Finally! 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, including Manchester, in 2026. The dazzling theatre show will open at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on February 16, 2026 running in the city until February 28, 2026.
Directed by Olivier Award-nominated Ian Talbot OBE 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.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is 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. The musical is an exuberant celebration of acceptance and belonging, bursting at the seams with humour, heart and spectacle.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2026 UK and Ireland tour dates
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
Hall for Cornwall, Truro – 14-18 July
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).
Tickets for Priscilla Queen of the Desert in Manchester go on sale on Tuesday 25th February at 10am here.