Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical

DeMontfort Hall in Leicester hosted a mere week of the touring version of the West End hit that is Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical. Judging by the audience reaction this is the ideal show for girls' nights out and hen parties as well as ladies and gentlemen of a certain persuasion.
Right from the minute the curtain rose and Miss Understanding burst out of the curtains to give us her Tina Turner we knew we were in for an evening of raucous fun. Priscilla is much more than a jukebox musical and all the numbers actually pertain to the story. However it is not afraid to mix pathos with potty mouthed humour and exuberant dance routines.
The costumes deserve much more than a mention. With some 500, yes FIVE HUNDRED, costumes you hardly have time to take in the sheer audacity of some of them before the next outrageous creation appears on the stage. The speed of some of the quick changes are amazing. The various frocks are a kaleidoscope of colour, foam, feathers and sequins recreating every one of the remembered outfits from the film and a whole wardrobe of extra designs. To add to the familiarity of the show is the fact that every one of the laugh-out-loud moments from the film has been retained along with even more gags.
I was dubious about how they would tackle the bus, Priscilla herself, in a touring production but it is recreated marvelously and skids around the stage with almost a life of its own.
Altogether this is a camp romp through the sounds of the 80's piggy backed onto a great story of love lost and regained, friendships forged through adversity and small town bigotry overcome.

© Paul Towers 26/2/2014