Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Director, Dee Bennie-Marshall, gave Rotherham a show to remember with the fantastic production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert with a non-stop, full-on, show-stopping, high kicking and passionate performance from every member of the cast.  When the audience know (and many love) the songs in a production it is difficult to make sure no one is disappointed.  However Matthew Symonds, MD, had clearly worked hard with the cast to ensure that they gave fabulous renditions of some of the most popular and well known songs of the past six decades.  Accompanied by an orchestra every song was brilliant.  Charlotte Wall supported the production as Dance Captain and every dancer gave their all.  The Drag Ensemble, Dance Team and Production Ensemble were all in time, up-beat and clearly having an absolute ball.

There are few moments in the show when the three leading ladies aren’t on stage and Ashley Booker as Bernadette, Ben Loy as Tick/Mitzi and Matthew Roddis playing Adam/Felicia were brilliant every minute of the production.  Each one sang, danced and acted their part demonstrating great ability, commitment and talent.

They were well supported with great performances from Michael Coldwell as Miss Understanding, Donald McInnes as Bob, Catherine Enos as Marion and (though I’m not sure I will ever look at the Societies Chairman in the same way) a hilarious performance from Rachel Marshall as Shirley and the Pastor.  Helen Edwards gave a memorable portrayal as Cynthia – complete with lap dancing and ping pong balls (don’t ask) and I must mention the excellent stage presence of Dillon Batey, as Benji, who as the only child performer really held his own with these experienced adults.  The Divas: April Taylor, Beth Atkin and Grace English sang and moved their way around the stage like professionals, every movement was carried through and their timing was perfect.

I enjoyed all the production numbers, but Macarthur Park was my favourite with the Drag Ensemble as dancing cupcakes –   I must mention the ability of the Drag Ensemble to dance in high heeled shoes.  The choreography gave them no easy options and they were still amazing.

Whilst incredibly entertaining the story is not without some important messages and I felt that these were well conveyed, particularly by Booker, Loy and Roddis.  They managed to capture the difficult and harrowing emotions of people who live their lives without conforming and the challenges faced by those who are true to themselves.  Booker perfectly projected the loneliness and heartbreak experienced by Bernadette and Loy’s performance demonstrated the issues which some people face when worlds collide, while the enthusiasm and energy of Roddis’s performance gave us a taste of how hard it is to be yourself when ‘yourself’ isn’t understood by other people.  The production should help everyone who saw it think about diversity in our community and the wider world.

The costumes were astounding and wouldn’t have been out of place on Broadway.  Though they did present some challenges – the size and scale alone made the logistics difficult to manage and I was advised that it was a team of seventeen dressers who worked incredibly hard so that the many changes went smoothly.    The inanimate object of the title role, the bus – was a full scale model of the one which was used in the West End production.  The Civic stage isn’t huge, but the crew pulled off the turns and manipulation (always moving the wheels when the bus was supposed to be in motion) so that the audience felt that it could have driven off the stage and onto the M1.  The stage management ensured swift changing of the scenes and the props used were very effective.

I have tried to isolate the key element of the production and it is very difficult as everything about it was so well done.  However I think the most important ingredient was that the show was perfectly cast.  Here in South Yorkshire Dee Bennie-Marshall developed an enthusiastic group of talented people who then, along with the production team, have worked incredibly hard to put on a production which through brilliant costumes, songs, dances, sets, characterisation and performances entertained and moved the audience in equal measure.  At the end the audience rose to their feet in perfect timing, as if choreographed.  No one sat wondering whether they should stand as every person in the auditorium knew that the standing ovation was well deserved.

Congratulations to everyone involved – an amazing production.

Thanks to Jo Sykes for agreeing to review this show for me, I saw the Friday evening performance and totally agree with her, it was a really great feel-good-factor show which left everyone in a great mood and literally dancing in the aisles.

Les Smith, Noda North East Councillor

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