Sequins, Soul and a Busload of Joy: Priscilla Rolls Into Nottingham

Written by Katie Barr

Some shows slip politely into town. Priscilla Queen of the Desert arrives in a cloud of glitter, revs the engine, and makes absolutely certain nobody misses it. At Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall, this touring production burst onto the stage in a fabulous collision of sequins, wigs, platform heels and disco fever. From the first number, subtlety had not so much been left at the door as flung joyfully out of the bus window.

“…generous, life-affirming, riotously entertaining and full of heart.”

It was, quite simply, the kind of night theatre should give us more often: generous, life-affirming, riotously entertaining and full of heart. The musical follows three performers — Tick, Adam and Bernadette — as they cross the Australian Outback in their battered bus, Priscilla, travelling towards Alice Springs for a show that becomes far more than just another booking. Beneath the feathers and fabulousness lies a tender story about identity, acceptance, friendship and finding the courage to live honestly.

Kevin Clifton is an immensely likeable Tick/Mitzi, bringing warmth, charm and a lovely emotional openness to a role that needs both sparkle and sincerity. Nick Hayes is sensational fun as Adam/Felicia: fearless, sharp, flamboyant and gloriously mischievous. He attacks the role with total commitment, giving the production much of its comic bite and rebellious fizz. Adèle Anderson, meanwhile, is wonderful as Bernadette. Dry, elegant and quietly devastating when she needs to be, she gives the show its poise and emotional centre, proving that Priscilla can touch the heart just as easily as it raises the roof.

And raise the roof it does. The soundtrack is pure dance floor gold, with It’s Raining Men and I Will Survive landing with irresistible force. The three Divas — Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura and Jessie May — are a particular treat, soaring above the action with powerhouse vocals and dazzling glamour. Every time they appear, the energy lifts another notch.

“Towering headpieces, shimmering bodysuits, feathers, colour and outrageous invention come thick and fast.”

Matt Cole’s choreography keeps the evening fizzing with pace, polish and wit, while the costumes are almost a production in their own right. Towering headpieces, shimmering bodysuits, feathers, colour and outrageous invention come thick and fast. They are not just decorative; in Priscilla, costume becomes armour, punchline, personality and protest. The visual spectacle is constant, but it never feels hollow. There is real craft beneath the camp.

What makes the show truly sing is the tenderness beneath all the disco abandon. It is hilarious and gloriously over the top, but it never forgets the prejudice its characters face, or the resilience it takes to keep going with your head high and your heels higher. By the finale, the Royal Concert Hall felt less like an auditorium and more like a party — one filled with warmth, defiance and communal joy.

“Glittering, funny, moving and completely irresistible…”

Glittering, funny, moving and completely irresistible, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a tonic. It sends you out smiling, humming, and walking with just a little more strut than when you arrived.

All content is original to The Literary Lounge.

In-article images credited to Johan Persson. No changes were made to these images. 

Featured Image credited to Matt Crockett..

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