Review: Priscilla Is A Must For All Musical Theatre Goers
Show leaves the audience grinning broadly at New Wimbledon Theatre
Colourful, hilarious, brash, great music, glamorous costumes with masses of glitter and, as you might expect, occasionally ‘near the knuckle’, are just a few of the words and phrases that I would use to describe this show which I guarantee will leave you grinning broadly (and probably singing ‘I will survive’).
The first show I’ve seen recently at NWT to have a live orchestra, the show opens with a rousing rendition of ‘It’s Raining Men’ in a drag club somewhere in Australia. This is where we meet Tick? Played by Joe McFadden. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a fellow Scot or not, but I could hear his Scottish accent occasionally seeping through his Australian one although that was immaterial when he began to sing.
Unbeknown to his friends, Tick has a son and, deciding to go to visit him in Alice Springs and cajoles his friends Bernadette and Adam, a.k.a. Felicia, wonderfully portrayed by Miles Western and Nick Hayes respectively, to accompany him on the road trip, performing their act en route. Enter Priscilla, a rather run down bus, when we first meet her...
Each have their own goals: in addition to Tick’s desire to seeing his son, Bernadette wants to meet Mr Right and Felicia want to climb Ayers Rock (sic) in full drag to Channel his inner Kylie at the top.
With music along the way, ably led by the three Divas (Aiesha Pease, Claudia Kariuki and Rosie Glossop) and a strong supporting cast they journey across Australia and, in the end, each have achieved what they wanted and the show ends with a joyous finale which had the audience on its feet.
The show is not without drama, especially when depicting the attitudes of the inhabitants of various outback towns where the trio perform their act and there is a rather tender moment between Tick and his son, Benji, which illustrates how children, by compete contrast, are not judgemental.
To sum it up, this production of Priscilla really exudes the feel good factor and is a must for all musical loving theatre goers.
By Anne Horsburgh
October 12, 2019