Tick of the light

THE interview gets off to a stuttering start. “It’s good, it’s....” After just three words Jason Donovan is gone. No sound of him on the other end of the line. Was it something I said or our dodgy telephone system? Ten seconds or so pass and, finally, his voice returns to finish explaining that Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical is not only good but different, not at all your usual musical theatre treat.

“It’s not a Disney-type, Les Mis, Phantom musical experience. It’s quite quirky. It’s a journey and a discovery about being yourself and not what people want you to be,” he explains.

That makes it sound very serious which Priscilla, as those who’ve seen the movie will know, is not. Three men – drag artists, to be precise – board a battered bus and embark on an adventure into the Australian outback. Armed with outrageous costumes (which won both Olivier and Tony awards) and a playlist of dancefloor favourites (It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive, Say A Little Prayer, Go West and Always On My Mind among them), this is – and I quote the press release – “a journey to the heart of FABULOUS.”

Donovan starred in the original London production and is leading the first leg of the UK tour that takes in Sunderland Empire. He’s in the street walking to the theatre in Birmingham when he calls and reports that audience reaction is “phenomenal”. There was a point, he adds, when people were nervous whether it would work outside London because of the nature of the show and the whole gay subject.

“But it’s really taken off. I don’t think the production company anticipated quite the impact.

It’s surprising how many people have that Priscilla soundtrack in their head. People love it,” he says.

Back in the 1990s, he was pencilled in for a role in the film (which starred Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and another Neighbours soap star Guy Pearce) but didn’t do it. “I decided it was something I didn’t want to do at that time, which some people might see as a bit of a mistake,” he says.

Is he one of those people? “I don’t feel that personally.

I do things for reasons and, at that particular point in my life, there were other things going on. I was involved in that whole court case so it wasn’t a great time politically.

“If you read Priscilla back in those days it was about a bunch of drag queens heading into the desert. It didn’t particularly stand out as being the success it was going to be.”

That case, if you need reminding, was the one in which he successfully sued The Face magazine for publishing allegations that he was gay. He said afterwards that he didn’t take them to court for money, or because he was homophobic, but because he’d been accused of lying to his fans.

That’s all in the past. Now he’s happy to be in a show featuring music that’s a “classic camp, anthem, celebration of life”.

It must seem fairly mild after enduring the rigours of the jungle in I’m A Celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing.

“I don’t know why I get cast as drag queens or transvestites.

Maybe it’s my figure, my legs. I seem to look okay in a dress. The great thing about doing that is you become someone else and things flow from that,” he says. He’s played Frank-n-Furter, the sweet transsexual from Transylvania on stage in The Rocky Horror Show. That was more Russell Brand whereas Priscilla’s Tick is “a little bit more Alan Carr”.

The show is just another role in a varied career that’s taken Donovan from Neighbours to pop star (selling 13 million albums to date) and musical theatre star in shows including Joseph And The Amazing Tecnicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound Of Music and Sweeney Todd.

“I like to keep working. This is an opportunity to take a great show out there. I like musicals, but don’t want to do musicals for the rest of my life.

I recognise there’s a market there for me to be able to make a living out of it,” he says.

“My focus is always on the acting. I’m not a bad singer, but certainly technically not the greatest singer in the world. But I can tell a story and am becoming more au fait with dancing for obvious reasons. I do firmly believe that the heart of a good musical performance is in the acting and telling a story. Otherwise, you go to a pop concert.”

He fell in love with music at an early age, or the concept of being a pop star or David Bowie, expressing themselves through the emotional power of music, story and characters.

When he was cast as an actor that opened the door on becoming a musical star. Along the way he had a pop career thanks to Neighbours. “I would have thought someone like Kylie and myself would have opened doors for a lot of people,” he says.

So where next? He’d like to do more TV drama, work in the US and record more. “I’m 45. I’m not saying that’s over the hill, but I’m quite happy to try and find a balance between work and my role as a dad and husband,” he says.

“The idea of trying to chase dreams across the world in the hope of some massive recognition I’ve experienced before – and it doesn’t mean anything unless you have your family and your kids.

I like to work and I love work, I like to travel and eat well. But it costs.

“I do feel I have paid my apprenticeship. I’m starting to walk into the rehearsal room and people naturally show you a bit of respect and are interested in what you say.”

• Priscilla Queen Of The Desert: Sunderland Empire, April 8-13. Box Office: 0844-8713022 and atgtickets.com/Sunderland The show tours to York Grand Opera House, May 13-18, with an, as-yet, unnamed star replacing Jason Donovan. 0844-8713024 and atgtickets.com/york