I'll probably write a considered, analytical review of this show shortly, breaking down the various reasons I disliked it. For the time being, though, here's my non-analytical response: an emotive rant which let me get a few things off my chest...Now, I've been to a few openings in my time, but never have I seen more money, more people who've had work done, more theatre luvvies and art fags gathered together in the one place than at last night's gala opening of the stage musical incarnation of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Regent Theatre. It was quite astounding. And that was just at the pre-show canapes and champagne soiree.
The after-party was even more remarkable: in my borrowed suit, I felt like an observer or an outsider, like I was visiting an alien world of privilege and position rather than part of what was going on around me. Cerise and I left after about an hour and a half, retreating to more comfortable, less pretentious confines of the Fringe Club, where I had a much more relaxed and enjoyable time.
The amount of money that must have spent on the Priscilla after-party makes me pale: I can't fault the look and feel of the Forum when we walked in, but fuck, how many small theatre companies and arts organisations who actually produce good work might have been funded for a year for the same amount? Lavish, opulent, overstated, extravagent, chose your adjective accordingly.
But let's talk about the show itself, shall we?
Strip away the fabulously over-the-top costumes and the elaborate staging, and you were left with very little. As a show, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is an empty, fascile spectacle; a glorified covers band of a musical which repackages a neutured version of queer culture for the safe consumption of the middle class and Middle Australia. It's a show with no heart: when it tries for emotion it became Disney-manipulative and sacharine; its story relies on caricature and cliche; and the few good jokes added to its threadbare story felt coldly cynical and contrived.
In short, I was offended by its gross stereotypes, its faux-irony, its contempt for regional Australia, its shrill songs, and especially by its lack of anything even vaguely resembling artistic merit or value. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical, I despise you, and everything you stand for.
Other than that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
18 comments:
Uh - what's your point, Richard? Could you be a little less ambiguous?
Yeah, it's a bit of a rant, isn't it? *grin* I'll probably add another couple of paragraphs in which I'm more specific when I get home from the Fringe tonight. How was Adelaide, anyway, Alison? See anything good there?
I was there and what Richard said made perfect sense. Happening at the same time as Fringe, where the money spent on wining and dining the audience could have paid for handsome productions of every show in the festival and still enough money left to pay for a Ring Cycle and an uncut Shakespeare/War of the Roses.
That free diary give away as you left was the last straw. I think, if I'd asked, they would have given me one of the go-go boys.
Richard, I totally agree. I saw Priscilla in Sydney after the performance of Company I had been looking forward to was canceled at the last-minute, and was offered tickets as compensation.
The audience was comprised of very drunk, and extremely loud straight women (the target market, I imagine) who yelled out the lines they knew from the film and shrieked with delight at every costume change.
Behind me, two small children kept saying to their mother: "This is a very rude play!" after every expletive... And I too was offended, but for the reasons you identify, and not the mere vulgarity of the whole sorry affair.
Your rant made my morning, Richard. So glad you said it. (Adelaide was cool - a wonderful production of The Homecoming, of which more hereafter on my blog...much rather be there than at the Regent, though inexplicably I wasn't invited)
I guess they're expecting this to be the next We Will Rock You in the West End. And since it's about making money, I suppose - maybe - they'll make it. Is there anything else at stake? I don't mind vulgar at all - in fact I love the vulgarity of theatre - but then there's, well, crass.
eeek, i've just forked out a hundred dollars to see this show. Hopefully you were in a bad mood and the show really isnt that bad.
No, I'm afraid it really is that crass, as Alison put it. I 'enjoyed' myself at the time, after all, the costumes were amazing, the songs (mostly) well performed and there is a certain sense of fun in the room. Afterwards, however, I felt cheap and cheated, a bit like a bad date, where you realise everything is just spectacle and every skerrick of artistic value that made the film so wonderful has been sucked out of this multimillion dollar monstrosity. There is no theatrical merit in this production whatsoever (even to the point where the dancing and singing is below what I would expect from a mainstage musical) and while I don't think every show has to be life-changing, there should be SOMETHING there behind the sequins.
Our office (an arts organisation) was invited to a preview, and I must say the debate that RAGED here was quite interesting and all along these lines.
Ooof! That's one mighty scathing review... I guess it's all subjective though. And without a doubt, our 'community' will end up going to see it anyway.
The way I look at these things, is that it's just a little bit of mindless fun. That way, I can enjoy it for what it is rather than what it should be.
Cant wait for the other review tho! Hehehe
Hello there
I think you are a very sad person. I feel your review has no merrit; as it is very clear that you went in to the show with a closed mind - could this be because you have tried so hard to appear like a shrude, intelligent, daring to be critical person when in reality you were not looking for the positive aspects of the show at all in the first place, you chose to take every slightly negative aspect of the show and amplify it way out of proportion.
I find you very hypocritical; you mentioned that you did not like the steriotypical view of the australian outback etc and yet you are ok calling people 'drama fags!'
I think that it is a mistake to be offended by some light hearted steriotypical characters in the show... if we didn't make fun of each other every now and then I feel it would be a very sad world.
