REVIEW - Priscilla Queen of the Desert will have you shaking your groove with all the glitz and glamour of your own brand of fabulous!

We went to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder had to say about this fabulous icon musical...

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT is one of my favourite, fabulous, feel-good shows!  With colour, artistic flare, glitz, and glamour, woven together with a bouncing disco themed soundtrack and a fiercely devilish sense of humour that stabs harder than a killer stiletto, it also knows how and when to take its foot of the break and sprinkle us with genuine emotion and a beautiful vulnerability.  I may be guilty of seeing this show more than a few times over the years, yet every time it manages to find its own identity and surprise me both anew and again, with moments of unadulterated, unapologetic, magic.  I wonder if the 1994 film ever understood its own potential, and that it would be raising the roof on theatres across the globe, courtesy of a battered old van called Priscilla?  For now, here we are celebrating the 30^th anniversary tour with a dazzling new production, with eye watering costumes that defy logic and are deserving of any runway!  Priscilla is back and she is celebrating in style.  It’s impossible not to get completely absorbed in this raucous, fizzing, pulsating show, as it grabs you by the glitter balls and spreads sunshine and love.   

For those who have so far missed the joy of Priscilla or have been living under Ayers Rock, it follows Bernadette, Mitzi and Felicia as they tour their very worn camper van Priscilla across the Australian outback to perform in the gig of a lifetime.  But perhaps Mitzi hasn’t been entirely honest about their motives for wanting to get to Alice Springs, and as the truth comes out, love wins.  The trip is met with a cacophony of characters and a comedy of errors, for if something can go wrong, it does!  Flat tyres, homophobic encounters, and bristling arguments are counter balanced by the love that underpins their loyalty towards each other, and as the trip continues, we see comfort zones widened and new hope evolving from the most surprising of characters.  Our three stars each have their own demons to battle, from fatherhood, grief, transphobia, homophobia and hate crimes.  As they learn how to love and defend each other, their own tolerance grows, and they discover that for every person who hates them, there are tenfold who accept and celebrate them.  This is a show where love and acceptance triumphs, sparkling proud and bright with every sequin and ounce of glitter they can muster.  It douses us all with their fabulous energy, imploring us to be a part of their celebration, and to just love.   

Adèle Anderson is dazzling as Bernadette, offering class and dignity as well as a razor-sharp wit, and even a feisty knee reflex when needed!  She exudes strength and safety, there in a heartbeat for Felicia’s hour of need.  And her energy is relentless, matching the dancers with every beat.  Kevin Clifton brings a beautifully touching emotional depth to the show as Tick / Mitzi, his insecurities and fear having stopped him from being the dad he wanted to be for so many years, and we watch it all just melt away when he meets his son.  It is a true joy watching Kevin Clifton dance, even the incidental background character dancing, for rhythm lives and flows through his entire body.  Matched with a powerful singing voice, a wow moment was his Elvis impersonation!  Nick Hayes has brought back the sensational sass as Adam / Felicia, a whirlwind, life force of her own!  I have been lucky enough to see Hayes in this role before, and my mind was still blown.  Felicia is like an overstimulated, excitable puppy who has the zoomies, who is also fiercely loyal and devoted to their people.  It is an exceptional performance. 

Peter Duncan is gorgeous as Bob, quietly bringing us the simplicity and understanding of uncomplicated acceptance.  He is a beacon of calm in a confetti canon of chaos and allows polar worlds to find a portal into each other’s existence.  Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura, and Jessie May live up to their character names as The Diva’s, firing up the audience time and time again with their phenomenal singing and fiery fever.  Isabella Glanznig Santos will make your eyes water as Cynthia and you’ll never look at a ping pong ball the same way again.  Her performance will have you howling with laughter and her execution of sass and confidence is next level.  And Harper Etienne is cool as a cucumber as Benjy, melting your heart with his ease, and a beautifully playful, yet touching moment in his duet with Kevin Clifton.

Directed by Ian Tabolt, this is Priscilla like you have never seen her before.  She is shiny and new, reimagined yet still entirely familiar.  Some things are toned down, some things ramped up, and all things are paced to perfection.  Choreographed by Matt Cole, you’ll be dying to get up on stage and join in with this high octane, infectious energy that whisks up a storm, and with a new set and lighting design by Andrew Exeter, it all comes together in the best possible way.  And not forgetting costume design by Strictly Come Dancing’s fabulous Vicky Gill.  Every colour of the rainbow is included, making this a prism of love, light, and luxurious life!

Tonight’s audience were positively alive and living for every second of this colourful show, and when one of its most quote worthy lines dropped (A cock in a frock, on a rock) the audience reacted with heartfelt appreciation and glee!  The songs jostle to outdo each other with their own fabulousness, and each one deserved the crazy responses that followed.  With a back catalogue of tunes that will get even the saddest feet twitching, there really is an infectious momentum fizzing around, and how can there not be when you are shimmied from the likes of ‘Raining Men’ to ‘I Will Survive,’ hustling alongside classics such as ‘I Love The Nightlife,’ and ‘Shake Your Groove Thing.’  With glorious reimagining’s of blended songs, such as ‘I Say A Little Prayer,’ and ‘Always On My Mind,’ the innocence and purity of love simply being love shines bright in the eyes of a child, and holds a promise for a brighter, more tolerant future.  Next thing, you are catapulted into a celebration of pride and love with corkers such as ‘Colour My World,’ and ‘We Belong.’  Priscilla is Queen of juxtaposing life, a brutal kicking assault alongside a feather boa high kick, a split in society’s tolerance nestled alongside an impressive box split jump.  Hate tries to take root where there is love, ignorance is outwitted by the intellect of Bernadette, homophobic slurs are sliced by Felicias sharp tongue, and shame is both felt and extinguished by Tick’s powerful journey across the Australian outback in a van called Priscilla.       

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert still has my heart, and I’m sure it will do for the next 30 years and beyond too!  It is a show that tackles difficult topics but does so with a viscous tongue of its own and isn’t afraid to bite.  It’s a show that never gives anything but it’s best, and looks utterly fabulous, always dressing to impress.  It has a very Northern grit to it that can knock you down a peg or two, but love you fiercely at the same time, and always champion you more than you champion yourself.  Priscilla is hot stuff and will have you shaking your groove thing with all the glitz and glamour of your own brand of fabulous.  It hasn’t aged at all and doesn’t look a day over sensational!  Go and celebrate love and acceptance, celebrate yourself, and help Priscilla celebrate 30 years of colouring the world with love.  

WE SCORE PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT...

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 28th February 2026.


Watch our "In Conversation with Peter Duncan" video about the show.

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