Theatre reviews: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Playhouse, Edinburgh | Still No Idea, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Playhouse, Edinburgh **** | Still No Idea, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh ****
Based on the famous 1994 film – with book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott – the 2006 stage musical version of Priscilla is a celebratory coming-out show par excellence, revelling in the freedom to put queer culture centre stage, and celebrate all the super-camp joys of drag. This latest UK touring version, starring Joe McFadden, Miles Western and Nick Hayes captures all of that explosive exuberance, although Charles Cusick-Smith’s costumes are sometimes so far over the top as to seem more pantomime dame than glamorous drag queen.
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Hide AdMcFadden acts beautifully as Tick (aka Mitzi del Bra), although he seems a shade less comfortable with the dancing; and there’s powerful support not only from his two fellow queens, but from Daniel Fletcher as Bernadette’s new admirer Bob, and the three fabulous singing divas – Aiesha Pease, Claudia Kariuki and Rosie Glossop – who act as guardian angels.
There is an issue about the portrayal of non-trans women in this show; Tick’s estranged wife barely features, and as for Bob’s soon-discarded mail-order bride from Thailand – well, the words offensive stereotype barely cover it. Yet it’s hard to resist a show that expresses so much joy, and such an exhilarating sense of a journey towards freedom; and Priscilla’s splendid magpie playlist of great songs from the 80s and earlier – ranging from Go West to I Will Survive – makes the show an irresistible good night out, with impressive support from musical director Sean Green, and a seven-strong live band whose brilliant music-making raises the Playhouse roof.