Priscilla Queen of the Desert as presented by KMDS

Kilcock Musical and Dramatic Society

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Arriving far too early at Kilcock GAA Hall for ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert,’ I couldn't help but notice some gentlemen entering one door carrying hurleys and some others entering another carrying heels. As any self-respecting musical theatre fan might do, I chose the heels door. The show follows two drag queens and a transgender woman on a road trip across the Australian Outback, as they follow their individual dreams and goals. It is a show packed with a myriad retro tunes, disco, and classic anthems that, unlike most jukebox musicals, fit surprisingly well into the narrative. It's as cheesy as a roll of camembert but, ultimately, it is a celebration of individuality, identity, and self-expression in the face of adversity. Packed full of bitchiness and more innuendo than you can shake a sausage at, it is also a show full of heart and Kilcock Musical and Dramatic Society spread its heartwarming message in what was a most entertaining, colourful and flamboyant ‘dragfest’.

There was a great buzz around front of house and, truth be told, I felt somewhat underdressed without a boa. There were plenty of personnel selling raffle tickets and everything appeared very well organised and efficient. I was ushered to my place in the very comfortable tiered seating, which had transformed the GAA Hall into a wonderful theatre space.

Director Dominic Reid's vision was very much character-driven, focusing on the personal journeys of the three protagonists. Pace was snappy and there was plenty of comedic business. There was also very sensitive handling of weighty themes of homophobia, transphobia, and prejudice, all balanced very well with the joyful celebration of individuality. There was a good balance between the show’s outrageousness and its heart. There was clever use of graphics projected onto the upstage screen, particularly during Priscilla’s journey as we tracked the trio's progress. Mr. Reid made no apologies for the show’s crudeness, hitting the innuendo-filled gags full on. Absurdity was nicely juxtaposed with more naturalistic elements and every last ounce of humour was wrung from the script. There were highly effective freezes between dialogue in ‘Boogie Wonderland’ but I did wonder about the choice to have the pulsing LED lights during the dialogue as it was quite distracting and felt unnecessary. All very fixable points in what was a very good job overall.

Mairéad McKenna did a wonderful job bringing the colourful score of camp classics to life with her highly accomplished orchestra. The brilliantly layered orchestrations and vocal arrangements were given great care and detail in a most nostalgic and invigorating presentation. Principal vocals were very strong but it was the harmony work of the three Divas and the large ensemble which impressed the most, infusing new life into classic, nostalgic tunes that we all know and love. Choral singing was excellent throughout. There was a superb ensemble sound in ‘Colour My World’ and excellent offstage vocals in ‘Pop Muzik.’ For me though, as a lifelong Pat Benatar fan, the highlight was the incredible chorus sound in the brilliantly arranged ‘We Belong,’ which was perfectly balanced with great attention to dynamics.

Deirdre Browne captured the euphoric energy of such feel-good hits as ‘It's Raining Men,’ ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘I Will Survive’ in what has to be a choreographer's dream show. Routines were slick and outrageous in equal measure and completely in tune with the absurdity of the show. ‘Colour My World’ was a fabulous routine and we were treated to well-rehearsed production number after production number, each one bigger and camper than the other. How lucky Ms. Browne was with the talent at her disposal, particularly the gentlemen who shone again and again in what was an excellently choreographed show.

Kevin Hartnett brought great tenderness to the role of Tick/Mitzi, the tired drag queen eager to meet his young son. Mr. Hartnett's gorgeous voice impressed greatly in numbers such as ‘You Were Always on My Mind,’ which was beautifully poignant. He played the role with great charisma and vulnerability and we were very aware of his internal struggle with his identity and his personal journey to reconcile his past with his present. ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ was one of the musical highlights of the show. It was just beautiful and an amazing example of how context can change a song utterly. I loved Mr. Hartnett's sensitive performance in his heartwarming reunion with Benji. It was a beautifully played scene which underlined the show's key message of tolerance and love.

