Home And Away’s Ray Meagher enjoyed playing mechanic Bob in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical so much that he is returning to the West End show this autumn, from 5 October.
The Australian soap star temporarily left Summer Bay behind in September last year to play the role at the Palace theatre for six months. He had previously played Bob for two weeks in the Sydney production of the musical.
Meagher has played Alf Stewart in Home And Away since the soap’s first episode in 1988, making him the longest-serving member of any Australian television show. In 2010 he won the Gold Logie, Australia’s prize for Most Popular Television Personality. In addition to early stage work in his native country, over the years Meagher has taken many Christmas breaks from the soap in order to star in pantomime in the UK.
Speaking to Official London Theatre about making his West End debut in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical last year, Meagher said: “The first time I saw the stage show I thought, God, it’s just fantastic. I went to see it and I was just blown away. I thought it was an absolutely amazing night out, and my opinion hasn’t changed since.”
Based on the hit 1994 film, the musical tells the story of a Sydney based performing trio – two drag queens and a transsexual – who take their act to the middle of the outback on a personal quest. Along the way they find friendship, love and a few other surprises.
The raucous show opened at the Palace theatre in March 2009, subsequently winning an Oliver Award for its outrageous costumes.
In returning to the musical, Meagher joins a cast that currently includes Don Gallagher as Bernadette, former Home And Away colleague Richard Grieve as Tick and Oliver Thornton as Adam.
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical is now booking to 7 January 2012.
CB