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Nicholas de Jongh's rating
Wild ride for Priscilla Queen Of The Desert
By
Nicholas de Jongh
24 Mar 2009
With a trio of men decked out in gaudy dresses and absurdly over-the-top headwear, high heels and low wise-cracking innuendos, powered by a bus painted gorgeous pink, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert comes flouncing and flaunting into the West End. I welcome it with open arms and a glad rag-bag of positive adjectives. London has never played host to a musical pitched on a higher level of gayness and camp comedy, transsexual barrier-breaking and bitchy, witty drag-queenery, than this ingenious adaptation of the sensational film of the same name.
At a time when escapist musicals are all the rage, here’s a rare one that takes you happily out of yourself and into daring places your wildest fantasies might never have dreamed of visiting. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert should, therefore, do an absolutely roaring trade, and not just among the young and gay-friendly. With homophobic bullying in London schools and attacks on gay men on the dramatic rise and a few, mad, dangerous Muslims in town calling for homosexuals to be stoned to death, Priscilla offers a joyful antidote to a world of hatred and violence.
From the first moments when three divas hang suspended high above a silver-spangled bridge and belt out Downtown, the show never loses its spectacular, helter-skelter momentum of songs to which the drag queens lip-sync.
They all dance to Ross Coleman’s pugnacious choreography in an ever wilder outrage of costumes, right down to ridiculous belle époque corseted dresses and hats variously piled heavy with fruit, flowers and feathers: Simon Phillips’s production artfully exploits the fact that drag queenery relies on excess and exaggeration.
The plot is both simple and absurd. It offers the prospect of a risky odyssey into the heart of the rural outback of Australia by three mascara-laden drag queens with a serious talent to amuse and verbally abuse. Their low comedy gives high pleasure. Tony Sheldon’s sardonic Bernadette, a stately, middle-aged transsexual laid low by her young lover’s death in a hair-dyeing misadventure, sets out on that bus with Jason Donovan’s pleasant Tick, otherwise known as Mitzi, whose plan is to end up at Alice Springs, to visit a young son from his discarded, heterosexual past. Who better than Oliver Thornton’s muscly, super-feminine Felicia to join them on their bus-trip, drag-queening as they go?
Phillips, who gives the production such brio and dashing momentum, has sensibly exchanged the Abba songs used in the film for mainly gay disco and glam rock hits. Bogie Wonderland, I Will Survive and a Kylie medley are delivered with terrific panache. When these gender- illusionists have dragged up, faced bar-room violence and returned to their bus to find the words “f**k off, faggots” painted all over it, the singing of Both Sides Now is given a searing poignancy. In similar fashion Always On My Mind, Tick’s song to his son who comes to accepts his gay father, helps bring a reconciling laughter and pathos to this bitter-sweet, big-hit musical, that stands up for brave sexual outsiders.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (13)
If you want to leave a theatre after having an entire audience on their feet cheering and singing for over 10 minutes in the finals, and enjoy a good loud disco track, and can stand a bit of rough language, then
GOOOO and see Priscilla. I almost wet my pants when they observed that someone left the cake out in the rain, followed by the most pointless pop song text ever, but oh so well performed!
And I downloaded "Both Sides" from Joannie Mitchel, the most fragile emotional moment in the show after the first signs of gay hatred, almost tears in my eyes.
- Henk de Vries, London/Amsterdam, Netherlands, 28/04/2010 14:54
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funny! outrageous! gloriously over the top! sentimental! wonderful! an evening you'll remember and want to! just one niggle though. The 'soundtrack' is played must too loud! causing a lot of distortion and shrillness but if you can handle it, then go! go! go!
- Jonathan, Emsworth. UK, 01/10/2009 22:03
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Well produced, clever, excellent choreography, but some of the jokes were over-the-top disgusting. We are not all Graham Norton!
A show that's soon forgotten when you leave the theatre - makes no
lasting impression. Lots of froth, no real content, and a feeble plot.
Great old songs used 'cos they don't write them like that any more.
