“For it is a celebration and it is immense fun. We begin with a glitter bomb and end with one and in between we are dazzled by the amazing costumes (Joy Sweeny and a team of dedicated people) and song and dance numbers (marvellously choreographed by Janina Hamerlok)“
“Catch the bus”
– Kate Stratford
4/5 Glitter Bombs
One thing is sure after seeing Willoughby Theatre Company’s Priscilla, Queen of the Desert- The Musical is that when they stage my funeral, I want it to be like Trumpet’s – drag queens in black singing and dancing. I could not imagine a more celebratory and enjoyable send-off. I might possibly request that Adam Haynes direct it and Linus Karsai stage manage it since they have done such a slick job on this.
For it is a celebration and it is immense fun. We begin with a glitter bomb and end with one and in between we are dazzled by the amazing costumes (Joy Sweeny and a team of dedicated people) and song and dance numbers (marvellously choreographed by Janina Hamerlok),
At the centre of the story are the three beloved drag queens Mitzi (Brent Dolahenty as Tick), Felicia (Tom Gustard as Adam) and Bernadette (Glenn Morris). Each has their own reason for the journey. Tick has to resolve his inner conflict with being gay and a father; Adam is crying out for acceptance and Bernadette is lonely. There is dramatic conflict between Adam and Bernadette over the new way and old way of doing drag; and in one nasty moment Adam dead names Bernadette. But the story celebrates both styles and in this micro conflict we see reflected the larger issue of acceptance.
I know the film well but having never seen the original stage production, I can say that Dolhenty, Gustard and Morris give the original film cast a run for their money – Glenn Morris in particular delivers a more vulnerable and preferred interpretation of Bernadette. The original story also took place in the mid-1990s where the shadow of the AIDS epidemic fuelled an existent homophobia and provided a menacing background tone. Now Kylie has replaced the ABBA women as the goddess(es) of gay and this 2006 version has removed the AIDS reference. The threatening shadow is gone but the Priscilla bus is still vandalised. Homo / trans phobia is an open weeping wound in the LGBTQI+ community and a shame on our culture. It is an odd paradox that there are Australian ‘straight’ men who seem to enjoy dressing up as women yet decry, even vilify, drag. They will happily visit the Mardi Gras Parade in March then vote ‘no’ to marriage equality. It reflects an inability to accept and embrace diversity which stains us in such an unhappy, and often violent, way.
There was a danger is adapting the film for stage something would be lost in translation. Stephan Elliot and Allan Scott’s book ingeniously incorporated three Divas. A sort of operatic pop group, Nicole Music, Jessica Zamprogno and Karen Oliver not only provide a stunning vocal backbone to the show but impressive transitions, some quite acrobatic. They are all that is fabulous and just a touch scene stealing (in the best possible way). Some small story threads are gone or minimised but everything important is there.
Supporting all this fabulousness is a smallish orchestra under the baton of musical director Jeremy Curtain who team never missed a beat or a note – or least, none I could detect. Not bad on an opening night. The few glitches that were there were cast/crew movement; small segues which will iron out with a performance or two under their belt. The ensemble were cohesive, on point and obviously enjoying themselves and it is so much easer in the audience to enjoy oneself if the cast are having a good time.
Then there is Priscilla herself. She is a tired old bus which is revamped to become a Barbie Campervan and a personality in her own right. Proof again that love can restore life to those who are most neglected.
Musical theatre is an expensive exercise and outlay recovery usually means ticket prices are prohibitive to many (have you checked the prices for a particular American historical musical?). Without companies such as The Willoughby Theatre Co, thousands would never be able to experience productions such as Priscilla. They are also the training ground of future talent. So many of our biggest performers and artists started in community arts. Like the Divas in Priscilla, these groups are the backbone of our cultural life. In our COVID times, they need us and we need them.
Catch the bus.
(I feel I should also mention the wigs. So gloriously improbable. The thong dress is there. The feathers – oh the feathers. Glitter and sequins. What more could you want than Australia in drag?
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
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