Priscilla The Party, HERE at Outernet London Review
Written by Annie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
Bursting into London with a flamboyant explosion of colour, energy, and unapologetic joy; Priscilla The Party has opened its doors at HERE @ the Outernet - a brand new venue right in the heart of Soho and the West End. Just up the road from its first ever venue in London in 2009 at the Palace Theatre, Priscilla Queen of the Desert has been reimagined like never before - whilst keeping true to its story.
First a hit movie, then a sell-out musical - the story has been adored all over the world for years, and now it’s giving the audience the chance to literally immerse themselves in the magic. With immersive theatre shows taking London by storm, it was only a matter of time before another show joined the ranks - and what show better than Priscilla?!
The glitziest, over-the-top and campest show to possibly ever exist, Priscilla Queen of the Desert merges the drag and musical worlds, more prominently than any show before. The story follows three drag queens as they embark on a transformative adventure across the Australian outback aboard a battered old bus named Priscilla. Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a show that contains flamboyant personalities and fabulous costumes, but deeper than that is a total celebration of individualism and uniqueness. It’s probably most known for the soundtrack though, with iconic pop hits blended into the narrative like ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Shake Your Groove Thing’. But now we’ve reminded ourselves of the story, will this musical transition into an immersive setting seamlessly?
HERE at Outernet is a brilliant venue, wonderfully set up and spacious, whilst still completely accessible. You walk into the main space and there’s a huge bar along one wall, and a food bar against the adjacent, as well as an incredibly tempting merch stall (disco ball, sunnies, and light up lei-leis - what more could you want?)
The show is on one level, with moving staging - so as with any immersive show, there is a lot of moving involved on the dancefloor if you choose the standing tickets. It’s important to note here that Priscilla The Party! is accessible with wheelchair spaces available on the Mezzanine for Premium Dining and Dining options, you are also invited to join in the fun in an elevated area on the dancefloor.
Priscilla The Party! has two other ticket options available for those who don’t want to join in on the action on the dancefloor. The first being the seated floor tickets - which run either side of the dancefloor, with the same view and ability to join the dancefloor at the end, but with seating and thus removes the requirement to move quite so much throughout the show. Secondly, there is the seated mezzanine level offering a three course dining experience whilst you watch the show. The view from the mezzanine was brilliant and don’t doubt the experience is just as enjoyable if watching from above.
The staging has been excellently choreographed, it constantly moves so that every possible area is given a front row seat at some point, ensuring no one misses any of the main action. The only potential deterrent of the standing tickets is the moving of the staging which requires immaculate timing and manoeuvring by the party ushers on the floor. Although it all ran incredibly smoothly last night, this could perhaps lend itself to some issues on the odd occasion.
Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner’s historic work on the costumes for Priscilla Queen of the Desert returns for this new experience and it’s exquisite throughout - with the brilliantly designed eye masks for the cast to quickly transform from male to drag queen - the magic is never lost and the story continues to progress with pace. The costumes are a kaleidoscope of colour - mixed with feathers, glitter and diamantes - it is everything and more you could imagine. Perfectly recreating iconic looks from the filmit’s and newly designed masterpieces - it is a beautiful marriage of nostalgia and a modern take on the story.
The cast all provide perfect examples of what a triple threat is - right from the pre-show cabaret singers through to the incredible ensemble. The energy is short of top tier. With so many moving parts and costume changes, the show is so slick you never take your eyes off of the main action.
Special mention has to go to Reece Kerridge who is a born star, demanding the stage throughout, they are a complete and utter joy to watch.
I truly don’t think I've been left this lost for words following a show since Guys & Dolls - and I’m so pleased Priscilla the Party is here with such a bang. I was slightly apprehensive that I’d find myself comparing it to other immersive theatre offerings but it is in its own league altogether, and you can’t help but fall completely, utterly into the world of drag and burst with sheer joy and euphoria.
If you want the ultimate night out - RUN for tickets to Priscilla the Party. I’m already planning a group visit imminently…
★★★★★
