Ainsley’s Rocky days are food for thought (From Daily Echo)

Ainsley’s Rocky days are food for thought

1:56pm Friday 15th January 2010 in

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How are you getting on with the show?

“It’s brilliant.

We’ve had to take a break because it’s been panto season so Southampton will be the first show after the break. It’s fantastic, having two and a half thousand people screaming and shouting in the audience. And it’s so funny the way all these people turn into drag queens.”

Were you a fan of The Rocky Horror Show before you were involved in the production?

“Yes, this dates me but I went to the original show on the King’s Road. It made a massive impression on me then – it was so free and full of people expressing themselves. I’ve never dressed up properly to see it though. I’ve got into the spirit and worn a loud shirt or something but never stockings and suspenders – not for going out in anyway! Ha, ha!”

How did you get involved in the show?

“I was asked. I thought it sounded good so I said yes. It is very different to doing TV.

“You can’t shoot it again if something doesn’t work out but it’s not that different to doing Ready Steady Cook. I wasn’t nervous – I’ve done a lot of live shows before. I used to be a regular at the Comedy Store so I feel comfortable performing.”

What do you bring to the Narrator?

“A lot of natural energy and a lot of ad-libbing. The audience shout things out at you and I’m quite quick at coming back at them. I bring a bit of colour to the proceedings. I’m also one of the few Narrators to dance. I join in with it all.”

You come from a showbiz background don’t you?

“My father was a well-known musician. We had people like Bob Monkhouse coming to the house when we were children – my dad knew all those people. I grew up in that show business environment.”

You’ve been working with food since you were a teenager. Do you still enjoy cooking?

“I love cooking. I still do private functions. I love writing my cookery books and coming up with new recipes. Sometimes they work and sometimes the whole thing goes in the bin – the pot and all!

“I sometimes think it might be nice to open a restaurant again, but not in this climate.

“It’s a pastime that you don’t stop doing. With things like gardening you might take a break over the winter but with cooking you’re doing it every day and I love it. It’s great living in a multicultural society because there are all these new ideas that you can try. I’m in talks with the BBC at the moment about a new food show.”

This isn’t the first time you’ve acted – is that something you’d like to do more of in the future?

“I’ve done quite a few bits of acting and it’s definitely something I’d be interested in doing more of. It’s jumping the gun to think that Hollywood would come knocking on my door but I would definitely be in interested, but I’d also be interested if a small TV company came knocking. I would never stop cooking though – it’s too much of a passion for me.”

• The Rocky Horror Show is at The Mayflower, Southampton from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 January.

For tickets call 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk.