Reviewed by Jan Mellor
Unbelievably, it is 25 years since the original showing of this film that shocked, excited and intrigued the public and so with the opening night at the majestic Empire Theatre in Liverpool, I was filled with great awe as I entered the foyer to gather my ticket. Within the press area were some stunning ‘ladies’ dressed to impress and show their commitment and devotion to the drag way of life. Fabulous start darlings! As I entered the theatre the glowing excitement around me announced that some stars from the hit show ‘Rue Paul’s drag race ‘had arrived to see the show in full splendour. This was going to be great!
“Priscilla – Queen of the Desert“ is a story of three drag queens – Tick (Mitzi), Adam (Felicia) and Bernadette – played by the wonderful Joe McFadden, the god-like Nick Hayes and the enigmatic Miles Western – who superbly ignited the magnificent costumes (wonderful work Charles Cusick-Smith and Phil R Daniels!) whilst performing with ease, glamour and a heap of ‘bitchy’ humour.
The show started with a great impersonation of Tina Turner at the Cockatoo (cock or two?) club she strutted across the stage to ‘What’s love got to do with it’ and the audience screamed in delight. Tina followed this with toilet humour gags which the audience loved, and we all melted into the mood of an evening of delightful decadence. Throughout the show, three divas (with amazing voices) sang an array of brilliant songs that included ‘It’s raining men’ and “I love the nightlife” with oomph and charisma and sheer talent. These singers Jacqui Sanchz, Claudia Kariuki and Emma Crossley carried the audience from one classic hit to another throughout the performance and I adored these three as they sang us through the story of a young man who, once having married and had a son, was pulled to his natural yearning to be a drag queen – who receives a call from his estranged wife stating that it was time he met his 6-year-old son. He is distraught and riddled with guilt and so in convincing his pals – the Adonis Adam and his old friend Bernadette (after the loss of Bernadette’s partner) – the three queens go off in search of the Casino at Alice Springs to play knockout shows and for Tick to meet his bereft son. And so, the journey begins for these three travelling through the outback, meeting rough- necks and bigots and Bob – played by the straightest guy on stage – the great Daniel Fletcher who, along the way, not only fixes the problematic tour bus ‘Priscilla’ but falls deeply in love with the sophisticated Bernadette.
The humour and heartbreak that these three divas share with us is so believable, the jokes are rude but hysterical, the pain is dramatic and sometimes too familiar, and the companionship is warming. There are fantastic moments throughout this tale of turmoil, heartache and sheer exuberance. The three cast members carried us with them and as we shared tender moments with them and laughed out loud at their ‘naughty’ quips we all fell more and more in love with these three icons. The three eventually get to the casino and their show is depicted in quick snippets of the songs sang throughout the story and it was done so well.
Some of the jaw – dropping dance scenes (fantastic choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves) throughout the show were reminiscent of those seen on a Vegas club stage and truly magnificent. The choreography was brilliant, and the bus, bush and casino worked wonderfully on stage. The nonstop songs throughout – “Go West” ““A Fine Romance”, “Finally” and of course the iconic gay theme “I Will Survive”- had the audience singing and swaying along and we all felt 20 years younger. The joy, vivaciousness and damn ‘devil may care’ attitude warmed each one of us and left us breathless as the performance reached its’ crescendo and the three united in a spectacular finish.
Go and see this show! This unique depiction of comradeship will have you singing your hearts out, gasping at the amazing costumes and laughing till tears role down your cheeks. I was privileged to have shared this momentous 25-year anniversary and love the fact that as another decade draws near, we can accept that ‘anything goes and to follow your destiny at all times.
An amazing show – jaw-dropping!!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £13 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is at the Liverpool Empire 11-16 November 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/liverpool or call the box office on 0844 8713017.
Liverpool Empire, Lime Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 1JE | 0844 8713017
