The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert

★★★★✩

WHAT a relief to be transported to Australia for the trip of a lifetime aboard “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”!

Three drag queens, Mitzi, Bernadette and Felicia played by Edwin Ray, Mile Western and Nick Hayes set out to cross the outback in an old Campervan and what starts as a simple road trip to Alice Springs becomes a voyage of discovery as they learn more about themselves.

Playing the role of the ageing star Bernadette, Miles Western was the glue holding the show together with a range of withering looks and cutting remarks whilst also portraying Bernadette’s vulnerability beautifully. Mitzi is travelling to meet his son for the first time hence the reason for the trip and with Felicia in tow the unlikely trio navigate not only the wilderness but also the bigotry and hatred that they encountered from the locals as they pass though small towns.

When Bernadette says “It was safer for us in the city”, she isn’t just referring to the Dingos!

With a strong supporting cast and magnificent band, the hits came thick and fast. Go West, I Will Survive, Finally and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to name a handful.

On the negative side, I did however leave the theatre feeling that there was something missing. There were times when a song just seemed to be thrown into the show for no apparent reason and whilst most of the budget looked like it went on the costumes, the scenery was bland to say the least and the bus was clever but far from fabulous.

The constant innuendo was getting in the way of the show making it feel a bit like a pantomime.

The curtain coming down while the set was changed for the finale was poor and killed the momentum. That being said, as “Jukebox Musicals” go, it was fun, I enjoyed it and so did the audience.