Right frock for the big red rock

The drag queens work up their act.

Oooo, it's so exciting to be in Sydney for the world premiere of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical, but I've no idea what to wear on the big night.

The show is based on that marvellous high-camp Aussie film about three drag queens taking a trip through the Outback in an old bus called Priscilla. I loved the film, and I like it even more after reading in the programme for the musical that Steven Elliott wrote its script "to pass time in New Zealand while incarcerated for poor judgment".

Unfortunately my own judgment is a little suspect when it comes to fashion. But my memory of the film from 15 years back is mainly of the amazing costumes. So I guess to do the musical justice I'll need something ... flamboyant?

My local shopping guide suggests looking in Sydney's gay central of Darlinghurst - ideal name - where you find places like House of Fetish, Aussie Boys and the Toolshed pub.

But that's rather missing the point. Priscilla isn't a gay story. I see Liz Koops, one of the show's producers, is reported as saying, "It's not a story about sexuality but about acceptance and feeling good about who you are."

Well I know I wouldn't feel good turning up on opening night in the skimpy leather outfit I saw in a Darlinghurst shop window or wearing one of their mildly pornographic gay pride T-shirts.

What I'm looking for is something showy, dashing, maybe even swashbuckling, to match the Priscilla theme of self-assertiveness.

Paddington, where lots of Sydney's high-fashion boutiques are clustered, looks more likely. But even here the outfits just aren't colourful enough.

Costume designers Tim Chappell and Lizzy Gardiner got $1.5 million - 50 times the film budget with which they won an Oscar - to produce the new outfits and they are incredible.

Imagine giant cupcakes, complete with glowing birthday candles and M&Ms icing, dancing to the tune of MacArthur Park, or massive paintbrushes sweeping across the stage, to the rhythm of Colour My World, making everything a comforting shade of pink.

In that sort of company a little black outfit from even fashionistas like Allannah Hill or Collette Dinnigan just wouldn't cut it.

But, luckily, Paddington Market, with its 250 stalls selling all sorts of unique handcrafted fashion, jewellery and artwork is just the place.

There I discover treats like huge floppy hats with the most amazing decorations, headpieces with giant yellow flowers and fantastical fairy dresses - a different sort of fairy, thank you - covered in all manner of flowers, ribbons and shiny baubles. Gorgeous. Just the stuff to wear to a drag-show party.

That crisis solved I thought I might fill in the time before the curtain goes up by climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Why? Well, two reasons. First, the opening scene of the show takes place under a huge illuminated replica of the bridge. It's in the shadow of the bridge that drag-queen Mitzi (Jeremy Stanford) gets a call from his wife, the mother of his child, asking him to save her failing Alice Springs casino by putting on a show that will drag in the punters.

It's there, too, that, Mitzi enlists the help of his old friend Bernadette (Tony Sheldon), a middle-aged transsexual who was once the star of Les Girls, and the much younger Felicia (Daniel Scott), the wild boy of the trio, to join him on his artistic journey to the Outback. So the bridge is where it all begins.

And a second reason is provided by our bridgeclimb guide Tigs who asks if we want to take handkerchiefs - with little elastic wristbands to stop them blowing away - as well as the boilersuits, safety harnesses and clip-on hats.

What for? "Well," says Tigs, "many people find that when they get up there the view is just so beautiful they can't stop themselves from crying. And other people just like to wave at sailors."

Fair enough. So we take our handkerchiefs on the three-and-a-half hour climb up 1439 steps to the top of the arch and the views out over Sydney are indeed magnificent. I didn't notice anyone in our group shedding tears but the hankies are certainly useful for waving at the boats passing below - some of the occupants even wave back - and at the Garden Island naval centre ... from which there is no response. Ah well.

After that it seems appropriate to head for the newly opened Sydney WildlifeWorld at Darling Harbour - there seem to be a lot of darlings in Sydney - to get a taste of the Outback.

The Outback, after all, is where most of the action in the show takes place as Priscilla chugs through scenes at Broken Hill and Black Stump, Middle of Nowhere and Coober Pedy, Woop Woop and Alice Springs.




Right frock for the big red rock

TurnFrom1:

Caption2: BUSLOAD OF TALENT: Priscilla the bus is able to change colour, raise its sides to show off the inside action and carry performers up to the roof to sing.

Caption1: GLAMMED UP:The drag queens work up their act. Back in the real world, the Sydney Harbour Bridge (left) offers tip-top views for climbers. (Below) Jim Eagles is ready for the show.

Luckily this is an amazing bus - should be because it cost $1 million - able to change colour, raise sides so fans can see what's going on within, turn in tight circles, carry performers up to the roof to sing ... and cope with the harshness of the red desert which dominates the heart of Australia.

The Outback is, as you might imagine, not a place where three drag queens feel at home. Indeed, Sheldon, who plays the part of Bernadette, says that despite living pretty well his whole life in Australia he's never gone Beyond the Black Stump. "I'm a city boy."

And not even his on-stage experience of the Outback has given him any desire to experience the place. "I'm happy to visit on stage eight times a week rather than actually go there. I'll only be going if somebody takes me. I wouldn't go voluntarily."

WildlifeWorld is just the place for people like him because it's brought the Outback - including 200 tonnes of red desert sand - into the heart of the city.

