Priscilla journey continues

Australian musical Priscilla‘s journey to Broadway took another major step forward this week when the show opened in Toronto.

Australian musical Priscilla‘s journey to Broadway took another major step forward this week when the show opened in Toronto.

With a cast that features Will Swenson as Tick, Nathan Lee Graham as Miss Understanding, Nick Adams as Adam and Australian theatre legend Tony Sheldon as Bernadette, the show is being well received by overseas audiences.

Variety reviewer Richard Ouzounian said: “The jukebox aspect of Priscilla is less annoying than in many other similar entries, because the show knows when not to take it itself too seriously. What initially seems a too-serious rendition of ‘MacArthur Park’ by Sheldon soon turns into a camp showstopper, with members of the chorus dressed as the giant green cake someone left out in the rain, while Swenson gyrates like Peter Allen at his most abandoned.”

Ouzounian added: “There are a few moments that slip into blatant sentimentality; the show could do without some of the ‘dream’ appearances of Tick’s son in act one, especially one involving bubbles. But at present, Priscilla is a visual knockout, a real crowd-pleaser and, ultimately, a great heart-tugger as well.

In The Globe And Mail, J Kelly Nestruck said: “Priscilla tries very hard to create a fun, party atmosphere for its audience. Sometimes it tries too hard – as when confetti is fired out over the audience before the hero(ines) have even left Sydney – but mostly it succeeds in director Simon Phillips’ exuberant production.”

Priscilla will open on Broadway early next year.

It originally premiered in Sydney in October 2006.