Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Opening at the end of March in London, at the Palace Theatre, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is going to inject some much needed fun and laughs into London this spring! Jason Donavon is the star-name who has been picked to carry the opening run of the new musical, which will follow Jason’s character ‘Tick’ along with Tony Sheldon playing ‘Bernadette’ and Oliver Thornton as the third member of the trio, as they travel on a bus called Priscilla through the Australian desert to Alice Springs. So far, so perfect-setting for a musical.

The show was originally translated from the Oscar-winning film onto the stage in Melbourne in 2006 and tickets are already selling out fast in anticipation for the London debut of the show. Rather than a wholly original score, the musical will play on its camp heritage and its drag-queen leads by including many dance classics to get you moving in the aisles! Hits like ‘Downtown’ and ‘Girls just Wanna Have fun’ may lack the subtly of the lyrics of Les Mis or Phantom of the Opera, but they are certainly a lot more fun and, seemingly, that’s what Priscilla is going to be all about.

The show is a visual feast enjoyed by over a million Australians in its original conception and now its vast and colourful wardrobe of over 500 costumes and 200 hats and headdresses are being dusted off and sparkled up ready to dazzle London audiences. It’s not all hilarity though, the storyline, which those of you who have seen the original film will know, does have very moving parts to it and this will be, we are promised, translated into this stage version. And, if it isn’t, there are always 150 different pairs of shoes which can distract and console you.

Clearly, this isn’t going to be for the high-minded theatre goer who likes their musicals raw, intellectual and profound. Nor, because of its subject matter and sexual jokes will it likely be suitable for younger children. For everyone else in between though, Priscilla promises to be one of the stand out hits of 2009 on the West End. A funny, fabulous show to lift spirits in depressed times and a timely reminder, just as La Cage Aux Folles is, that we should be proud of what we choose to be. Get your tickets for Priscilla Queen of the Desert before they sell out!