It is because of that story that my sister bought me tickets
to see Priscilla, Queen of the Desert starring Jason Donovan for my birthday.
So one rainy Saturday afternoon in January, we glammed
ourselves up and went to Milton Keynes Theatre to see the show.
And what a show it is! Priscilla makes The Rocky Horror show
look like a shy closeted virgin compared to this!
Firstly I have to warn you how much I am about to use the
word ‘Fabulous’. Cause it is absolutely
and totally FABULOUS!
The costumes were second to none and I have never seen a
show with so many costume changes! There
were cake costumes, ostrich and feather costumes, paintbrush costumes (I kid
you not!) and many other outrageous costumes, fake eyelashes (longer than I
have ever seen!) and a lot of pink!
Some of the one-liners were really funny – ‘Go take your
hormones’ – comeback was ‘Yes I just saw a whore moan’.
Jason Donovan even got a line in saying ‘how he had always fancied
Scott from Neighbours’.
I loved the opening lines, ‘Hello ladies and….er ladies. Who doesn’t want to dress up in makeup and
glitter and dance around…oh yes…the lesbians!’
It is a well written script, and was delivered well.
I did love the lead in to MacArthur Park. Bernadette and Bob had been eating cake and
drinking champagne. They left the cake
out in the rain…I don’t think that I can take it…as it took so long to bake it…and
I’ll never have that recipe again. Oh no! Just brilliant!
And the bar scene at Broken Hill. A very funny and well-choreographed scene with
the red-necks and mullets. The contrast
with the drag queens just made it really funny. Fabulous!
The whole cast were fabulous but I need to give a special
mention to the following for their outstanding performances.
Felicia (played by Graham Weaver) – he could really sing and
was fantastic at camping it up. I just loved his performance.
Bernadette (played by Wayne Fitzsimmons) who carried the
whole show! He was a perfect Bernadette
(even though he was the understudy for the role) and really showed us how
talented he is. Outstanding performance and very moving in places.
The three girls who were like mermaids in the air doing all
the singing were absolutely fabulous. They could really sing! Forget ‘The Voice’.
These ladies know a tune or two.
I also have to mention the young boy who played Benji. He is not named in the programme but was
outstanding in his role. I know he will
be big one day with that sort of performance under his belt.
In fact the only person who I didn’t think gave their all to
their performance was Jason Donovan. His
dancing and singing was half-hearted at best. He really looked like he was struggling with
his performance and at the end he said he was exhausted and glad there was only
one more show to do. Jason – that is not
the way to keep your fan-base! You should always give 100% or just not do the
show. I know he is better than that as I
have seen him in other performances. It
looked like he was frightened to camp it up too much. All he did was to show how talented the other
performers are around him.
I totally loved the show. It’s the most camp and outrageous show
around. But just don’t see it with Jason in it!
PS. Did I mention they had my lipstick on?! My lipstick from the Clothes Show. You don’t remember? The photos never lie! ;)
Honest review. My wife and I were sitting in front of you. She hopes your high opinion of Jason is still intact after all he is twice the age of most of the cast. p.s. your singing was not as bad as your sister said it would be !
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