Priscilla Queen of the Desert to open at Manchester Palace Theatre

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT WILL EMBARK ON A MAJOR UK, IRELAND AND INTERNATIONAL TOUR FROM FEBRUARY 2026 OPENING AT THE PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL, THE FULL MONTYAND SHREK THE MUSICAL, THE RETURN OF THIS ICONIC AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL WILL BE DIRECTED BY OLIVIER NOMINATED IAN TALBOT AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY OLIVIER AWARD-WINNER MATT COLE.

FEATURING ICONIC DISCO ANTHEMS SUCH AS ITS RAINING MEN, I WILL SURIVE AND ‘GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN’.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert, based on the 1994 Oscar-winning film, is set to hit the road bursting onto stages across the UK and Ireland opening at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on 16 February 2026 and touring through to July 2026.  International dates will also be announced in due course.

Directed by Olivier Award-nominated Ian TalbotOBE with choreography by Olivier Award-winner Matt Cole with set and lighting design by Andrew Exeter, the sassy and joyous Broadway and West End hit musical, follows the hilarious and heart-warming journey as three friends travel across Australia in a dilapidated bus nicknamed Priscilla to put on the show of a lifetime.

Featuring a hit parade of dance floor classics as well as garnering international acclaim, at its core, Priscilla Queen of the Desert’s enduring appeal lies in its heartfelt exploration and celebration of identity, diversity and the journey toward self-acceptance. Challenging societal norms, and the importance of embracing one’s true self, the characters confront prejudice and adversity, they also discover the strength found in unity, friendship and the beauty of authentic expression.

The tour dates for this beloved musical are Palace Theatre, Manchester (19 – 28 February), King’s Theatre, Glasgow (2 – 7 March), Liverpool Empire (9 – 14 March), Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (16 – 21 March), Birmingham Hippodrome (23 – 28 March), Norwich Theatre Royal (30 March – 4 April), Theatre Royal, Newcastle (6 – 11 April), Edinburgh Playhouse (14 – 18 April), Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (20 – 25 April), Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (28 April – 2 May), Aylesbury Theatre (4 – 9 May), New Victoria, Woking (11 – 16 May), The Marlowe, Canterbury (25 – 30 May), Grand Opera House, Belfast (1 – 6 June), Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin (8 – 13 June), Theatre Royal, Brighton (16 – 20 June), Curve Theatre, Leicester (22 – 27 June), Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (6 – 11 July) and Hall for Cornwall, Truro (14-18 July).

Packed full of dazzling dance routines, a sparkling array of spectacular costumes and an iconic soundtrack of 80s and 90s disco anthems including ‘Hot Stuff’, ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘I Will Survive’, ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, ‘Finally’ and more, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is an exuberant celebration of acceptance and belonging, bursting at the seams with humor, heart and spectacle.

Casting will be announced in due course.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert UK & Ireland Tour is produced by Mark Goucher and Matthew Gale (Hairspray The Musical, The Full Monty and Shrek The Musical).