#74 Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Yup, it’s a tranny-tastic time for us right now. Next up, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the stage show of the 1994 movie – or at least the last lees of the show, as it’s finishing at the end of the month. This batshit extravaganza takes the already pretty camp story of three drag queens on a road trip through the outback, and turns the sparkly dial all the way up to 11. Even relatively sombre scenes from the film (like an early funeral scene) have been done up in glitter and fishnets and made to sing ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’. Since this is a disco jukebox musical, you know all the songs; you know all the arrangements; all that’s left to do is gawp at the costumes. Not because they’re outrageous, but because they all evoke the early 90s perfectly – giant-soled trainers and all.

And since, being at this show, you’re a middle-aged woman of either sex, you remember it all perfectly. It’s the perfect post-shopping sugar high. Because it’s a disco you sit down for! And basically impossible to hate (especially with Alf ‘Stone the flamin’ crows’ Stewart in the stalwart bushwacker role) however hard you try. And I tried. He dances around dressed up as a kangaroo at the end, you know. I wish I was making that up.