Tony, Queen of Priscilla!

I dropped into the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue last week to see my dear friend and neighbour from Balmain strutt his stuff on the West End stage.

The Wonderful Tony Sheldon is starring - alongside Jason Donovan - as Bernadette in the London version of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. And what a star he is, my darlings! As Bernadette (gorgeous blue frock, centre stage), he totally steals the show, with his warm, sympathetic portrayal of the ageing transexual performer (never drag queen!) whose glory days are behind her.

Tony tells of how Terence Stamp, who created the role in the original film, came to see him twice in the Sydney production and, emotionally speaking, handed over "Bernadette Bassenger" to his safe-keeping. She couldn't be in better hands - I've seen darling Tony play the classics, comedy, cabaret and musical theatre over the years, and he's a top performer in every theatrical genre. In fact I'm tempted to offer him the part of moi, Mr Mikey himself, in any adaptation to stage or screen of my little life story... even if he is a few years older than my good self and not exactly South London born and bred.

Still, he can act, sing, lip-sync and shake a mean tail feather with the best of them - and he is the best of them in Priscilla, without a shadow of a doubt. In my opinion, those boys, Jason and Oliver, would fall apart without the experience, talent and perfectionism of the lovely Tony; he is the heart of the show!

And he was all heart and hospitality backstage, sitting in his dressing gown and false eyelashes while we chatted about old times in Balmain... I was pleased to see a copy of Mr Mikey's Ladies displayed on the coffee table - not just for my benefit, I hope, Tony!

Luv ya, Tony - keep kicking those lovely legs xxxx

Well, hello Ladies!

Let me introduce myself: Michael Gorman, aka Mr Mikey, colour and styling artiste, not only beautifier but wise counsellor to my ladies -- actually it says it all on the back cover of my book:

"Mr Mikey is middle-aged, gay – and sick of being a hairdresser (sorry: colour and styling artiste!). He married his Aussie lover’s sister to gain legal residency Down Under, but then lover Bryan died and wife Dolly got pregnant by a dodgy boyfriend – leaving him a gay, but far from merry, widow with a wife and child to support. His Ladies, clients of his boutique Sydney salon, sustain him with their friendship and confidences, though sometimes the salacious details of their sex lives are almost more than his refined sensibilities can take. But as he listens to their tales of love and loss, pain and pleasure, Mr Mikey has a flashbulb moment: he will weave them into a Mega Musical – his escape route to fame and fortune!"

So there you have it. Bella, Corrinne, Suzette, Debra and Estelle - not to mention my dear wife, Dolly (I'll tell you more about their problems later), have all benefited from my Agony Aunt advice, and so can you, girlfriends. Just leave me a comment about anything that's bothering you - I say anything, but love, sex, affairs, relationships and those strange creatures, straight men, are my specialist subjects -and I'll come back to you with solutions to your problem. And all you ladies out there can help each other, too - we've all been most places before!

That's it for the moment. I'll leave you with some lovely comments about Mr Mikey's Ladies - click on the title to buy your own copy. Talk soon xxxx

“A truly remarkable, brilliantly written book. Everyone should read it, whether or not they approve!”
Jo Holloway, Sunpenny Publishing/Sunberry Books

“Written with her usual fluency and panache: very funny in parts, very sexy in others... a very entertaining book.”
Mike Barnard, Macmillan

“This is great fun - very Mama Mia! Gloriously camp in places and most entertaining with its idiosyncrasies and sheer originality.”
Maxine Hitchcock, Harper Collins

“A lovely writer, it's lots of fun and to be taken with a dose of salt.”
Louise Thurtell, Allen & Unwin

“This reminded me just how stylish – and funny – a writer Lucy McCarraher is. It did make me laugh, I liked the clarity of the voice, the humour, the setting.”
Will Atkins, Macmillan New Writing