REVIEW: Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Mayflower Theatre, Wednesday 29 May, 2013
I don't think I have ever been to a theatre where people started clapping along to a song within three seconds of the show starting. But such was the great atmosphere within the Mayflower, you just knew that you were going to be swept along; the audience was onside right from the off.
I
heard laughter throughout the audience from both men and women alike. This show is bold, bright,
colourful, excessive to the very excesses of excess - and most
definitely NOT sophisticated!
The story is pretty basic... three men in drag travel from Sydney to Alice Springs so that they can fulfil their dreams, do a show and so that one of them can meet up with his estranged son. There are adventures all the way as they travel in their bus. Not any old bus either, as it is cleverly used within the story through high-tech means.
But the story is also tender and moving. It's about tolerance and understanding; dealing with homophobia is a huge underlying score.
Credit is due then to the leading men (or ladies!) in Graham Weaver, Richard Grieve and Noel Sullivan (Popstars and Hear'Say) who all played with grace and sensitivity. Hats off too to Noel Sullivan in particular, because his role is split between him for the first week and Jason Donovan for the second. After 13 million record sales, we all know who Jason Donovan is; he's a mega-star. But I genuinely thought that Noel was superb.
When you think about it, tottering around on 6-inch platforms can't exactly be easy, either. The show is full of energy, and heaps of mascara. Everything seemed to glitter, even from up in the Circle, where I was sitting. Perhaps it was the best place, because the mountain of ostrich feathers that appeared later in the show almost seemed to reach in height the same level that I was sitting!
I understand
there are around 500 costumes in each production. Who on earth could
have thought that giant cupcakes could look so mouth-wateringly
beautiful?
I loved the 'divas' - Emma Kingston, Ellie Leah and Laura Mansell were loud and proud. And, er... dangling from the ceiling right from the off!
Out of the some 30 songs, the audience and I knew at least 29 of them. I'd forgotten just how good 'Shake Your Groove Thing' is.
I loved the array of rainbow lights that adorned 'True Colours'... and there was dark humour with 'Don't Leave Me This Way' - and lighter humour that had the audience roaring with laughter alongside 'What's Love Got To Do With It' and the accompanying homage to Tina Turner's dance moves.
We ALL stood up at the end to join in with 'I Will Survive' too.
Sure, this is full of adult humour and not really one for the children. I wondered at times how they managed to cover the ears of the child actor who performs.
Indeed, my other half leaned over during the 'Thai Ping-Pong Champion' routine to Pop Musik and asked: "How are you going to review THAT bit?!" Yes, it was rude. But it was also very, very funny. Frances Mayli McCann, take a bow. As indeed she did, but not maybe as you would think!
I also loved the song montage illusion sequence near the end where the actors do their floor show and the music is sped-up. It was one of those "How on earth do they do that?" moments - where you kind of guess how they do it, but are still left in wonderment at just how they actually manage to achieve it.
Not long ago, Noel Sullivan told 'Wales Online' that he was "petrified" to be taking on the role of Tick. I thought he was so good, I would venture to say that it is HE who has set the bar. Hot Stuff? Great stuff!
Noel Sullivan performs as Tick until Saturday 1 June.
Jason Donovan performs as Tick from Monday 3 June until Saturday 8 June.
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