Priscilla Queen of the Desert – first look at UK and Ireland tour

Exclusive: Priscilla Queen of the Desert has released photos from its new tour!

The much-loved show has embarked on a UK, Ireland, and international tour this month, opening at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.

Based on the 1994 Oscar-winning film, the musical follows three friends as they travel across Australia in a bus named Priscilla, putting on a show while confronting personal challenges and societal prejudice. The production will feature a soundtrack of well-known disco anthems, including “It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive,” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

It is directed by Olivier Award-nominated Ian Talbot, choreographed by WhatsOnStage Award-winner Matt Cole, with set and lighting design by Andrew Exeter.

Costume design is by Strictly Come Dancing’s BAFTA award-winning costume designer Vicky Gill. She and her team have designed and created over 100 costumes for the production – and she’ll be talking to us next week about her work.

The rest of the creative team includes Sam Holmes (associate director), Ben Harrison (sound designer), Leo Flint (video designer), Craig Forrest-Thomas (hair and make up designer,) and David Grindrod for Grindrod Burton Casting (casting).

The production is led by producers Mark Goucher and Matthew Gale, whose previous credits include Hairspray The Musical, The Full Monty, and Shrek the Musical, and Gavin Kalin, in association with Nullarbor Productions and MGM on Stage.

Adèle Anderson plays the role of Bernadette, while joining her are Kevin Clifton as Tick/Mitzi, Nick Hayes as Felicia/Adam, and Peter Duncan as Bob/Preacher. 

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Also in the company are Dakota Starr (Priscilla The Party, Fisherman’s Friends The Musical) as alternate Bernadette, Leah Vassell (Oliver!, Kinky Boots) as Diva 1, Bernadette Bangura (Moulin Rouge!) as Diva 2, Jessie May (Beetlejuice) as Diva 3 and Shirley, Garry Lee (Ghost) as Miss Understanding, Billie Hardy (Chicago) as Marion, Isabella Glanznig Santos (Frozen) as Cynthia, Sario Solomon (If/Then) as Jimmy, Jak Allen-Anderson (Addams Family) as Farrah/Young Bernadette, and Alexander Emery (Come Fall in Love) as Frank.

The ensemble cast is completed by Michael Afemaré, Tia Antoine-Charles, Olivia Bella, Alexander Gage, Fionan O’Carroll, Nathan Ryles, Samuel Stokes and Mary Suarez.

The tour will stay at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until 28 February, before heading to King’s Theatre in Glasgow from 2 to 7 March, Liverpool Empire from 9 to 14 March, Mayflower Theatre in Southampton from 16 to 21 March, Birmingham Hippodrome from 23 to 28 March, Norwich Theatre Royal from 30 March to 4 April, Theatre Royal in Newcastle from 6 to 11 April, Edinburgh Playhouse from 14 to 18 April, Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from 20 to 25 April, Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham from 28 April to 2 May, Aylesbury Theatre from 4 to 9 May, New Victoria in Woking from 11 to 16 May, The Marlowe in Canterbury from 25 to 30 May, Grand Opera House in Belfast from 1 to 6 June, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin from 8 to 13 June, Theatre Royal in Brighton from 16 to 20 June, Curve Theatre in Leicester from 22 to 27 June, Alhambra Theatre in Bradford from 6 to 11 July, and Hall for Cornwall in Truro from 14 to 18 July.