PRISCILLA & pride
The cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert have strutted their way into Stirling’s Tolbooth for four nights!
Rubber Chicken Theatre’s production of the Tony award winning musical runs Wednesday to Saturday (22-25 June), packed with well known dance-floor hits such as “It’s Raining Men”, “I Will Survive” and “Hot Stuff”.
Based on the Oscar-winning Australian film of the same name, Priscilla tells the heart-warming story of three friends Bernadette, Felicia and Mitzi (played by Bob McDevitt, James Douglas and Antony Carter - pictured) who travel on a battered bus to the Australian outback to perform the show of a lifetime.
Antony Carter who plays drag queen Mitzi said:
“Priscilla Queen of the Desert has long been a favourite of mine. Not just because of the songs and the glamour, but because of the frank, sometimes funny, often heart-string-pulling way it places it's three queer lead characters' stories front and centre.
“You'd be forgiven for thinking that this show is just a good excuse to party - and you would be right - please, please party, dance, enjoy. But please also take some time to listen to the stories of our "Queens".
“This show and indeed its originating film are a good few years old now, but the themes and issues you see on stage are still very real for our queer communities who face continued interference, queer-phobia and new laws which push us back towards a less tolerant society rather than forwards to an all-inclusive one.
“Rubber Chicken Theatre has become a safe space not only for our queer, questioning chickens but for all the RCT family to come and be their authentic selves.
“It seems somehow fitting that we present this musical during pride month - a celebration of queerness born of the Stonewall riots which were ignited on the night of Judy Garland’s funeral.
“A stone thrown by a drag queen who had had enough of being targeted by law enforcement for simply being themselves and loving who they wanted to love.
“Pride continues to be a celebration of love and inclusivity but also a very real way for us to show the world that we exist and are valuable.
“As queer people, we stand together and rely on our allies to keep challenging bigoted out-dated views - we can't do this without you.
“So from me, one aged old queen, enjoy the show. Laugh, cry, dance, party. And please, listen to the stories, talk to your friends and family about them, keep being an ally. Our fight is still very real and that won't go away anytime soon.”
Queens of the Castle, Bernadette, Felicia and Mitzi.
Tickets for Priscilla are available now from rubberchickentheatre.co.uk