Review: PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT (UK Tour) @ Manchester Palace Theatre

 

★★★★★ (5 of 5)

With drag culture becoming virtually mainstream these days, the movie that propelled a generation into frocking up is back on stage, 1994's The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert was a box office smash as Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce headed into the outback to give the locals a taste of Mardi Gras they never asked for or knew they wanted. Sydney premiered the stage musical in 2006, and it has been winning over new audiences around the globe ever since.

The pink bus first hit London in 2009 when award winning Tony Sheldon, Jason Donovan and Oliver Thornton were our trio of drag-ettes. But now for the first time in several years, Priscilla is back on the road in the UK with a brand new production and a hit squad cast to bring Fabulous back to UK stages.

For the few who have never seen the movie,  The drag queen Mitzi Mitosis – stage name of Anthony "Tick" Belrose – is performing at a club in Sydney when his estranged wife Marion, calls in for a favour. From the phone in Tick's dressing room, Marion reveals that she needs an act for a few weeks at her business in remote Alice Springs. Tick is at first reluctant, but Marion informs him that part of the reason she's asking is because their now eight-year-old son Benji wants to meet his father.  Accompanied by recently behreaved former trans showgirl Bernadette and the annoying young drag queen Felicia / Adam, they purchase themselves an old bus which they christen "Priscilla, queen of the desert" before driving off into the unforgiving Australian outback...

With the movie having had a lavish (and Oscar winning) budget for its costumes,  producing Priscilla for the stage always comes with big expectations.  And whilst the tour costume designer Vicky Gill is working to a much tighter budget, there are enough feathers and sequins on display to light up the stage. So too Priscilla herself,  a bus travelling across the outback.  Set and lighting designer Andrew Exeter has solved that problem with a two sided vehicle which turns and allows us to see what our hero(ines) are up to inside.  All told, with added video projections conveying the remote outback feeling, it is a fine canvas upon which to tell the story.

 

Nick Hayes returns to the role of Felicia with great success. Clearly a triple threat, his performance is one of the lynchpins of the show, ever more so as Adam comes to realise that the pride freedom of the big city is not reciprocated in rural Australia. Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton proves his mettle as Mitzi / Tick, committed drag queen and wannabe father. Clifton brings the right amount of guilt and fear to his performance,  plus displays a fine singing voice to add to his dancing skills. Legendary Fascinating Aida member Adele Anderson adds a touch of authenticity to Bernadette,  the world weary ex-member of the Les Girls drag troupe,  Anderson has long been at the forefront of both the theatre and cabaret worlds and here adds another notch to her impressive CV with a Bernadette that is maternal yet viper-ish when she needs to be. A trio made in drag heaven.

Many remember Peter Duncan from his long stints on Blue Peter, however it is to be remembered that Duncan is actually an Olivier nominated actor of some experience, as he proves here as Bob, mechanic and Les Girls fan!  Duncan provides the alpha to Berndette's beta, and their 'fine romance' is a lovely thing to watch unfold on the stage.  Isabella Glanznig Santos delivers us a fine and fiery Cynthia, Filipino wife of Bob, who has her very own specialist form of cabaret. Never has "Pop Muzik" been more appropriate!  Garry Lee's Miss Understanding gives the evening its early punch,  a scary mary with a penchant for Tina Turner. Much of the power pop vocals are down to three Divas:  Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura and Jessie May.  All three sing the roof of the Palace Theatre as they tackle head on Cindi Lauper, Donna Summer, The Weather Girls and an A - Z of pop classics.  They are the backbone of this production, never has disco sounded so good.

 

An eight piece band under the musical direction of Richard Atkinson deliver the big moments,  whether it be the C & W of "Country Boy" or the rock stomping of "Hot Stuff", they have it covered.  And Priscilla is all about big frocks and big tunes.  Director Ian Talbot has conjufred a fine reading of this now evergreen tale, and made sure that its increasingly relevant message of inclusivity and tolerence is front and centre.  

