As with most members of successful pop bands, you could have been forgiven at one stage for mistaking Duncan James’ surname as ‘from Blue’. But with a string of hit roles on the stage he has forged a whole new career for himself.

Duncan, 37, has performed to acclaim in the West End in Chicago and Legally Blonde and is now heading out on his first nationwide theatre tour with Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical, which is in Dartford from April 25 to 30.

Duncan told us: “I have never done a tour before within a show. I have only ever toured with Blue.

“It is great actually, I’m really enjoying it because it is like a real family. We all travel around together.

“We set up our show in a theatre and we come into work in the day and we perform for the local people and we get to eat the nice local foods and I get to stay in a lovely hotel.

“It’s really nice that we get to experience parts of England that we wouldn’t really usually. I didn’t realise that Canterbury where I am now was such a beautiful place. It’s so gorgeous.”

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Duncan is particularly keen to come to Dartford – a town he has only ever passed for the crossing to Essex.

He said: “It’s great because it’s near London so some of my friends will get to see me perform.”

Duncan plays the lead role of drag queen Tick (Hugo Weaving in the Oscar-winning 1994 film) who is travelling across Australia with two friends on a bus called Priscilla.

He said: “We go across from Sydney to Alice Springs to meet my son for the first time. But I don’t tell my friends that’s the reality. I tell them we’re going to perform in a show.

“It is such a moving story because there are so many lovely subjects in there about sexuality, acceptance and everyone has their own journey with in the journey.

“It is just such a wonderful show to be a part of. I love playing the part, I love dressing up in the heels and the fun clothes. It is great.

“What other musical do you really get to have all that fun and have a storyline that is so beautifully written with great songs?”

While Duncan has a successful career in the theatre, he is not turning his back on Blue.

The four-piece boyband sold more than 16 million records worldwide and remain firm together and active with a tour in Asia and a greatest hits album planned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their first single.

Duncan said: “We really love working together, we get on really great, we have been together 15 years, we love singing songs and we always go down well in front of the audiences we play to.

“Why stop doing something you enjoy? We still enjoy it, we still get paid for it.

“We may not be as relevant as we once were but it doesn’t stop us from wanting to get up there and perform and that I think is the magic of Blue. I think that is why have stayed together for all this time with the original members.”

Duncan James stars in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, from April 25 to 30. Go to orchardtheatre.co.uk or call 01322 220000.

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