Dean Misdale brings outrageous glamour, entertainment and drag to Fringe 2026
Buckle up for a feel-good experience of laughter, high energy and glamour, with award-winning drag sensation Dean Misdale bringing three shows to Fringe this season. Their glitter-drenched spectacular tribute show, Dragged Through The Desert – A Priscilla Celebration, hits Big Top at The Pleasure Garden from Wednesday, January 21, to Sunday, February 1, with tickets on sale now. The ultimate party night, Balls Up Bingo, then hits Verdict at The Court from Wednesday, February 4, to Sunday, February 8, with tickets on sale now, whilst Boogie Bingo hits Verdict at The Court from Wednesday, February 11, to Sunday, February 15, with tickets on sale now. BEC WELDON sat down with Dean Misdale to find out more about the three hilarious, salacious and action-packed shows headed to Fringe this year.
Hey Dean, thanks so much for chatting with us! You have an absolutely stacked Fringe World season with three shows that you’re producing! Very exciting. Do you think you’ll find a moment to sleep before March?
OMG, absolutely not, it is full-on from this point on! Having said that, though, this is what I live for. Fringe really is my favourite time of the year!
Two of your shows, Balls Up Bingo and Boogie Bingo, offer bingo experiences with a twist! What inspired you to produce these bingo spectaculars?
I had been running bingo nights for years, but bringing them to Fringe has allowed us to turn them more into a full-blown show, including live performances, a DJ and nonstop sing-alongs. Say goodbye to bingo as you know it!
You’re also an award-winning drag artist. How do you apply that philosophy of spectacle and entertainment to something people might consider conventionally mundane like bingo and find the opportunity for new energy, performance and invigoration?
I think of it more as a live show rather than a ‘game’. Music, humour, and drag allow me to transform something familiar into something new and unexpected.
After a successful, sold-out season at Fringe World 2025, what new surprises are in store for Balls Up Bingo audiences in 2026?
It will be the show you know and love, but this year we have moved into a bigger space to allow even more craziness; you bring yourself, and we will bring the party!
You describe it as bingo, but not as your nan remembers it! Have you been surprised by the audience that attends? Do you end up getting the odd nan appearance?
Absolutely! I have one regular attendee who escapes the nursing home to come to bingo with a carer—she is an absolute legend and loves coming out for a bit of naughty bingo—it’s such a joy to have people of all ages come and join in the fun.
You’re also producing Boogie Bingo, which has a musical focus and plenty of opportunities for a sing-along and boogie! What draws you to find those opportunities for interactivity and audience participation in your shows?
I have always loved interacting with an audience, and bingo is no different from any other show for me. It’s just so natural for me, so even when it’s a bingo event, my automatic default is to make sure the audience are right there with me from start to finish.
And then there’s your third show, Dragged Through The Desert – A Priscilla Celebration, paying homage to the iconic Australian film, now a cult classic, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. What does the film mean to you, and what drove you to build a show around it?
The film is part of Australian pop culture, and I grew up watching it, so I have a deep love for it. I also then got to perform in the show at Crown Theatre in 2021, which was an absolute career highlight. Creating this new tribute show was just a no-brainer. I can’t wait for audiences to come and relive the magic of Priscilla with us at Fringe.
Starring in and executive producing Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical at Crown Theatre sounds amazing! Can you describe that experience for us?
There really are no words to describe what a pinch-me moment it was to be part of the show both on and off stage. It was such an honour to be there from the very first meetings to casting, photoshoots, rehearsals and of course then seeing the show come to life and performing it every night to sold-out crowds. A once-in-a-lifetime dream come true!
Tell us about the team joining you for Dragged Through The Desert – A Priscilla Celebration!
Baby, I feel so blessed to be able to work with all of them. The talent here in Perth is world-class, and all of the cast and crew working on the show really are bringing the show to life with me. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Looking back at such a seminal work from the mid-90s, how have you observed the art of drag changing and evolving between then and now?
Drag changes every single day, and that is part of its beauty. Yes, we all know and love the classic style of drag, but drag is constantly evolving and reinventing itself. Priscilla really highlights the classic Aussie drag style, but we have also thrown our own little modern-day spin on it just to keep everyone on their toes.
What do you think the art form of drag will mean to people in another 30 or so years?
Oh gosh, that is impossible to say—as I said, drag is constantly evolving and changing. My hope is that people are still enjoying it and celebrating life with all that glitters.
So many of the visual elements of the film, especially the characters’ costume and wig designs, are still so iconic. How did you pick which moments and looks you wanted to feature, and did you have any unfortunate ‘kill your darlings’ moments with anything you couldn’t fit in?
Being we are limited to only an hour show at Fringe, we did have to be mindful of this, but we have crammed thirteen songs and close to fifty costumes into that hour. Don’t worry about missing out on anything; it’s all in there in one way or another!
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Dean! Best of luck for the season ahead!
Dragged Through The Desert – A Priscilla Celebration hits Big Top at The Pleasure Garden from Wednesday, January 21, to Sunday, February 1, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au. Balls Up Bingo hits Verdict at The Court from Wednesday, February 4, to Sunday, February 8, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au. Boogie Bingo hits Verdict at The Court from Wednesday, February 11, to Sunday, February 15, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au.