Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical tells the story of two drag queens and a transsexual who travel from Sidney, Australia to a casino in the town of Alice. They travel in a colorful bus they named Priscilla. As you might expect, there’s plenty of campy dancing and sexual double entendres. If you’re a fan of disco music, you’ll enjoy the over-the-top routines. This musical is based on a 1990s film that’s still available. If you’re in the mood for light entertainment and some diva singing, check out Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical if it shows up in your neighborhood. GRADE: B
Track Listings
1. Overture
2. It’s Raining Men
3. Don’t Leave Me This Way
4. Material Girl
5. Go West
6. I Say A Little Prayer
7. I Love the Nightlife
8. True Colors
9. Verdi: Follie!! Delirio Vano e Quest!
10. Color My World
11. I Will Survive
12. A Fine Romance
13. Shake Your Groove Thing
14. Pop Muzik
15. A Fine Romance (Reprise)
16. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
17. Hot Stuff
18. MacArthur Park
19. Always On My Mind/I Say A Little Prayer
20. Like A Prayer
21. We Belong
22. Finale
I like most of those songs–I could see this with a group of fellow “women of a certain age” for a girls’ night out–sort of like going to see “Magic Mike”: you expect campy over-the-top stuff so aren’t bothered by it. On the other hand, I suspect my husband would rather chug a gallon of bleach than subject himself to this.
I seem to remember the movie used the execrable song “I’ve Never Been to Me” to great effect, but I don’t see it in the song list above. Perhaps it was just, ya know, too subtle.
Deb, there are plenty of differences from the movie version and this touring musical. The song line-up varies from the Broadway version, too. You’re right about the audience being mostly women. But I’m a disco fan so it was fun.
I like a lot of the music on there but I think the movie sated my desire for this sort of show.
We found PRISCILLA fun, Patti. There were enough differences from the film to make it interesting.
Got tickets to the show in London for my (Australian) sister-in-law and she loved it! Still haven’t seen the original movie actually – thanks George.
You don’t have be Australian to enjoy PRISCILLA, Sergio. But I’m sure it helps! What a nice gift for your sister-in-law!
This was playing when we were in London. I’m a big fan of the movie but didn’t really want to see this. (I’m not quite as bad as Deb’s husband but can understand his feelings.) Jackie wanted to see it, however, but [fortunately] the prices were too high even for her. Then it came to Broadway…and eventually it popped up on TDF for a much more reasonable price, maybe $40 a ticket.
Anyway, although I didn’t hate it the way I’d expected to I think George was more generous then I’d be in his review. The guy who played Bernadette – the Terence Stamp role in the film – Tony Sheldon was wonderful and deserving of his Tony nomination. But the guy playing the Guy Pearce role was so annoying I wanted to smack him myself.
I’d give it about a C-.
The touring company had trouble with the bus during our performance, Jeff. We had a delay and then they just had to scrape the bus (but it was near the end of the play so it didn’t make much difference).
Not up my alley, I think.
I’d put you in the gallon of bleach camp, Bob.
I think there are probably a lot of musicals I’d choose before going to this one. I haven’t even seen CHICAGO yet.
CHICAGO is way better than PRISCILLA, Rick. But, PRISCILLA was part of our subscriber package so off we went to see it.
I probably wouldn’t enjoy this. Not real big on musicals. The movie is one of my favorites though.
Randy, I liked the movie version of PRISCILLA, too.
CHICAGO is one I’d recommend highly, Rick. We saw the original 1975 production with Gwen Verdon, Chita RIvera and Jerry Orbach, and when they revived the show twenty-odd years later we saw it again, more than once.
I wouldn’t go as far as to drink bleach, George, but I’d find something better to do than watch that show.