Reviewed by Amanda Gazzard
25 years ago, Priscilla Queen of the Desert came to our screens, fast forward to today and we are now treated to the stage musical, which was produced by Jason Donovan.
The story makes a grand entrance from the opening scene and I was left in no doubt that this was going to be an amazing show.
I was taken on a journey about a group of unlikely drag queens who decide to go on a road trip with their own secret agendas. Along the way they find love and friendship from the most unexpectedly places all while driving a tired old school bus across the centre of Australia to Alice Springs in the Outback.
Tick (Joe McFadden) is nervous about meeting his son for the first time and worried how his son responds when he finds out his dad is gay and a drag queen, Joe will not disappoint you and truly comes into his own on the stage. Bernadette (Miles Western) who is the older drag queen out of the trio, has style and grace but following the recent loss of her lover she is now single and lonely. Felica (Nick Hayes) is reminded through some harsh lessons that not everyone is acceptable of gay men let along drag queens.
A worthy round of applause goes to the ensemble cast, who in my opinion were brilliant, with their boundless energy and eccentric costumes. They all deserved their place on the stage, and I must admit I was seriously jealous of how stunning they all looked in there drag costumes and wished my legs could look as striking and these were just the men!!
Aiesha Pease, Claudia Kariuki and Rosie Glossop portrayed the three divas who all had amazing voices and performed exceptionally. All of cast were brilliant and I only wished Miss Understanding (Kevin Yates) should have had more of a presence in the production as she amused the whole audience with her candour from the opening scene.
The costumes were outstanding, and I am still left bemused how quick they applied there drag queen makeup and removed it for the next scene.
The staging was designed perfectly with simple changes which made it clear where they were in the storyline. The song list was impressive from Go West, True Colours, Hot Stuff, I Will Survive and so much more. The choreography was striking and energetic. The whole performance was a delightful mix of adult humour, soulful voices and stunning costumes.
This is one of the best musical productions I have seen at the Cliffs Pavilion and you will not be left disappointed.
A very deserving 5 out of 5 stars.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £28.50 to £51.00 (booking may fees apply). Group discounts available.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical is at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend, Essex from 24-29 February 2020, for more information or to book tickets visit southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135.
To avoid driving around looking for a parking space the easiest place to park for free after 6pm is the sea front. It’s only a short walk up the steps to the theatre.
The theatre has a varied range of confectionery and beverages to purchase before, during and following the performance.
Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7RA | 01702 351135