- Dee, cardiff, 30/09/2009 22:44
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Fantastic show and performances from all, having seen the film I really didn't know what to expect. I wasn't disappointed it was better than the film the rest of the audience must have thought the same getting to their feet and giving a standing ovation at the end. Must try and go back for a second visit, it was that good.
Can't believe some of the negative reviews I have seen, best go yourself and make your own minds up.
- Cb, Newport Wales, 30/09/2009 21:44
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Fantastic, almost as good as the original film ... Please go and shake your bouty, music excellent, costumes to die for and PRISCILLA well worth every pency she cost to build. Paula Nine Elms
- Paula Willis, London England, 30/09/2009 21:44
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I enjoyed Priscilla even though the bus was apparently having a tantrum. Jason Donovan gives a very sensitive and well-sung performance and Tony Sheldon is wonderful as Bernadette. It's tremendous fun and the costumes are glorious. The only downside was the noise. Towards the end, it's a bit repetitive (there is only so much disco music one can take). The much-trumpeted Kylie melody is a damp squid. Moreover, since it strictly adheres to what the majority of society think gay people should be like (ie. responsible fathers, etc.) it's rather patronising. Tellingly, at the end, Tick, the responsible one, ends up alone while the older Bernadette, who has gone through Stonewall and the 1970's, is willing to have a go at a rather sweet autumnal romance.
- Dj, London, 30/09/2009 21:44
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If there is only one ticket that you can afford this year then spend it on Priscilla.
Attended the show last night and what a show it is.Fantastic set,fantastic costume's, fantastic music and singing and ALL actor's and dancers not just the main names deserve a mention.Daniele Coombe as Shirley had me rolling around.Pure brilliant.Well done to all involved in bring it to the West End
- Selwyn Channon, epsom, 30/09/2009 21:44
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Queen of the West End!!!
After seeing previews online and hearing all the fuss from OZ, I was delighted to finally get to see the show at last Saturday's preview.
A stunning costume extravaganza, balancing broad humour, glamour, classic Disco tracks and a little pathos this road trip moves effortlessly from screen to stage.
Jason Donovan is well cast as Tick, whilst seasoned actror Tony Sheldon's portrail of Bernadette will surely put him in line for an award at the next Olivier Awards.
Plaudettes a plenty for Oliver Thornton, who plays Felicia ( adam) with amazing vigour...
This is a five star production and the ticket in the west end this season...
Not to be missed!
Wilde
- Craig Wilde, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 30/09/2009 21:44
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Went to see "Priscilla" last weekend just before the official opening night - it was by far the best musical I have seen! Everything about it was fantastic and the cast were amazing - the jokes and the one-liners were so funny and the songs just had you singing and clapping along. A brilliant, brilliant show - can't stress that enough - very colourful and very well scripted. The costumes were also so camp and wonderful. Loved the film aswell but I think this tops that! Can't wait to see it again.
- Karen, Harrow, Middlesex, 30/09/2009 21:44
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This is by far the best and most fun we have had in the theatre in years. We saw it the first week it played while visiting London...luckly I had ordered tickets in advance as it was packed. The Palace was alive with laughter and tears of joy all because of such wonderful performances and great showmanship. May it run for years...and hurry to American...we want to see it again and again. Love the CD also!!!!
- Tom Hendricks, Matthews, N.C. USA, 30/09/2009 21:44
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I was really disappointed.
A fantastic and emotionally engaging bitter-sweet film, has been reduced to a soulless, albeit very expensive looking, drag show.
- Matt Rolfe, London, 30/09/2009 21:44
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I saw this in Melbourne last year and as a massive fan of the film I was not disappointed with the stage production. I had a huge smile on my face through the entire show till it hurt. It's loud & colourful, has fantastic costumes, songs and still has the heart of the film. I'm so happy it has made it to the West End and will surely be seeing it again here.
- Georgina, London, UK, 30/09/2009 21:44
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Three words - 'go see it'!!!! Uplifiting - some much needed relief from todays economic gloom and doom.
- Neil Haire, Vauxhall, London, 30/09/2009 21:44
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