Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Regent Theatre Stoke Review

Priscilla
Queen of the Desert
Regent Theatre, Stoke

21-26 September 2015

www.atgtickets.com/regent-theatre

Reviewed by Meresa Bergin

Now first things first, I have loved and adored Priscilla since I was a 12 year old watching it for the first time in my uncle’s sitting room, I watched it so many times I nearly broke the video! So I can say with confidence I am a huge fan and there is little I don’t know about the film.

I have been to see this play a number of times over the years in different theatres but I have never been to Regent Theatre in Stoke and boy was I in for a treat!

The Theatre is easy to find and there is ample cheap parking nearby. Walking into the theatre I felt almost like I was in a nightclub, lots of drag queens dressed up and the music really got you in the mood and the place was packed!

My local theatre is wonderful but on the small side, the Regent on the other hand is huge, I loved the stage set up with the disco balls and the hall is just beautiful, there are plenty of places to get drinks and plenty of toilets. I found the staff very helpful and they seemed to really enjoy their jobs and talking to customers, always a plus.

So onto the play itself, now as I said I am a huge fan and there is little that can go wrong with it in my eyes, all the songs I knew and loved were included and they fitted a lot of the important scenes from the film in it as well as giving it a new take with some of the songs and actions which give it its own touch.

The cast were very interactive with the crowd which I thought was important, everyone was clapping and on their feet clearly thoroughly enjoying the show.

I felt most the actors were well cast and held up well to those in the film. Bernadette has always been my all-time favourite and Simon Green did not disappoint for me, I felt he portrayed her vulnerable but strong side so well, he brought life to the part and this is no easy task as Terence Stamp is a god to me as an actor but Simon really held his own. Adam Bailey and Philip Childs also gave strong performances in my view, Adam is a very talented young actor and I can see he will go far. The young actor who played Benji was a little gem in the making I think and stole the show with his performances, he doesn’t just have a cute factor he can actually sing and actor which is sadly sometimes rare in plays with young children.

Now Duncan James can act and he can sing, at times I was very impressed with him but sadly some of the scenes he had really did disappoint me, I guess possibly because I am such a big fan and I feel I know the film well he didn’t hold the part of Tick well for me and I did not find him very believable, some of the scenes were he took his shirt off a lot I found slightly uncomfortable and like I had walked into The Full Monty by mistake. Those who know the film well will know this was not part of who Tick was, Adam was much more this type of character. The crowd did seem to enjoy Duncan taking his shirt off though and I heard a lot of encouragement for this, he is a good looking man but for me this just felt wrong and did put me off.

There were times he did amazingly well, such as when acting with the young actor who played Benji and in all the musical parts were he sang, he does have a very good voice, I am not a fan of Blue so I hadn’t heard much of him before tonight but as I said he can sing but I did not feel the need for him to get his shirt of quite so much and I did not feel it added anything to the show.

Priscilla will always be my favourite show to see, it has the power to lift my spirits no matter how I am feeling and I had a brilliant time seeing it at the Regent, they really made you feel like you were at a party and part of something really special and important.

I would recommend people to go see the show if you are looking for a good dance and sing along and The Regent Theatre truly is the place to see it!

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £14 to £42.50 (plus £2.85 transaction fee)

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is at the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent until 26 September 2015. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7649

Regent Theatre, Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 1AP | 0844 871 7649