REVIEW: Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 11 April 2026

The troublesome bus Priscilla has parked up on Grey Street this week as the popular musical based upon the 1994 Australian road comedy film rolls into town. The show continues to pack in large crowds 20 years after its Sydney debut. It is a story that is much about personal exploration and discovery as it is a classic tale about a journey. 

Opening night was as much about the understudies, as it was delays, as two great performances were put in and you'd not have known that the alternates was appearing on stage if you had not been told. The first was Sario Soloman who threw themselves into the role of Miss Understanding, the host at a club in Sydney, and nails their big number What's Love Got to Do With It? This also involved breaking the third wall like a pantomime, which is unusual for a musical.

We were off to a good start as we were introduced to fellow drag queen Tick, who performs as Mitzi Mitosis, and they're not having a good night as his estranged wife Marion (Billie Hardy) calls. Kevin Clifton shows his versatility as the father who had not seen his son for 9 years and is offered the opportunity, to not only meet up with them, but to also put on a show at the casino that his wife works at. The issue is that the casino is in Alice Springs, which is just under 3000km away and it will take a few days to get there. He encourages Bernadette (Adèle Anderson) to come out of retirement and have a comeback show. Young Adam, performed by the evening's other alternate Fionan O'Carroll, completed the troupe - a man from a younger generation, he would highlight the difference in approaches to performance.

The three all have a target that they want to accomplish in the trip. Adam, whose stage name is Felicia Jollygoodfellow, wants to appear in full drag regalia, on Ayers Rock/Uluru to perform some hits of Kylie Minogue. Meanwhile Bernadette is getting over the recent death of her husband and wondering if they have what it takes to appear on stage again.

Adam raises the funds from his mother to buy a bus and they name it Priscilla before heading west. The journey is not without incident as the performers have to make stops along the way and the locals react to their presence. The story also looks at how the different personalities on board Priscilla interact with one another. One aspect that is constant throughout the tale are the fabulous lines Adèle Anderson delivers as the sharp witted and devastating Bernadette. Much of the comedy comes from the perfectly timed put downs.

When Priscilla breaks down Bob appears to help fix it. Peter Duncan appears as the gentleman who had seen Bernadette's group appear previously and he remains a fan. Duncan's performance quickly gets the audience onside despite the antics of his wife Cynthia (Isabella Glanznig Santos).

This is a musical in which the main characters tend to mime the songs as part of their routine. Thus we need some actual singers to perform and hence we have three Divas that appear from time to time.  Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura and Jessie May do a brilliant job at delivering the big hits and supporting the action on stage. They have a great set of pipes and are able to deliver the big hits with gusto. There is also a great ensemble that not just dance, they have to fill in as the locals as the bus stops, occasionally giving Priscilla a push around the stage.

Now Priscilla has been on the road for over a decade, and there is sometimes a tendency to shrink the production values when a show has been around a while. However, this production is still carrying a seven piece live band, under musical director Richard Atkinson, which makes a massive positive difference to the energy of the show. 

The only part of the show that didn't sit right with me was when Tick's son Benji finally appeared and he wanted to play with his father. Now I get that he lives at a casino, but the idea that his idea of play was on the bandits rather than with children's toys/games just didn't feel right. This is a shame as the young actor did a fine job for the brief time that they were on stage.

Priscilla is a feel good show that is not afraid to hold a mirror up to society and reflect the attitudes that some people have towards their fellow humans. There is a warmth between the characters as they muddle through the road trip even though they often clash with one another. Whilst it is a jukebox musical, the choice of songs fit in well with both the exposition and feel of the show. The costumes (Vicky Gill) are as stunning as the cast - I did laugh when the lady next to me purred with approval about Fionan O'Carroll's arms at the interval! 

I do like a feel good story. I have seen Priscilla a few times over the years and I would happily see it again.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Johan Persson

Tickets:

Tickets are available from the Theatre Royal box office and website: https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/priscilla/