Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Bradford Alhambra Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Deborah Banasko
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is on its 30th anniversary tour production, and I was delighted to get the opportunity to see this well-loved show.
The show opens in a drag club, where Tick (Kevin Clifton) decides that the time has come to gather the courage to meet his 9-year-old son, so he agrees to travel across Australia to perform the show of a lifetime whilst also meeting his boy. He convinces former drag queen Bernadette (Adele Anderson) to join him, along with the fabulous Felicia (Nick Hayes). They embark on a journey across the Australian outback in their bus “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”, showcasing their drag act at various drinking spots along the way. Tick is desperate to be accepted by his son; Bernadette wants to find love and Felicia yearns to sing a Kylie Minogue classic on Ayers Rock. It creates the perfect blend of humour, friendship and being yourself and “owning it”.
The three leading roles were perfectly cast, with comedy timing that was on point and they had great chemistry. Clifton was a real surprise as he is an amazing actor and singer, and delivered the plot with a balance of passion and sensitivity.
Both my daughter and I agreed that we could not take our eyes off Hayes throughout. He didn’t seem to be acting, he simply was Felicia in every move that he made and word spoken. He owned the stage and we just loved him.
The songs were probably the best of any show I’ve seen, purely because we knew every one of them, from the 80’s and 90’s to disco. Favourite numbers were “Venus” where we were introduced to Felicia; the outfit, the attitude and the choreography were stunning. The trio performing “I will survive” was just iconic, and the amazing “Boogie Wonderland” got everyone on their feet.
This is a show that has you smiling throughout- it is fast paced, hilariously funny and features the best costumes in any show that I’ve seen (with changes happening at record speed). The set revolved around the bus for a large part of the show, but with the changing lit up backdrops and various additional props you really felt that you were journeying with them.
I will add a slight note of caution as the humour is aimed for adults and can be a little risqué perhaps. This was mainly at the start with lots of sprinklings throughout, so it isn’t something that a younger child should be watching. My almost 15-year old was fine, just a couple of moments where she cringed. I found it absolutely hilarious, but the age rating of 12 plus for me is perhaps on the young side.
There is a scene to particularly watch out for featuring Isabella Glanznig Santos and ping-pong balls… her comedy timing is faultless, and she had the audience crying with laughter.
The cast were so versatile and I really need to mention the ensemble who shifted effortlessly from cowboys, to drag queens, to tough guys and everything in-between. Rafe Newton who played Benji was outstanding with the most beautiful voice and deserves a mention.
This show is fun, fun, fun, delivering high energy camp-ness throughout with perfectly chosen songs. However the nod to the negative views on homosexuality, the strength to accept yourself and the need to rely on your friends felt necessary, poignant and added some shade to what is otherwise a loud and fabulously over the top show.
There were several beautiful moments towards the end which gave the show a proper ending, and a real journey for the characters.
A camp, energetic yet heartwarming production with some beautiful themes at the heart of it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
The show runs from 7th until 11th July 2026, and tickets are priced between £22 and £58.
You can purchase tickets here: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert