Back in the day when I was a print journalist doing theatre reviews as part of my job, I'll confess I used to avoid "AmDram" (shows from amateur dramatic groups) because, well to be brutal, they aren't always that polished.
My own son was a (triple threat) theatre kid performing with the British Theatre Academy and CTL (now Tring Arts Trust) and of course I went along to see shows he was in and although maybe slightly totally biased, thought on the whole they were pretty professional. Maybe I needed to let of of my mistrust of amateur productions largely instilled by a truly horrific "Gaslight" I endured in the 80's where the cast were more wooden than the set and the thriller became a farce.
Since Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a fave of mine I decided to set aside my prejudice and see if amateur group Cassio Productions could handle the show.
Cassio Productions is a very well established group - the first Cassio performance was in 1949! For nearly 60 years Cassio have performed at the gorgeous Edwardian Watford Palace Theatre, right in Watford Town Centre. They must be doing something right, right?
I went along last week with my 25 year old offspring (gifted tickets) curious to see how the amateur group would tackle the story of drag queens on a bus (Priscilla) travelling across Australia encountering friends and foes on their way to perform in a remote casino. I've seen the film many times and the professional stage show so the guys at Cassio had big shoes to fill.
I'm glad to report that Cassio's Priscilla turned out to be a frolicking fun night out. The cast were certainly not lacking in enthusiasm and the ensemble's singing in particular was excellent. A few wobbly singing moments and fumbled lines were forgivable, and the whole audience was behind them. I got the feeling a lot of the cast were known to the audience, not unusual in amateur shows, and loved the supportive atmosphere.
Special mention must go to the three main characters. John Montgomery was a great Tick/Mitzi and tackled a range of emotions and some tricky solos with stoic professionalism and was a wonderful foil to the extravagant Adam/Felicia played by Joseph Lucas who threw every fibre of his being into the role.
My standing ovation goes to Richard Sellek as Bernadette. I reckon even the late, great Terence Stamp would have been honoured by Richard's faithful and thoughtful interpretation of the part.
On the night I attended ,Benji was played by Elliot Mills who deserves his own round of applause - he gave a mature, measured performance required at the emotional peak of the story with no hint of nerves. Well done Elliot.
Costumes (mostly hired) and hair and makeup (with help from students of West Herts and Oakland colleges) were excellent and the set was well executed with Priscilla herself being transformed into her pink era with strip lights. The music of course made the show with a fabulous set list designed to get toes tapping. The entire cast looked like they were having a wonderful time, especially in the song and dance sections.
Sadly you are too late to see this heartwarming show but never fear, Cassio Productions will be performing Little Shop of Horrors at the Henderson Hub in Abbots Langley from 4-7 November 2026 and will be back at Watford Palace Theatre 18-22 May 2027 - show details to be released later in the year so keep an eye on the Watford Palace Theatre and Cassio Productions websites for details.
Fancy joining the group, on stage, back stage or front of house? Email Neil Revens to find out more at membership@cassioproductions.co.uk.