Priscilla, Queen of the Desert pulls into Laycock St

First adapted for the stage in the late 1990s from the hit 1994 movie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is as relevant today as when it was first written with its themes of inclusivity and acceptance.

Gosford Musical Society will present the show at Laycock St Community Theatre for a three-week season from October 21-November 12, featuring a spectacular cast and stunning staging and costumes.

Director Daryl Kirkness said he was at first reluctant to direct the show because the original professional production was “so brilliant” he didn’t know if he could do it justice.

But after conducting several online design workshops during COVID—19 lockdowns, he came to realise there was “another way” through the script.

“I began to have ideas for a production which wouldn’t copy the original but would be unique and I started thinking about putting the show forward,” he said.

“It was the first gay musical in an Australian sense and I knew it could still not only open doors today, but could push acceptance and inclusivity.

“It makes strong statements around tolerance of the LBTQI community and we were determined to echo that through the entire rehearsal process.

“This play isn’t about a bus journey – it’s about three people who take that journey and the effects it has on their lives.

“All three come to strong decisions about love, the importance of all relationships in their lives and how to be strong and confident in their sexuality.”

The design of the show, incorporating set, costuming, on-stage action and even publicity, has been a long time in the making.

It started with a team of four brainstorming ideas for a production which would be original and exciting comprising director Daryl Kirkness, Ben Hudson, Amber Markham and Jamie McKenzie, each of whom has gone on to supervise a critical component -direction, publicity and program, props and costumes.

Three actors with a wealth of experience in theatre between them play the lead roles making up a trio with undeniable stage chemistry.

In the pivotal role of Tick is Nat Barry Midas Backhouse (preferred pronoun they), themselves a drag performer since 2019.

With previous experience for Gosford Musical Society as Boq in Wicked in 2016 and Amos in Chicago in 2017, Backhouse also played an angel in Rockdale Musical Society’s production of Kinky Boots in 2019.

Backhouse said playing the role had reminded them of the “people who have come before me in the queer community”.

“They went through so much in the fight for equality,” they said.

Backhouse said some of the more confronting scenes had been difficult to play, particularly those which reminded them of homophobic actions they and some of their gay friends had themselves experienced.

“But those scenes also reminded me that these are stories need to be continually told, particularly in rural Australia,” they said.

“The more we tell stories and educate, the more we as a community can celebrate and affirm.”

Nat Barry Midas Backhouse

At the tender age of 17, Callum Hobson has already performed with GMS as Michael Banks in Mary Poppins and played the role of Gavroche in Cameron Mackintosh’s professional production of Les Miserables, which toured internationally.

He recently performed in GMS’s 42nd Street and has found bringing the character of Adam to life “quite challenging”.

“But I have had great support throughout and I think it has made me a better actor,” he said.

Hobson said the show had opened his eyes to acts of homophobia which are still being perpetrated.

“I knew these things had happened in the past, but confronting some of the stories told in this musical have confirmed to me the importance of not tolerating bigotry of any kind,” he said.

Marc Calwell has had a wealth of experience with a number of theatre groups and musical societies on the Coast over many years.

Most recently, he has played the Modern Major General in Pirates of Penzance for both Wyong Musical Theatre Company (2009) and GMS (2015), Fagin in Oliver! For Wyong Musical Theatre Company (2016) and Roy in COSI for Jopuka Productions (2016 and 2022).

For GMS, he also played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in 2018 and Doug in Strictly Ballroom in 2019.

He said playing the role of Bernadette had alerted him to bigotry of all kinds.

“I like to think I have always been inclusive but this show has definitely made me think more about the marginalisation not only of the LGBTQI community, but also communities of all kinds, from the Indigenous community to ethnic groups and refugees,” he said.

“On a lighter level, one of the other challenges I have faced is mastering walking (and dancing) in heels!”.

Providing the vocal sound track live for lip-syncing scenes, the three Divas play a huge role in bringing the show to life.

Kirkness said using the Divas to address the lip-syncing component of the show was an interesting theatrical move.

“In this production, we have used the Divas even more than they have been used traditionally,” he said.

“They are actually observing the action as well as providing a voice for it – they are almost muses in that sense.”

To fill these important roles, Kirkness has chosen three of the Coast’s premier songstresses; Toni Williams, Khiara Paris and Jacqui Grunden.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert plays at the Laycock St community Theatre from October 21-November 12.

Ticket details and bookings on the Laycock St or Gosford Musical Society websites.

Terry Collins