Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Wow! What a spectacular show this was. Stunning costumes, clever set, sumptuous lighting, oodles of disco music and a heart-warming story, all brought to life for us by a super-talented and energetic cast.

Based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is the hilarious but touching story of three friends (two drag queens and a transsexual) who buy a battered old bus (Priscilla) and head for Alice Springs to perform their show and reunite one of their number with his son. This is so much more than a jukebox musical. Delightful though all the familiar disco hits are – this show has a real heart, and their outrageously camp journey turns out to be a voyage of self-discovery and acceptance.

The three friends, played by Andrew Warner (Bernadette), James Bradbury (Adam) and Ed Chase (Tick) worked supremely well together, playing the tender moments just as well as the more lively and camp scenes. They coped well with the succession of amazing outfits they had to wear and each has a delightful singing voice, whether harmonising or performing solo. There were too many good songs to mention each, but I was particularly moved by their final trio “We Belong”. An appropriate ending.

They were most ably supported by The Divas (Rachel Dean, Marlene Hill and Birdy Todd), appearing like a Greek Chorus at regular intervals – beautiful singers and movers! Jeanette Broad nearly stole the entire show with her grotesquely funny character Shirley, encountered in a hostile bar, and Blake Edwards as Benji (on the first night) demonstrated amazing confidence and singing ability way beyond his years.

The standard of singing and movement from the entire cast was top notch. The choreography was obviously well drilled and crisply executed, despite the encumbrance of some of the costumes they had to wear! The Alice Springs show scene made my mind boggle, with a speeded-up succession of people as the three performers, revealed by a constantly moving curtain – it must have required split-second timing and been a nightmare to tech, but it was carried off with great style.

Praise must be heaped on the Wardrobe Manager (Lina Koevchinova) and her team for assembling such a feast of beautiful, over the top costumes (where else could you see dancing paintbrushes and cup-cakes?) and all those who helped backstage with some amazingly fast changes. Praise too for the stage crew for managing the slick scene changes and the lighting designer (Alex Musgrave) for the spectacular effects.

I wondered whether some of the older people in the audience might have been shocked or offended by the language and subject matter, but I needn’t have worried. One said “It’s a bit naughty isn’t it” and from the rousing standing ovation given by the enthusiastic first night audience – I think they were with me in loving every moment of it. This was more than equal to any professional touring production I’ve seen, for a fraction of the price. How lucky we are in Portsmouth to have such top quality amateur theatre. Well done Players – another triumph!

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