Kevin Hynes, as the lonely transgender woman, Bernadette, delivered a breathtaking performance that, for me, held the show together. This was such an honest and believable portrayal. Mr. Hynes was the emotional core of the show. He balanced dignity and wit throughout, in what was a very important performance with a very important message. It was beautifully played and the greatest compliment I can pay Mr. Hynes is that I can't imagine this role being played by anybody else. Vocally, Mr. Hynes was strong, delivering the classic tunes with great conviction and heart.

Cian McKeon brought a vibrant energy to his portrayal of Adam/Felicia. This was a very sassy, bitchy portrayal full of exuberance and confidence. However, there was a vulnerability there too, as shown after the disturbing homophobic attack. Felicia's miming of ‘Sempre Libera’ from ‘La Traviata,’ perched upon a giant high heel, mounted on top of a tour bus christened Priscilla, was high camp and utter flamboyance. ‘Forever Free’ was the message and Mr. McKeon sold that unconditionally. Mr. McKeon's flamboyant physicality made him the most convincing drag queen. His vocal performance was wonderful, particularly in ‘Go West’ and the fabulous ‘Colour My World.’

Charlene Masterson, Amanda Cunningham and Alanna Keane were a formidable Motown-like Greek chorus as the trio of Divas. Their powerful vocals, amazing harmonies, and excellent presence, along with their boundless energy, made their stunning musical interludes a much-welcomed feature of the show. Popping up time after time in the most glamorous costumes and wigs, these three performed brilliantly, and quite seamlessly, together.

Ronan Walsh made Bob the mechanic the most relatable character in the show. This was a very kind-hearted, honest portrayal. A most unlikely ally for our three colourful protagonists on their road trip across Australia, he was a salt of the earth Aussie and there was a genuine warmth about his performance which made him most endearing. Of course, this was all in complete contrast to the crazy flamboyance and absurdity around him. His interactions with Bernadette were most heartwarming and played so honestly. Mr. Walsh's beautifully sung ‘A Fine Romance,’ was one of the musical highlights of the show, relaxed, honest and sincere.

Sharon Murphy gave a very natural performance as Tick's estranged wife, Marion. She, of course, was the catalyst for the trio's journey across the Outback. Ms. Murphy found great authenticity and warmth in her acceptance of Tick’s drag persona and life choices.

I loved Lorraine Murphy's boisterous and feisty performance as Shirley, the bar worker. She had excellent comic timing and was not to be trifled with.

Mary Buckley gave a very over-the-top performance as Cynthia, Bob's wife. In another life, I played table tennis competitively, and I could do all sorts of impressive tricks with a small celluloid ball. However, Ms. Buckley's ping pong skills certainly left me in the shade as she took things to a whole new level in ‘Pop Musik,’ which was brilliantly performed, with suitably over-the-top, high-pitched vocals. Ms. Buckley’s unpredictable energy and eccentricity made this a most entertaining, memorable portrayal.

The inimitable Chris Corroon opened proceedings as an outrageous drag host, Miss Understanding. There was hilarious audience banter. "Can I get you anything? Maybe a new hip?" was one of many cutting and hilarious quips. His performance of ‘What's Love Got to Do With It?’ was suitably over-the-top and brilliantly performed. My only regret was that we didn't see more of Miss Understanding’ throughout the show.

The very talented Seán O'Callaghan played Benji, Tick and Marion's son. Seán was at the centre of the very important father-son relationship in the show, playing the role with such honesty and innocence, which added so much to the heart of the story. I'm not afraid to admit that there was ‘something in my eye’ during his most heartwarming scene with Tick.

Barry Dunne and Aaron Stone offered wonderful support in their roles as Young Bernadette and Frank respectively, both showing excellent stage presence.

