phenomenon.

New productions of the stage version are constantly touring theatres while the film is a late-night ritual at cinemas the world over, with partying fans in fancy dress joining in the singing and dancing.

Richard, relaxing over a glass of red wine at the Churchill theatre, explains how the show came about.

"I wanted to write a rock'n'roll musical which didn't sound like a musical," he says.

"I mean, why doesn't Oklahoma have country and western instead of show music?"

"Every time I see a new show coming out in New York they all sound the same "

Several heads turn as he bursts into a warbling Broadway parody, singing: "We're writing a song for the show"

He adds: "And I think, Oh for God's sake, shut the f*** up.

"I wanted to write simple rock'n' roll. The sheer thrill of electric guitar turned up and rough sax blaring away. Wonderfully simple, great songs with three or four chords.

"I also wanted to revisit the hokum of B movies, creaky old dialogue and sets they were so unintentionally funny."

Did he imagine at the time his creation would still be going strong in 2006?

"I didn't think still I'd be alive," replies the 64-year-old. "Back then we thought 40 was old.

"We were living quite hedonistic lives. Just coming out of the 1960s, we were all smoking a lot of dope and taking an awful lot of acid and misbehaving in general. We had the arrogance of youth on our side.

"We thought we'd become sexy artists who died from absinthe poisoning or something. It was all bullsh**, of course."

Richard's extraordinary career started in 1965, riding horses in films.

"I was 22 at the time, I'd just got off the boat from New Zealand. It was exciting. There I was on horseback at Pinewood Studios, with Kenneth Williams and all these people I'd only seen at the cinema."

He is enthusiastic about this current tour.

"It's good quality, intelligent, witty and fun," he says. "Even the rowdiest fans are shutting up occasionally, knowing when to stop shouting and focus on what's happening."

Joining the tour in Bromley as the Narrator is actor and writer Nigel Planer.

"The Narrator is all about interacting with the audience," he explains. "It will be good to go onstage and see the whites of their eyes."

Nigel is a long-time fan of the show.

"I'm old enough to have seen the original production when it moved to the Essoldo cinema in Chelsea," he recalls. "It was radical and funny, different to anything else going on."

Nigel is known, among other things, as one of the Comic Strip creators, the Young Ones' immortal hippy Neil and as self-important thespian Nicholas Craig in the BBC's Naked Actor series.

But as he explains, Nigel is no stranger to musicals.

"My first job was understudying David Essex in Evita," he says.

"I was in the original West End Chicago and in We Will Rock You.

"So you should treat me with a bit more respect," he grins.

Indeed. He is also due to take a leading role in Wicked, the Broadway spectacular about the witches of Oz, when it opens in London this September.

"It's a plus if you really like the music," he explains. "Chicago was a pleasure, all those great songs. And in We Will Rock You, it was a treat being onstage every night with that amazing rock band."

Strapping on the glittering high heels as Frankenfurter is accomplished Broadway star David Bedella.

"It's one of the most fun things I've done in my career," says David. "And I've been doing this for 25 years."

"There's this energy and excitement from the fans. When I appear for the first time in the big reveal scene, the theatre goes crazy as if a rock star had stepped onto the stage.

"The subject matter is shocking but it's a surprisingly romantic and old-fashioned musical. I think there's only one curse word in the entire show unlike Jerry Springer."

Since moving to the UK five years ago, David created the role of Satan in the controversial best-selling show Jerry Springer, The Opera.

Does David find Satan has parallels with Frank N Furter?

"They're both larger than life, big personalities with big egos," he laughs. "And both take control, leading the audience on a journey."

When the executive producer of BBC drama Holby City saw the Jerry Springer opera, she had a part written for David in the series; the passionate Doctor Carlos Fashola.

"I was making Holby City at same time as being in Jerry Springer" recalls David.

"It was exhausting but I never complained.

"It's an actor's dream to be making a TV series during the day, then get into a limousine and head to the theatre for your show at night."

David moved here five years ago when his partner, a senior pastor, was posted to a church in England.

He says: "I love living in London. It's cosmopolitan and has the art and culture of New York but moves at a gentler, more liveable pace.

"Touring has pros and cons. I love seeing the country and the beautiful towns but you never rest. On Sundays I travel home, go to church in the evening and then it's up on Monday and packing to head off to the next city.

"But it's worth it to do this job. Every night I thank God for the gift."

Rocky Horror Show, June 5 10, Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley. Tickets £22 - £29.50, call 0870 0606620 or visit churchilltheatre.co.uk