There you can see frilled lizards, dopey koalas, voracious quolls, bouncy wallabies, horned devils, nasty scorpions, kicking cassowaries, overweight wombats, 5m long pythons and the first, second, fourth and sixth most deadly snakes in the world without having to go out of range of mobile phones, lattes, feather duvets and taxis. Perfect.

And, speaking of taxis, it's time for us to head back to Star City Hotel, home of the Lyric Theatre, to freshen up, dress up - weeha - and tip up a little bubbly before the premiere begins.

It's a suitably camp venue for such an occasion with lots of splashing waterfalls, volcanoes belching fire, bright lights, a casino full of flashing slot machines and burly men with bulging armpits keeping an eye on the entrances.

Leading to the theatre there's a pink carpet - well, it could hardly be red - lined with excited onlookers, eager photographers and a bevy of giant drag queens ready to pose with any celebrities.

The crowd buzzes and the cameras flash. Who's that? "They're both from Neighbours," explains my twenty-something neighbour. Oh. "Look, she's a top model?" Ah. "That's Barry Humphries." Of course. But surely this is a night for Dame Edna? "This one's a TV weather presenter." Awesome.

A cheer signals the arrival of Jimmy Barnes. Yeah, I have heard of him, but I never thought he was a big deal. "Oh they love him in Australia." The crowd mumbles a bit. "He's a politician." Another buzz signals the only face I actually recognise: a very old looking Ritchie Benaud. "Who's that?" One of Australia's greatest cricketers. "Yawn."

Finally everyone - celebrity and nonentity alike - is seated, the curtain rises on the gay lights of Sydney and its harbour bridge, the cast underlines where we are with Downtown, and our theatrical journey is under way.

It's very much the same trip as in the film except that there is a lot less dialogue and a lot more songs - 25 in total - all cleverly selected to carry the story forward and each providing an opportunity for more amazing costumes.

This makes for an undemanding but nevertheless entertaining, fastmoving, colourful and - especially in the first act - often very funny production.

Naughty Felicia farewells Sydney by joining his friends for a raunchy version of Venus wearing some of those leather outfits I saw in Darlinghurst. And the trio's queenly friend Miss Understanding answers a question about choosing between love or money by breaking into What's Love Got To Do With It?

Not all is gay - in the other sense of the word - as poor confused Mitzi signals when he sums up the conflict between being both a transvestite and a father with a poignant version of I've Never Been to Me.

But there's more laughs than tears, especially when the group hit the Broken Hill pub, where the slovenly broad-bosomed publican (Genevieve Lemon) tells of her longing for action through a hilarious performance of I Love the Nightlife.

The second act is slower, darker and more moving, being dominated by some gay-bashing at the Back of Beyond, a touching reunion in Alice Springs between Mitzi and his son who join in Always on My Mind and the blossoming of an unlikely love between the sad former diva Bernadette and a rough-hewn mechanic (Michael Caton) who dances to the rescue when Priscilla breaks down.

Still, for those who prefer action, Cynthia (Lena Cruz, ex-Shortland St) provides the most risque episode of the show when she upstages the drag queens' performance at Woop Woop with her remarkable pingpong ball-popping dance.

And the finale, on Uluru, is amazing, with the trio's triumphant performance of We Belong accompanied by a panoply of magnificently costumed Australian critters including lofty emus, lizards with exploding frills, cute kangaroos, the cuddliest-ever koalas and bouncing sulphur-crested cockatoos.

The toffee-nosed critics in the Australian papers were a little lukewarm - though even they agreed it was good, lively fun - but the audience on opening night left no doubt where it stood. There was a prolonged standing ovation which continued, with accompanying whoops of joy, for some time after the final curtain call.

That would no doubt have heartened the producers for whom Priscilla represents a $6 million investment which, according to Koops, "will need to run at 65 per cent capacity for 37 weeks before it can break even".

They are also hoping that plenty of New Zealanders will help the cause, as we did with Phantom of the Opera, by flying the Tasman to add an evening with the drag divas to Sydney's marvellous food - try Jimmy Liks, at Potts Pt, which produces the most incredible Asian food I've ever tasted - inspiring city centre, terrific shopping, amazing fashions and warm weather.

And, while I'm on the subject of fashion, I suppose you'd like to know what I wore?

Well I chickened out and just added a purple boa to a reasonably bright ethnic shirt. And it was just as well. Nearly everyone else wore regulation evening attire. Those Australian heteros can be so ... boringly conservative.

* Jim Eagles went to Sydney as guest of Qantas and Tourism New South Wales.

Checklist

Getting there

Qantas offers daily services to Sydney from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

For Priscilla show packages or further details on airfares, call Qantas on 0800 767 400.

What else to do

Paddington Markets are held every Saturday in the grounds of the old Paddington Uniting Church at 395 Oxford St, Paddington. See the website or ring (0061) 2 9331 2923.

The Sydney BridgeClimb starts from 5 Cumberland St, The Rocks, and operates almost round the clock. See the website or ring (0061) 2 9255 8211.

Sydney WildlifeWorld is in the heart of Darling Harbour next to Sydney Aquarium. See the website or ring (0061) 2 9333 9288.

Further Information

Tourism New South Wales has all the details about accommodation and activities in Sydney.