Show: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Society: Centrestage Productions Youth Theatre
Venue: The Point
Credits: Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan ScottBased on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion PictureDistributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Produced by NULLARBOR PRODUCTIONSIn association with MGM ONSTAGE.
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 13/02/2018
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Chris Abbott | 14 Feb 2018 18:13pm
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is everywhere right now; I last reviewed it for Sardines when the professional touring company were at Wimbledon, and since then my colleagues have covered seven other productions. The production by Centrestage Youth Theatre at Eastleigh is the first version by a young people’s group reviewed by Sardines, and I was interested to see how this enterprising and ambitious company would cope with such challenging material.
Having previously seen their Starlight Express I should have known that this would be a confident and only occasionally tentative production with some strong performances among the cast. Any group that includes Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens alongside Oliver! in its past productions list is unlikely to be phased by the adult nature of some of the material. Despite other groups advertising the show as only suitable for audience members over 15 (which would rule out half the cast at Eastleigh) it seemed clear that the cast were comfortable with their roles and fully understood the content; although one or two fond grandparents in the audience might have been a little taken aback.
On this occasion, the adults who support the young cast were working as hard as those on stage, with particular thanks due to stage crew and dressers. This is a piece that requires a moving bus and costumes to excess; it must have been frantic backstage at times.
The show also requires a tone somewhere between high camp and aggressive bravado. After a rather hesitant beginning the cast began to settle in to their roles, and several performances improved considerably during the evening, which did suffer a little from first night hitches. These were dealt with effectively by this experienced group of young people, who quickly moved into the light, adjusted a crackling mic or waited patiently for the attractive but s-l-o-w front cloth to rise or descend.
Director William Ross-Jones made good use of the large stage at the Point, with choreography from Nigel Finch totally attuned to the music, which was produced by a ten piece band led by MD Nigel Finch. It was a pacy production, well-rehearsed and always entertaining. My only general reservation was the lack of diction among the cast leading to many of the lines being lost; better to have clarity than to worry too much about Australian accents.
This is a show where all the best parts go to male performers, but Amy Marsden, Luci Harris and Ciara Harman were a confident trio of Divas. Hayley Green did what she could with the underwritten part of Marion, and Immie Crabtree revelled in her one number as Shirley. As Cynthia, Rebecca Nailor put in an exuberant turn with the ping pong number being suitably toned down for a youth production. The only other concession to the age of the cast seemed to be the partial censoring of the graffiti on the bus; interesting to note that the written word still seems to be more threatening than the spoken one.
Blake Whent coped well as Benji, although much older than the scripted six years and probably not much younger than the actor playing his father. Outback mechanic Bob is a part that has attracted some good actors in the past, and Jamie Reid is a worthy member of that group. His was a subtle and detailed performance, entirely believable and a solid presence around which the rest could revolve.
The show belongs however to the central trio, played here by the youngest performers I have seen in the roles and whose performances grew in stature during the evening. As Bernadette, Hamish Naylor had perhaps the most difficult role as a transexual character. Experienced actor as he is, and despite his youth, he contributed a confident performance including ad-libbing in character when the bus began moving unexpectedly. In contrast to this sensitive portrayal, Joe Pelling as Adam/Felicia was the archetypal drag queen, confident in the outfits and the heels, and absolutely looking the part. He also found the necessary gravitas to portray his character’s response to the beating he later receives. Lastly, as Tick/Mitzi, Isaac Lee owned the stage and quite properly drove the action forward. A confident singer and an impressive actor, his diction always good and his lines carrying to the back of the theatre, his effectiveness in the role belied his years.
It was disappointing to see a few empty seats at the first night of this impressive production. Although a little rough around the edges at times on the first night, the show will only improve as confidence grows, the quick changes get even quicker, the audiences get livelier and play their part, and the cast embrace the high camp style of the piece. They deserve full houses, as do the hardworking adults supporting them.
- : admin
- : 13/02/2018