We haven't seen Priscilla on stage since the 2009 London premiere, and its delightful to witness that the reflection on the sequins has not dimmed in the interim.  For everyone heading out to see this UK tour,  rest assured you will LOVE this nightlife.  

 Rob & Ian   

Details of the Priscilla UK Tour can be found at the shows OFFICIAL WEBSITE 

 

 Further listening:

Although you can easily find the original Australian and Broadway cast recordings, our wild card recommendation is this recording from the 2017 Paris cast (in English) that will deliver a healthy dose of disco to your day.

Review: THE BATTLE (UK Tour) @ Birmingham Rep

 

★★★★ (4 of 5)

 Photos by Helen Murray

The mighty re-emergence of Oasis onto the live battlefield last year, gave weight to the anniversary of the Britpop battle of the bands,which dominated our culture in 1995. A time when Blur and Oasis fought it out for muscial supremacy.

The opening shots in John Niven's new play come at the 1995 Brit awards when Blur take four trophies to Oasis' paltry one.  The spark is ignited with both bands at the very centre of a new movement, an epic North vs South clash to the music that defined a decade, grass roots rock and roll taking on sophisticated arthouse pop.

 

We are at the heart of the music industry as the narrative takes it from hotel rooms, video shoots and of course recording studios as the shots are fired via the newspapers and media of the time. Each participant pushed to ever further extremes of controversy.  Oscar Lloyd's Damon Albarn is the cool, confident man of the moment at the opening of the play. The world is at his feet. But the Brothers are snapping at their heels, literally. The driven musical force of Noel Gallagher (Paddy Stafford) trying to counterbalance the excesses of Liam (a swaggering tour de force from George Usher), forces of nature that are about to be fully unleashed.  Will Taylor as Blur's Graham Coxon is drawn into this madness against his will, locking himself in bathrooms and dressing rooms in a bid for some rational calm when all normality is being ripped away. Trying to fathom out how he found himself in this contest of popularity and style in a clash of titantic egos.

On the sidelides trying to keep some control over proceedings Mathew Horne makes a few fleeting appearances as record label head honcho Andy Ross, trying hard to match the Gallaghers pound for pound in record sales.  The ladies don't really fare as well in this piece:  Louise Lytton as Meg Matthews offers some sobering thoughts to the brothers to which they pay little attention,  Harriet Cains offers a bit more spirited advice as Elastica's Justine Frischmann at pains to be seen as more than just Damon's eye candy girlfriend.

The real joy of this piece is the hilarious one liner insults thrown about by both bands at the other,  quite a few had the audience guffawing out loud.  And of course when the Gallagher circus is in town, what Liam lacks in class he makes up for in comedic value.  Every moment is a showdown,  a fight to be fought.  Of course we all know the outcome of the head to head single releases of 'Country House' and 'Roll With It'. Blur, by the skin of their teeth and thanks in part to a faulty bar code on the sales of the Oasis offering, win the day.  Are the Gallaghers magnamimous in defeat?  You bet they are not, and set out to redress the balance at Blur's swank party to celebrate their No 1. It is here the play takes a leap into the stratosphere, its hilarious and totally unexpected. Suffice to say, you may not think of the bands in the same way ever again!

 

Director Matthew Dunster has crafted a nostalgic comedy, and in an era where we seemingly can't do without looking at screens we have lots of animation video echoing the media coverage at the time.  Its a fun way to break up the constant barracking between the protagonists and give some context to the events which are bathed in a barrage of swearing, drinking and drug taking.

Overall,  The Battle is an impressive first play from Niven and will appeal to those who remember first hand the sheer intensity of the Blur vs Oasis culture war.  We rolled with it, safe in the knowledge that the battle was won many moons ago. This afterglow shines bright.

Rob & Ian

 

The Battle can be seen at Birmingham Rep until 7th March then emarks on a UK Tour. Tour dates HERE