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Jason Donovan camps it up in the desert
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent16 Sep 2008
Jason Donovan is to star in a stage version of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.
Adapted from the 1994 Oscar-winning film, the camp musical extravaganza will open in London next March.
The show has already been seen by more than a million people in Australia - where it is set - since it opened in 2006 and is the most successful Australian musical of all time.
The London production will succeed Spamalot at the Palace Theatre.
It tells the story of two drag queens and a transsexual booked to perform a gig in the remote town of Alice Springs. They travel in a bus, called Priscilla, in a road movie with added sequins.
Garry McQuinn, co-producer, said it was great fun and there were a few surprises even for those who knew the movie. "You can't create the Australian desert on stage. At one point we weren't even going to have a bus but in the end we thought we cannot do Priscilla on stage without Priscilla. But she has a few surprises up her frock."
Mr McQuinn said London was the obvious destination. "We think London audiences are far more open to new material - they are braver. Sometimes audiences in the rest of the world have to be led."
Donovan was a natural choice to star said Mr McQuinn. "I think he was considered for the role in the film so there's a little bit of history." Donovan came to fame in Australian soap Neighbours, where - by coincidence - the cast also included Guy Pearce, who starred in the original Priscilla movie.
But Pearce's part of Adam/Felicia will be played by Oliver Thornton, a veteran of West End musicals from Rent to Phantom and Les MisÈrables.
Joseph star Donovan will play Tick - Hugo Weaving on the big screen. Tony Sheldon will play Bernadette, the transsexual played by Terence Stamp in the film. Many of those who created it are involved, including writer Stephan Elliott and the Oscar-winning costumes team.
Reader views (4)
Well done for your new musical good luck and I am your biggest no one fan so far and also lee mead to I am his biggest no one fan, see you soon in preston guild hall -preston in dec 2008 soon speak to you soon.
- Miss G. Langstroth, Nelson,Lancashire, 18/09/2008 14:53
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Saw it in both Sydney & Melbourne - it is a WOW! Spectacular - wonderful costumes, great songs (most of which we are already familiar with), a great story well told, imaginative sets and lighting, but best of all the great (and I mean GREAT) Tony Sheldon - his stage presence is such that you just sit back and admire. If he doesn't end up winning the Best Actor in a Musical award I'll eat my hat.
This is a show NOT TO BE MISSED - I promise you. Can't wait to see it again.
- Guy Thompson, Brighton, East Sussex. UK, 16/09/2008 23:30
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funny how Jason doesnt mind being gay for pay now that his career is well and truly dead. Im sure he wouldnt have been so quick to consider such a role when he sued the face magazine in 92 when he felt that they slandered him by insinuating that he might be gay!
- Martin Thain, barcelona spain, 16/09/2008 21:27
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LOVE the film play my DVD when I need a good laugh not sure if it will work on stage though hope it does !
- Linda Cliff, London, 16/09/2008 14:38
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