There are shows you enjoy, and then there are shows that scoop you up, wrap you in sequins and send you back out into the world feeling lighter than when you arrived. Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Birmingham Hippodrome is very firmly the latter.
From the moment the curtain rises, this 30th anniversary production doesn’t just flirt with fabulous – it commits wholeheartedly. Feathers, heels, glitter balls… it’s all here, and then some. But what makes it work and lifts it beyond spectacle is its heart. Beneath the rhinestones is a story about friendship, identity and the bravery of being exactly who you are.
The premise is gloriously simple. A trio of drag artists set off across the Australian outback in a battered old bus – Priscilla herself – on their way to a gig that becomes something much bigger than just a show. Along the way, there’s laughter, friction, unexpected tenderness and plenty of chaos.
At the centre are three performances that hold the whole thing together. Adèle Anderson’s Bernadette is elegant and dryly funny, with an emotional weight that anchors it all, while Strictly’s Kevin Clifton as Tick/Mitzi brings warmth and vulnerability. Nick Hayes as Felicia quite simply tears the stage apart – he’s bold, outrageous and funny, leaning fully into the absurdity. Together, they have a chemistry that feels lived-in rather than performed. You believe in their history, their irritations and their loyalty to one another. Former Blue Peter frontman, Peter Duncan adds a welcome counterbalance as Bob, grounding the story just when it needs it, and bringing an unexpected romance to the journey.
The costumes are an unapologetic riot of colour and invention – one minute it’s disco, the next it’s something so outrageously theatrical you almost forget to blink. Add to that a soundtrack packed with pure dancefloor classics – It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – and you’ve got a show that doesn’t just invite you to have a good time, it insists on it.
There’s a looseness to the energy too, in the best possible way. It feels alive, playful and slightly irreverent. The kind of production where you can sense the audience leaning in together and letting go for a couple of hours. And yet, just when you think it’s all glorious nonsense, it catches you off guard. A quieter moment lands, a line hits a deeper than expected and a character reveals something tender beneath the bravado. It’s this balance – the outrageous and the heartfelt – that gives Priscilla its staying power.
In a time that can feel relentlessly heavy, this production is exactly what’s needed right now. It’s bawdy without being superficial and escapist without being empty. Unapologetically camp, it’s one big, fabulous, glitter-filled hug.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert Runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until Thursday March 26. For more information and tickets, click here.
