There’s a Tardis backstage at the Tivoli for Priscilla – Queen Of The Desert…
It’s the only explanation for where they find space for all the dazzling costumes and how they manage to bend time for those dizzying quick changes.
It is almost jaw-dropping the number of different outfits the whole cast work their way through in two-hours of non-stop entertainment from The Lyric Musical Society.
They go off the stage in one get-up and come back on in another, whether it’s showgirl feathers and sequins or dancing paint brushes. I kid you not.
For an amateur company to pull off that level of production value is worthy of a standing ovation on its own.
But Priscilla isn’t just about the glitzy, glamorous costumes… it’s about the feel-good story, the heartfelt message and the never-ending hit parade of disco classics and dance numbers.
Lyric’s Priscilla blessed by wonderful chemistry between the three leads
And, of course, the divas… in this case the three drag queens on a journey across Australia in a clapped-out bus named Priscilla. And it’s as much a journey of discovery for Tick, Adam and Bernadette as it is a road trip to play a gig in Alice Springs.
The Lyric’s production is blessed in its three principals. Craig Pike, as Bernadette, Alasdair Corbett as Tick and Callum Anderson as Adam have a wonderful chemistry together as the initial squabbling and bitching turns to tenderness and friendship.
And they work as an absolute dream team in the musical numbers, whether together or on their own. The three of them knock True Colours – sung as a poignant reaction to a homophobic incident – out of the park in one of the show’s highlights.
On the subject of dream teams, the three Divas who do most of the heavy lifting on the vocals, either leading the ensemble or backing the principals, are outstanding.
Rhiane Armstrong, Laura Burnett and Tanya Read should form a girl band of their own. I’d pay good money to watch them belt out I Will Survive, It’s Raining Men and Say A Little Prayer.
Priscilla is full of floor-filling, show-stopping numbers at the Tivoli
But then the whole ensemble is cracking. Priscilla is full of floor-filling, show-stopping massive numbers – Colour My World, Boogie Wonderland, Pop Musik – which the cast delivers with passion and drive and, when needed, a healthy dose of humour.
And the laughs do keep coming, with a wicked sense of humour and a nice line in innuendo.
But there are dramatic and touching moments, too. A homophobic attack on Adam isn’t glossed over, driving home the realities of hate and discrimination that, sadly, still exist.
All these different beats are deftly handled by Victoria Cowan’s direction, helped by the clever set and staging.
Priscilla the bus is almost as much a star of the show as the cast, who push and pull her through the outback odyssey as she transforms from knackered motor to beloved safe haven.
How to get tickets for Priscilla – Queen Of The Desert at The Tivoli
Victoria’s choreography is also a pleasure to behold, capturing the essence of this camp, disco driven musical.
She and the whole of Lyric deliver on Priscilla’s promise – an upbeat, joyous, show, full of laughs, surprises and a couple of gulpy moments, in a celebration of diversity and love in all its many forms.
The Lyric Musical Society’s Priscilla – Queen Of The Desert runs at The Tivoli Theatre until Saturday. For tickets and information visit aberdeenperformingarts.com
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