Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – Review – The Alhambra, Bradford

By Alex Crabtree, July 2026

I can’t believe I haven’t even seen the film. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is one of those massive cultural phenomena that totally passed me by over the years. So, taking my seat at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre on opening night, I felt a bit of FOMO.

That was further imprinted on me when everyone in the stalls seemed to be talking about the movie with huge grins on their faces. Put that together with a loud, lively, excited feeling about the theatre that wasn’t normal (in a good way, of course) and it was clear there’s been something missing from my film-watching-back-catalogue over the years!

The crowd was more than ready for the flamboyant fun to come, and my daughter and I quickly got to know what all the excitement was about.

“Quick-witted innuendo”

We walked in to be greeted by a massive disco ball covering the stage, and you immediately felt you were being taken straight into the glitzy world of Drag.

And then BAM! Straight into the fun with ‘It’s Raining Men’. Miss Understanding kicked things off by interacting brilliantly with the audience, serving up the exact kind of sharp, quick-witted innuendo you’d expect from a true queen.

When Bernadette made her entrance as a newly widowed queen, we were hit with her dead-pan expression and excellent comic timing. It was a wonderful sign of things to come, and the hilarious interaction between her and Mitzi had the entire audience in stitches throughout the night.

“Top-tier”

The production value of this one was top-tier. Especially with a really clever use of the famous campervan. As a whole, the set was separated out into different pieces for some of the smaller scenes, before being built back up to be used as the top of Ayers Rock for the final big numbers.

The costume makers must have had great fun on this one too; we (my daughter and I) particularly loved the massive cake outfits with the cherry on top.

But Priscilla, Queen of the Desert wasn’t just about the glitter. The scene during the song ‘Hot Stuff’ took a dramatic turn to the darker side of non-acceptance and touched on the real struggles the community faces. It was excellently choreographed, showing the deep vulnerability of the three friends but also the strength within them to overcome these challenges together.

“Friendship, love, acceptance”

Although starring Kevin Clifton, it was Nick Hayes’ Felicia that really stole the show. He absolutely nailed his final big vocal number on top of the van – an absolute showstopper that had the crowd roaring!

And a real standout bit for me was a gorgeous rendition of ‘True Colours’. It was a beautiful moment that really symbolised the entire show – telling a story of friendship, love, acceptance, and embracing exactly who you are. By the time the final bows arrived, the whole of the Alhambra was on its feet.

If you’ve never managed to catch Priscilla, Queen of the Desert before, this touring production is the perfect excuse to finally sort that out. If you have, then be like me…because I would absolutely go again.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert continues its run at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, until Saturday 11th July
Images: Johan Persson