Priscilla Queen Of The Desert: the musical is brash, bright, and ballsy. Pun definitely intended. From the first notes She (Priscilla) comes at you full throttle with her disco pulse, reigning supreme as the queen of extravaganza musicals.
All the components are there, a great cast, stunning costumes, and a kick ass soundtrack. If you were looking for a quiet, contemplative night at the theatre you'd better look elsewhere. But good luck trying to pull your eyes away from the bright lights and good times at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
You are in for some surprise too. As with any great story there is more to Priscilla than meets the eye, or ear, as the case may be. And this production holds up to the original film. Audiences are definitely in for one wild and heart-warming ride.
The cast, fronted by Broadway veteran Will Swenson, Priscilla legend Tony Sheldon and up-and-comer Nick Adams sizzle together onstage. The trio have great chemistry, and the ensemble sound and look amazing onstage. Swenson's Tick/Mitzi sets the perfect tone for the shows more challenging and heavier themes. While, Mr. Sheldon, who originated the role of Bernadette in the Australian production, is a clear star. Surprisingly, Priscilla will mark his Broadway debut and we'd bet he gets nominated for a Tony. Nick Adams, (pictured above) as the young, bratty but lovable, Felicia holds his own, but lacks some of the nuance and depth of character that Swenson and Sheldon bring. Perhaps it is a case of life imitating art and vise-versa. Felicia is a naive and tender young man, full of piss and vinegar, and still learning. Like his character, Mr. Adams seems a little under developed in the role. His inconsistency with the accent was problematic, but if he's anything like Felicia, Adams will continue to rise to the challenge. It is a big opportunity for him and he is a joy to watch.
As we mentioned the costumes are a real highlight of this show. With over 300 different pieces, the sheer volume of colour, size and boldness will overwhelm the senses. Considering the large cast and the choreography the costumes only add to the sheer magnitude of the production. They help to emphasis the concept of space, which is so vital to the original film. How to convey the immensity of the Australian outback onstage is a considerable challenge. But the costumes, in all their grandness lend themselves to thinking about this show and Its larger than life attitude.
And then there is the bus. Priscilla herself. This show would be impossible to produce without one, and the use of a rotating platform and mechinised door allowed for scenes both inside and outside of the bus, creating very effective divisions of space. Of course there is an outrageous quality to putting a bus on a stage but it is essential to the telling of the story and if you can't make Priscilla a spectacle perhaps it shouldn't be made at all. Big musicals definitely have a place in the current climate of successful musical theatre and Priscilla is the grande dame of them all.
For those who fear that Priscilla may be playing to a niche audience or that it will seem shallow rest assured there is a lot that goes deeper to this show. Some of the criticism of the stage production has centred around a perceived sanitization of the original film's grit and ugliness. But we'd argue that there is still a lot of tension lingering under all the gloss and glitter. The characters still face social, sexual and gender identity issues with tenacity and diva fierceness.
The message in Priscilla is about self-discovery and the constant journey that is life. And who's to say that should not be set to disco music? Priscilla is running in Toronto for 12 weeks! We highly recommend this one. It's a real crowd pleaser!
For tickets or more info click here!
LM and JH
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