Priscilla Queen of the Desert, UK tour, The Mayflower, Southampton, June 2013

Anyone who has read this blog before will know that firstly I love musicals, secondly I really love Priscilla Queen of the Desert and felt there should be national day of mourning when it closed in the West End of London. 

Imagine my delight then when it was announced that Priscilla was on the move and coming to Southampton Mayflower.

Now I saw it at the beginning of June and have been a bit snowed under with exams, holiday prep and just work in general so I  have been unable to write about the tour, but thought with a free evening I would put pen to paper, so to speak.

The basic story from the West End and Australian show is the same, three drag queens travelling across the desert from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform at a Casino.

There is still the fascination with Kylie Minogue, the American one it has been changed to Madonna. Most of the songs are the same except the opening song of 'Downtown' has been changed to 'It's Raining Men' which works really, really well. They have also added 'True colours' which is in the US version.

Obviously stage-wise there are restrictions, especially when it comes to the bus. Priscilla is reduced to a bottom bit with screens near the top, however, it still works, you can imagine the bus is there and also it means that it is less likely to break down, as it sometimes did in London.

Noel Sullivan, of Hear'Say fame, was Tick on the week I went and was really good. He has amazing vocal ability and really camped up the character as I think sometimes people try to play Tick a bit safe as Adam is the overly camp one. It does seem though I am never going to see Jason Donovan in the role, as I have seen Ben Richards and Richard Grieve but never Jason.

Graham Weaver played Adam and although I love the original Adam - Olivier Thornton, Graham did a really good job.

Bernadette this time was played by Richard Grieve who I had previously seen as Tick and to be honest I think his Bernadette was amazing. I think he really suited the role better than the role of Tick. He was brilliant and really was a good looking woman...

There is so much colour and glamour when you see Priscilla that you just want to dance all the way home. I hope they keep touring as I never get tired of this musical, well I have seen it four times. If you want to see it, go to the tour!

Miss Kylie Minogue

I have been writing this blog for well over a year and I am very surprised that I have never written a post on my idol. I mentioned her in the idol post briefly but nothing just about my idol, who is..... Miss Kylie Minogue.


I have liked Kylie for as long as I can remember. My mum has always watched Neighbours so even as a small child in the 80s I can remember seeing her as Charlene with the gorgeous Scott. As much as I was obsessed with Kylie I was convinced I would marry Jason Donovan. I remember taking his cassette (yes I'm that old) to school just so I could look at his picture sa but true, but then I was only five. I can remember going to my cousin's house in Kidderminster and we would watch her Kylie video and my Jason one.


I will admit I dropped out of my Kylie phase a little in the 90s, during her impossible princess stage when I was being a Pop Princess. I fell in love with Take That and the Spice Girls. Then nearing the millennium Kylie released the pop hit Spinning Around and I was hooked.


That was it really, I do love Kylie Minogue I'm not obsessed, but I think she is amazing. I love the X album and Confide in Me and Love at First Sight are my all time favourite songs.


In all my years of Kylie mania I never had the opportunity to see her live. During her Showgirl tour over five years ago I hinted so much for tickets but no one picked up the hint. Then she was diagnosed with cancer.


I was thrilled when I got to go to the V&A and see all her costumes and clothes over the years: seeing in the flesh the iconic symbols that have made Kylie who she is today.




I watched the White Diamond documentary with a tear in my eye, bought the books and was mildly shocked when she parted ways with her visionary ill Baker (they are ok now though).


Finally in 2008 I got tickets to see Kylie's X tour, to say I was overjoyed is putting it lightly I was ecstatic. Finally after all these years I would see her concerts in the flesh rather than on my TV. When I saw a competition in a magazine to win tickets to see Kylie, I thought I would enter, who knows if I don't win then I'm already going if I do I can go twice.


Now, I was at work and I received a load of missed calls from an unknown number. When I finally picked up I was told I had won a competition. I had no idea what they meant. So when the woman then told me what I had won I went into, what I can only describe as shock. She said: "You have won a night stay in a five star hotel in London, travel to and from London, a new mobile phone, a spa treatment at the hotel, tickets for the gig and a meet and greet with Kylie before the gig. Are you free to do this?" I just muttered yes, not quite knowing what the hell was going on.


As soon as I hung up the phone I'll admit it, I burst into tears. The five year old in me running about like a crazy person. Then I rung everyone I could think of and asked my manager for the day off.


I saw the first gig on the Sunday, which was amazing. Then a couple of days later I was back at the O2 after having an amazing back massage, all ready and scared that meeting my idol was not going to happen. When we sat down in the room full of a load of Kylie fans I could not keep my eyes off the door. And then it happened, Miss Minogue walked through and I had to hold back the tears.


To be honest it was a bit of a blur, she was stood in front of me, the complexion of a china doll, tiny frame and loads of stage make up. I talked to her about the concert and not much else but it was really good.


We had our photo taken with her, Kylie was amazing saying how to pose, with a pout and a smile.It was the best thing ever to happen to me. Afterwards I was jumping around singing "I've met Kylie Minogue!" As you can tell from the photo I am just a little bit happy at being stood so close to my idol.




I have tickets for the Les Follies tour, I am so excited, seen a little bit and it looks amazing! Look out for a gig review in April.


Here is the proof by the way....