Priscilla the Party! at Here at Outernet
18 years after its debut in Sydney, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is back in style with Priscilla the Party! running at the new live music venue HERE at Outernet London. The immersive live music and party experience details the hilarious tale of three former drag queens as they attempt to travel across the Australian Outback to revive their drag careers onboard the beloved old tour bus, Priscilla, and their difficulties along the way. This story includes covers of classic hits, stellar choreography and mesmerising costumes.
Director Simon Phillips blends the chaos of three touring drag queens with perfect comedic timing and a revolving stage that will have you craning your neck to see which number is next. Particularly remarkable are the stagehands who effortlessly direct the crowd on the dancefloor to move to make way for Andrew Hallsworth’s vibrant and extravagant choreography that makes every musical number captivating. A shout-out must go to the rendition of Born This Way.
Each act follows bits and pieces from the queens’ personal lives with relevant songs: Tick’s attempt to reconnect with his estranged son, older transgender woman Bernadette and her attempt to reclaim her drag fame, and Adam, or Felicia, who is just along for the ride. Act three is something to behold and features many over-the-top performances of classic hits. The two short intervals make for an effective break between each part of the show, but not long enough where you want to stop dancing.
A special mention must be given to the dancers for their ability to bring the party while maintaining immaculate synchronisation for two hours. Gracie Lai, as one of the three divas, shone in every musical number, and of our three queens, Dakota Starr wowed as Bernadette, and her relationship with rugged mechanic Bob (Steven Serlin) is one of the show’s overlooked highlights. Trevor Ashley aced the role of blunt and historical Gaye Cliché. The addition of the accurately named character gave a comedic subtle way of presenting LGBTQ+ stereotypes put upon those who are just trying to live as their authentic selves in a place where they seem to stand out more than fit in without getting too political or appearing heavy.
With so much flamboyance and colour, it is only right that the show had a minimal need for extras, but the video team added to the flavour of each set with the background set design. Brian Thomson and his role in creating the backdrop of the tour bus was able to grace the audience with a fun pinkie bus that did not take away from the centrepiece of dancers, singers and costumes. Glancing from the main to the ensemble cast, nobody looked out of place as everyone involved looked stunning adorned with bold eye makeup, perfectly placed contours and wigs that looked as if they belonged on every actor and dancer.
Priscilla the Party!: a delightful dancing extravaganza filled with fantastic pop culture references, dance fever and unmissable one-liners. It is the night out in London for those who fancy an immersive dance experience in an LGBTQ-friendly space where there are no rules or regulations on how much one can move and groove.
Sophie Humphrey
Image: Marc Brenner
Priscilla the Party! is at from 25th March until 29th September 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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