Aussie rules: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert hits the West End

Jason Donovan (above left) plays Tick, a Sydney drag queen who undertakes a journey to Alice Springs to see his son. Transsexual Bernadette (Tony Sheldon, middle) and another drag queen, Adam (Oliver Thornton, right), go along for the ride Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Former Pop Idol contestant Zoe Birkett (above right) joins Emma Lindars and Kate Gillespie as a chorus of three divas in the musical Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Happy campers ... Tick and his friends make the journey to central Australia onboard a bright bus – the 'Priscilla' of the title Photograph: Tristram Kenton

As Tick, Jason Donovan has swapped the Technicolor dreamcoat of his most famous West End role for bell-bottoms, sparkly codpieces and extravagant floral creations Photograph: Tristram Kenton

The story focuses on how Tick learns to become a better father. In his review, Michael Billington praised Donovan's 'air of paternal longing' in the role Photograph: Tristram Kenton

The musical reaches London 15 years after the movie was cheered at the Cannes film festival. The production was first staged in Australia in 2006, running for 11 months in Sydney before transferring to Melbourne for seven months Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Men at work ... The cast pose outside the Palace theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. The Palace was previously home to Spamalot, The Woman in White and Les Misérables Photograph: Martin Godwin

The show's outrageous outfits were designed by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, who won Oscars for their costumes in the original film Photograph: Tristram Kenton

The show's costumes were influenced by Gloria Gaynor, Federico Fellini and Marie Antoinette Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is now booking until 26 September at the Palace theatre Photograph: Tristram Kenton