The art of drag (and it is an artform) has a long and proud history in Australia. It’s no coincidence that The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – arguably one of the best drag films ever made – is a product of this country and that some of the world’s most famous drag queens are Australian.
Miss Ellaneous is the drag artist behind Tina – A Tropical Love story. Ben Graetz is the man behind Miss Ellaneous. In this production, Graetz has created the ultimate drag show. But it isn’t just a drag show. It’s also a concert, a cabaret and a variety show, all centred on the late Tina Turner.
The linchpin of the show is Graetz’s love of Tina Turner. She left a huge impression on a young Graetz when her concert came to his hometown of Darwin in 1993. The First Nations boy was spellbound by the rock icon, who herself had North American First Nations and African American ancestry.
With his superb talent for storytelling, Graetz took us back to that steamy outdoor show at the Darwin Amphitheatre during the height of the build-up. Despite the theatre’s strong aircon, we could feel the humidity and the sweat. We could see Turner in our mind’s eye, glistening in the Top End dark. And we saw Graetz transformed into his hero. With his wig, his sequins and those legs, he embodied Turner uncannily well.
His stories painted a vivid picture of Darwin and of queer and Indigenous experiences, as well as Turner’s career. When he described a family trip down the Sturt Highway to Adelaide, with a cassette tape of Turner’s Private Dancer album as the soundtrack, it was as though we were in the car with them.
The perfect Master of Ceremonies, Graetz introduced each selection from the Tina Turner songbook, both his own and those performed by other acts from the 100% First Nations line-up.
All the biggest hits were there: ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)’, ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’, ‘I Can’t Stand the Rain’, ‘The Best’, ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Nutbush City Limits’ among them.
In a line-up bursting with talent, Ursula Yovich blew the audience away with her big voice and outsized charisma; Dana Dizon AKA Prawn Cracker Spice was a pocket rocket with her lip synch numbers and energetic dancing; Sivillion and Lakemba impressed with their dreamy vocals; Ryan Pearson brought the house down with his moves, showing why he’s considered one of the Sydney Dance Company’s hottest stars; Glory Tuohy-Daniell and Cleopatra Pryce were indefatigable as Graetz’s back-up dancers.
The talented mark of choreographer Sani Townson (Bangarra Dance Theatre, Gondwana Voices, Griffin Theatre Company) was all over the show.
Read: Musical review: Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, State Theatre Sydney
But the person at the centre of it all (Tina Turner aside) was Graetz himself, who has created something very special here. Breaking the worn-out mould of the tribute show, Tina – A Tropical Love Story shone like a rare Outback gem, encompassing biography, theatre, comedy, rock concert, drag show and contemporary dance in one high-energy hour.
It simultaneously tapped into a rich vein of American rock, R&B and soul, as well as the art of storytelling with its roots in the world’s oldest culture.
Its two-show run at the Sydney Festival has concluded but Tina – A Tropical Love Story is bound to pop up elsewhere in 2025. If you get the chance, go see it. You’ll come out with a smile on your face and joy in your heart, guaranteed.
Tina – A Tropical Love Story by Ben Graetz AKA Miss Ellaneous
Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company, Walsh Bay NSW
Writer, director and performer: Ben Graetz AKA Miss Ellaneous
Choreographer: Sani Townson
Performers: Dana Dizon AKA Prawn Cracker Spice, Lakemba, Crystal Love Johnson (absent from reviewed show due to illness), Ryan Pearson, Sivillion, Ursula Yovich
Dancers: Glory Tuohy-Daniell, Cleopatra Pryce
Production Assistant: Dion Padan
Crystal Love Johnson’s carer: Dana Dizon AKA Prawn Cracker Spice
Tina – A Tropical Love Story was performed on 11 and 12 January as part of the 2025 Sydney Festival.
