DIANA:THE MUSICAL (FILM REVIEW)

 Book by Joe DiPietro

Music and lyrics by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro

Directed by Christopher Ashley

Streaming on Netflix

Reviewed by Len Power 4 October 2021

‘Diana: The Musical’ covers the life of Diana, Princess of Wales from her first meeting with Prince Charles, through their marriage, divorce and her death in Paris.

The show had been due to open on Broadway in March 2020 but the production was suspended due to the Covid epidemic.  Now expected to open on Broadway on November 2^nd 2021, a film of the live stage production has just been released on Netflix, giving the world a unique opportunity to see the show before its Broadway run.

The show looks good with a sumptuous scenic design by David Zinn and great costumes by William Ivey Long.  Director, Christopher Ashley, who previously guided the hit show ‘Come From Away’, has given it polish, energy and some surprising theatrical moments that work well.  It’s been filmed very professionally but without an audience due to Covid restrictions.  It would have been good to hear a live audience’s reaction to it.

The trouble with the show is the over-familiar story, the script’s tabloid approach and the condescending portrayal of the British as amusingly eccentric.  In under two hours, there isn’t time for the show to give any of the characters or incidents much depth, so it’s an unsatisfying and often inaccurate whistle-stop tour through Diana’s life.  Significantly, prolific author of romantic novels of the time, Barbara Cartland, is also a character in the musical.  Maybe intentionally, the show plays like the plot in one of her novels.

It’s also not helped by the pedestrian rock score and banal lyrics of David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, who were previously known for the score of ‘Memphis’.  We’re treated to lyrical gems like ‘I could use a prince to save me from my prince’, ‘A fecky, fecky, fecky dress’ and ‘Thriller in Manila with Camilla’.  The composers also couldn’t resist the obvious rhyme of ‘callous’ with ‘palace’.

As Diana, Jeanna de Waal gives a confident star performance.  She sings well and looks good but never for a moment convinces us as Diana.  Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles is hamstrung with a character written as just an ineffectual, petulant clown and Erin Davie does what she can with a role that portrays Camilla Parker-Bowles as a two dimensional scheming bitch.

Judy Kaye plays Queen Elizabeth II like a cross between Oscar Wilde’s Lady Bracknell and the Queen of Hearts in ‘Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland’.  She also doubles pointlessly as a cartoonish Barbara Cartland.  There is some fine singing from the chorus but the choreography generally looks like movement just for the sake of it.

Premiering a new stage musical on a streaming service prior to its Broadway opening is an interesting and innovative approach.  Will this strategy create a ready-made and critic-proof audience for the show on stage?  Only time will tell. 

This review was first published on the Canberra Critics Circle blog.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’, ‘Arts About’ and ‘Arts Starter’ programs.

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT - EPISODE 3 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT - EPISODE 3

‘The Gershwin Project’ is a 26 episode series about the life and works of the 20th Century American music composer, George Gershwin.  Each episode runs for 30 minutes.

The series was first broadcast on Artsound FM in 2008.  The show was written and produced by Len Power and is narrated by Bill Stephens.

With access to the vast music library of local Gershwin collector, Bert Whelan, the programs include not only Gershwin’s well-known music but also an extraordinary number of Gershwin rarities.

Part 3: The Early Shows and a Rhapsody - 1919 to 1924

In 1919, George’s song ‘Swanee’ became a huge hit.  This program includes the original arrangement of ‘Swanee’ as it was before Al Jolson made it a hit.  There are songs from ‘George White’s Scandals’, including ‘I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise’ and there are rare recordings from George’s long-forgotten early musicals.

Paul Whiteman, the conductor, describes how he encouraged George to write ‘Rhapsody in Blue’.  Elaine Stritch, Barbara Cook, Al Jolson, Georges Guetary and Anthony Perkins sing well-known and rare songs. 

Listen now:

 https://www.mixcloud.com/artsoundfm/the-gershwin-project-episode-3/

 

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS YEARBOOK 2017 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

“The Broadway Musicals Yearbook” will be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 at 5pm on Sunday 3^rd of October and repeated at 11pm on Monday 4^th of October.  The show is produced and narrated by Len Power, Canberra theatre critic, music critic and radio presenter.

This week – the musicals of 2017

In 2017, musicals based on popular movies included Disney’s ‘Anastasia’, ‘The Band’s Visit’, ‘Amelie’ and ’Groundhog Day’.  There was also ‘War Paint’ about the rivalry between two cosmetic giants and the post-9/11 musical, ‘Come From Away’.  Bette Midler opened on Broadway in a revival of ‘Hello, Dolly!’

You’ll hear performances from all of these shows as well as ‘Prince of Broadway’, ‘Bandstand’, ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical’ and ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’.

 

Listen Now: https://artsound.fm/shows/the-broadway-musicals-yearbook/