IT WASN'T so long ago that the 1970s were beneath our contempt. Oh, we could laugh about Spacehoppers and Magpie, but the idea that anything of value could ever come from the Decade That Taste Forgot was utterly risible.

Now, of course, the wheel has come full circle and the 70s are being desperately mined for their cool.

Bands like The Darkness and Kings of Leon are ultra-hip, Charlie's Angels and The Hulk are on the big screen, Beyonce has an Afro and everyone's into the Lord of the Rings.

But the new musical coming to Bristol Hippodrome next week is a timely reminder that whatever was going on elsewhere in the world, Britain was a pretty unhip place in the 1970s.

Boogie Nights, which bears no relation to the film of the same name, began its life as the Second Coming of Shane Ritchie.

It's the story of Roddy and Debs, a young couple who are just finding out what they want from life - and each other.

And while Shane's found his spiritual home on EastEnders, Albert Square veteran Sophie Lawrence, who played Diane Butcher, has joined the cast of his old show, alongside Big Brother's cheeky Geordie Jonny Regan.

And Matt Slack, who played the role of Dean the DJ in the show's spring tour, graduates to the starring role as Roddy O'Neil.

The show's creator Jon Conway said: "Sophie Lawrence brings her considerable experience and talent to the Debs character and Jonny wows audiences every night with his amazing vocal ability. I am truly thrilled with the talent of the new cast."

Featuring classics from the era like Boogie Wonderland, Enough is Enough, I Will Survive, Street Life, We Are Family and YMCA, Boogie Nights is a celebration of a decade that was at once glamorous, funky, fresh, exciting... and deeply ridiculous.

Performances begin at 7.30pm and tickets range from £10 to £19.50 from the box office on 0870 6077500.