I have to admit, I am a hard person to shock. I am one of those gays that thinks they have pretty much seen everything gay has to offer, and am able to take it in stride. Throughout the 2 hours and 40 minutes of the performance though, I continually caught my jaw dropping. It would be almost impossible to describe the visual spectacle that Priscilla, Queen of the Desert represents, but I will certainly try.
As someone who has seen the movie and considers it a classic (read: as someone gay) I wasn’t sure what to expect walking into this. The story touches on a lot of themes, from parenting to homophobia and centers around the friendship of three drag performers and their trip across the outback of Australia. This trek is accompanied by insane drag performances, perfectly crafted costumes, and a soundtrack that includes some truly classic gay songs, such as I will survive by Gloria Gaynor, and Mamma Mia by Abba. I don’t consider myself a show-tune or Broadway gay, but the energy the cast creates was palpable and inescapable.
From the get-go, Priscilla Queen of the Desert jumped off the stage and into the spotlight. There wasn’t a moment where I was bored or distracted by something else. Bryce was sitting right beside me, and tears were literally streaming down her face because by her own admission: “This is how life is supposed to be.”
At one point, streamers were falling from the ceiling while three singers were suspended in the air, there was a full-size bus lighting up and rotating on a pedestal, and a full cast singing and performing in a flurry of bright colors and zany costumes. At another, there was a quiet exchange between father and son about acceptance. Priscilla Queen of the Desert has everything you could want in a musical from character development to over the top dance numbers.
My favorite part was the audience; there was a stodgy old senator-type man sitting next to me and a middle aged mother who was visiting from Alaska. Both laughed and clapped the entire time. I think one of them was also called up on stage to take part in a dance number.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert showed me that even though I thought I had, I have not seen everything gay has to offer. Whether you go for the sake of tolerance, or entertainment this is one show you must not miss.