Perhaps you were too busy critisising the lack of depth... when in fact you really don't have the right to judge what a story should be and how deep it should be......... it is a story, a basic story. sometimes less is more and perhaps you should take things as they are.
What on earth is wrong with entertainment for entertainments sake............ sometimes we lead too serious lives and all we want is some light hearted, energized entertainment which Priscilla does provide!!
As far as your comments about the party - get off your high horse! the cast and crew work hard and if the producers want them to continue that way then they should treat them well! so they deserve a one off lavish party to celebrate! - I'm sure it doesn't happen all the time.
Seen as you neglected to mention any one of the positive elements of the show I will: the ensemble singing is first class! I train in musical theatre and have seen many large commercial shows throughout the world and the ensemble singing in Priscilla is high up there on the scale!
So in summary... Don't be such a sad arse bitter person.
Take it for what it is... Enjoy it for what it is... and stop being so dam pretentious by always trying to be the falsely scathing reviewer.
Priscilla satisfied me! and your un necessary review made me sick! (not literally)
Regards
Ben Mallinson.
P.S. Enjoy the wonderful production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Hello Ben, and thanks for your comment. But oh, where to begin?
Should I start by suggesting that attacking the messenger ("you are a very sad person") rather than the message rather renders your argument largely invalid?
That your suggestion I'm hypocritical because of my use of the term "art fags" (not 'drama fags' - if you're going to try and rip me a new arsehole, darling, the least you could do is pay attention to what I'm actually saying) is rendered null and void given that that's how I regularly describe myself?
Possibly we could ponder why you feel you know me well enough to suggest that I "don't have the right to judge what a story should be"; and that I'm apparently "always trying to be the falsely scathing reviewer". Do you actually know me, Ben? Have you read any of my short stories, or even just a few other reviews on this very blog?
Do you know or care, for instance, that I grew up on a diet of Gilbert and Sullivan, Lloyd Webber and Rice, Rogers and Hammerstein etc, and that I do actually love a good musical; especially more contemporary iterations of the genre such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch? I suspect not.
Sorry if you felt personally offended - no, sorry, "sick" - that I dared profane Priscilla. I had no idea my personal impression of what is, obviously, already a very successful show carried such weight.
In short, tipsy post-Fringe show sarcasm aside, it's just one man's personal opinion. For god's sake, get over it.
I thought that the ensemble singing (excluding the trio that spent most of the show suspended from the flies) was very poor. And that kid couldn't carry the most basic tune. I suspect though that even the most ferocious stage mother wouldn't be keen to push their son into a show that is actually not suitable for a child audience.
Didn't like it all, My rainbow visin was obviously off on the night!
Why do we Gays except mediocrity and just fall at the knees at anything that has a gay subtext?
Here's hoping you give critial review in MCV and not just rehash the same old " isn't it just fabulous'
LOAD OF CRAP!!!
I too love a good musical... I am a massive Lloyd Webber fan, I also saw Phantom while I was in Melbourne which I thought was a wonderful production, one of my favourite shows is Blood Brothers for it's well constructed story line. My point is that Priscilla is a good qaulity piece of entertainment for a light hearted energized night out at the theatre... I did not think it was fair that you pulled apart a production which has had a great deal of work put in to it from all involved without mentioning or really commending of the high points of the show.
As for the comment by the anonymous blogger above saying that he thought the ensemble singing was poor... could you please justify why? ... the rhythms and cut offs were tight and the sound in my opinion was extremely generous and well rounded...
I agree that the kid was awful and I'm sure they could have found a better kid......... but he was a very small part of the show so I chose to look over that.
Regards
Ben.
by the way i posted as anonymous because it wouldn't work under my name.
I must say I am immensely relieved to read your response. I thought I was gonna have to be the "without sinner" to cast the first stone.
I found the piece quite bafflingly soulless. The acting was terrible. Inexcusable. (I thought the boy -- and the soccer ball tits -- were the best actors on the night.)
Loved the trapeze divas tho. They almost made the show tolerable.
Not having heard a bad word about the show, I was really hopeful that it would rock my world.
...but then I thought the film was a boring, pointless, patronising overhyped piece of nothing as well.
I actually found the film rather sweet. Beneath the tinny gloss, there was something real and touching. A bit like the song Say a Little Prayer.
hey people. You may love it/ hate it. But spare a thought for the poor bloody ushers - ME for example - who have to sit through this rubbish night after night. And the show is the least of my worries. Dealing with the losers who are, essentially, coming in to laugh at the faggots is a bloody nightmare. Many are often pissed on arrival, feel it appropriate to abuse ushers who have the audacity to tell them they cant bring glass in, and generally behave like feral fucking bogans. i know I am getting paid but dear God if I have to listen to one more group of drunk women wearing feather boas say how creative "gays" are or have to tell one more tarted up overweight tramp in a tight dress to put on her fucking shoes i think i will scream my bloody head off. And there are surprisingly few hot gay fellas in attendance- give me SOMETHING to look at people
obviously i cannot give my name or i would be out on my arse
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