Diana The Musical Review: A Princess Born In Hell

Diana The Musical directed by Christopher Ashley is a Broadway musical enacted and shot for a Netflix release before it was opened in theatres by the production. The musical, pleasantly done, detailedly chronicles the life of the iconic Diana, Princess of Wales from her the start of her marriage to the time when the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II offered her to divorce Charles, the Prince of Wales. The musical is based on the book by Joe DiPietro, who also assisted in the music and lyrics for the play alongside David Bryan.

The musical is laced with humour and tragic incidents that took place in the life of Diana that led to her unhappiness and depression while her time as the wife of Prince Charles. With choreography by Kelly Devine and costumes designed by William Ivey Long, Diana: The Musical serves as another tribute to the life of the late Princess.

– Diana The Musical review contains spoilers –

Diana The Musical: Fairytale with a Twist

Not much is unknown about the life of England’s most celebrated royal figure Princess Diana of Wales, yet this musical offers an energetic and new vibe to the same story. In fact, it celebrates the life of Diana and how she was never afraid to break the rules to truly express herself and help others.

The musical opens with the song “Underestimate” performed by Jeanna de Waal who plays Princess Diana letting the audience know, how throughout her time in the palace Diana was constantly underestimated and never valued. As the show progresses, we stand witness to the misgivings of her unaffectionate husband and how she lived pained by a compromised marriage. Prince Charles played by Roe Hartrampf plays his part perfectly in expressing his confusion about Diana and his undying love for Camilla Parker Bowles.

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The musical also shows the huge significance of the press and media in the life of The Royals. Diana, nineteen and living a fairytale life was always bombarded by the interference of the paparazzi in her life, round the clock objectified by the press. However, as time passed, the press became her sole voice to put forward what she wanted- be it to educate people about AIDS not being a disease communicable simply by touch, by visiting the AIDS wards in 1987 or, to publically confess how there are “three people” in her marriage.

The songs are beautifully scripted, expressing the right emotions at the right time and being the quintessential key in telling the story. Every piece of costume was beautifully done, especially in regards to the actor who plays Princess Diana. The change in Princess Diana’s style from wearing dresses with frills and ribbons to pulling off a black off-shoulder gown that is infamously known as the “revenge dress”, was all executed brilliantly on stage giving importance to how much she created an impact on the fashion world too.

All the actors, especially Jeanna de Waal (playing Diana), Erin Davie (playing Camilla Parker Bowles), Roe Hartrampf (playing Charles) and Judy Kaye (playing both Queen Elizabeth II and Barbara Cartland) have played their part immaculately.

The one miss in the show was how the life of Princess Diana after her divorce was not given much stage-time, even though her years outside the palace world was when she truly became a figure of recognition and much more than the member of the royal family. Her death, as controversial as ever, was also touched slightly just to give the musical its destined end.

Diana The Musical: Final Verdict

A show well put together and performed with excellence. It is enjoyable and even though certain critics have called the score close to a Broadway commercial, we think it just sits right with the temperament of the 21st-century audience. It is definitely a musical you cannot afford to miss!

Diana: The Musical is out now on Netflix.

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