The three main characters are Tick/Mitzi (played by Hugo Weaving), Bernadette (played by Terence Stamp), and Adam/Felicia (played by Guy Pearce). Tick is a drag queen who is estranged from his wife and son, and sees the trip as an opportunity to reconnect with them. Bernadette is an older transsexual woman who mourns the loss of her partner, and goes on the trip to escape her lonely existence. Adam is a flamboyant young drag queen who is eager for adventure and romance.
Along the way, they encounter various challenges and obstacles, such as hostile locals, mechanical problems with the bus, and personal conflicts between the characters. They also perform their drag show in various towns along the way, which includes lip-syncing to classic pop songs and dazzling costumes. They attract both admirers and detractors, and provoke discussions about gender, sexuality, and identity.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when they perform a lip-sync to the ABBA song "Mamma Mia" in the middle of the desert, with colorful fabric flowing behind them and a campfire illuminating their faces. This scene has become an iconic representation of the movie's themes of self-expression, acceptance, and joy.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was released in 1994 and became a critical and commercial success, winning an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and becoming a cult classic among LGBTQ+ audiences. It has been praised for its humor, heart, and visual style, as well as its depiction of queer characters and culture.