There was very good work from the ensemble who were well utilised, be it as dancers, bar clientele, roadkill (!) or any of the myriad supporting roles that were required. The ensemble was particularly strong in the very funny ‘I Love the Nightlife.’ They were full of energy and commitment and it was clear that Mr. Reid had instilled a great sense of the show’s comedic tone in his sizable cast. How busy it must have been for them backstage, with quick costume change after costume change.

Eilís Browne, as stage manager, ensured that things ran well, and the changes were generally slick and efficient. A table was left on stage after the bar scene but was struck by Mr. Hynes with such camp conviction that it might well have been part of the plan! Strip lighting on the stage left flat got detached during one change, but that was rectified as soon as possible. Reveals during ‘Casino Floor Show Montage’ went smoothly for the most part. The movement of ‘Priscilla’ was probably the most challenging aspect of stage management and this was very well handled.

The set was quite minimalistic apart from ‘Priscilla’ herself, the iconic tour bus, which is an essential, central feature. It was viewed from the outside, the inside, and front on, and very clever strip lighting was used to give it its glow-up. There was good use of projected graphics, which were visually interesting and added good depth to the set. The silver slash curtain was effective, providing good cover for the bus, when hidden. The Priscilla scrim that was tracked on at the end of Act 1 looked wonderful. The tracked barn cloth worked well too. The half-closed tabs for the casino weren't as successful, in my opinion, as, apart from the partly obscured projection, there was little else to suggest location.

Lighting is such a key component in setting the mood and tone for a show as colourful and exuberant as ‘Priscilla.’ There were areas for improvement in the lighting design. It was competent and basic but, in my opinion, needed to be much more adventurous for a show of this nature. There were many missed opportunities to create the illusion of ‘movement’ for the bus and these scenes, in particular, felt very flat. It was difficult to light inside the bus. Lighting from above created shadows across faces of those inside and, in spite of clever blocking by the director, this was hard to offset. With so many scenes played inside ‘Priscilla,’ I felt that a lower source of light was needed to front light her interior. There was very good use of follow spot throughout and the disco ball was extremely effective, when used.

Sound was excellent overall, with great balance within the orchestra and an impressive vocal mix. Offstage vocals, in particular, were very well mixed, and there was great work in achieving balance between the three Divas, accentuating the lead vocal as required. There were very appropriate sound effects and great timing of same. Operation was very slick with strong cueing and no noticeable glitches. This was all the more impressive given that it was the opening night of an unfamiliar show and things were still bedding in.

There was good attention to detail in the props department with most items being appropriate to the setting. Many props were quirky and camp like the pink wheelie cases and pink furniture. Dressing inside ‘Priscilla’ was wonderful. Not everything was this successful. Cast drank from empty bottles in the bar, there were empty champagne glasses for the toast and there was nothing in Adam/Felicia's paint tin. Bob had the smallest toolbox in Oz. (if this was a veiled nod to something else, I do apologise to Bob!).

One of the greatest challenges in producing ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ is the elaborate costume plot. How lucky this society was to source a dazzling array of outrageous costumes from the UK. It is impossible to do justice to the magnificent costumes and headdresses, which were often wacky and over-the-top, with sequins, glitter, and feathers aplenty. They were extravagant and outrageous, reflecting the diverse and flamboyant world of drag to which were transported.

Hair and makeup were very well looked after. The transformations of the various drag personae were dramatic and suitably over-the-top. Bold makeup designs captured the flamboyance of the characters perfectly. There was a never-ending parade of wigs, my particular favourite being the pom-poms, and the Divas' Marge Simpson-esque barnets.

Huge congrats to the hair and makeup team for what must have been an incredibly busy show.

It was no surprise to see the audience on their feet at the end of this show. It was a feel-good romp from start to finish, at times utterly bonkers, at times utterly heartwarming. Not for the first time this season, the importance of visibility was shown on an Irish musical theatre stage and themes of tolerance and love shone through. It was a wonderfully entertaining production with an important message and Kilcock MDS delivered said message with a beautiful mix of sincerity and sequins.

Pat McElwain

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Photos by Conway Photography