DIANA: THE MUSICAL On Netflix - News & Discussion Thread- Page 5

[<3Ragtime2]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 9:16pm

They might have heard of it but not how horrifically bad it was.

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 9:53pm

Just finished this. I don't have much to add that hasn't already been posted. I agree that this is ALMOST in the category of the "so bad it's good", but for the most part, it's just bad. That being said, it is still watchable and I thought the "Pretty Girl/Pretty Dress" number was glorious camp and my personal favorite from the show.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 10:16pm

"A thriller in a manilla with Diana and Camilla" might be my favorite (the worst) lyrics in the show. 

I feel like every season we get these "filler musicals." This could have been so epic. I think there's a great story here and people know Diana. The staging is fine and it feels very Broadway. It's just not great material. I'm surprised Memphis ran as long as it did with those terrible lyrics, so who knows. Maybe people will eat this up.

I think it's sad that they leaned into the 2 females hating each other and fighting over a man angle. But, it's written by men... 

[geaj]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 10:57pm

So many of these new shows just don't have that good, old-school Broadway look, sound or feel.  Maybe I am just cranky.   

[all_that_jazz]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 11:00pm

Did Camilla Bowles commission this drivel....I'm not halfway through act one and it seems Camilla and Charles are poor victims. Camilla has so much screen time. This is not Diana the musical. It's Camilla,the untold victimhood. It's horrifying laughable and will be closed two weeks after opening

[David10086]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 11:15pm

Just finished this. What this musical could use is a heavy dose of Andrew Lloyd Webber. This musical made “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” look like a Sondheim masterpiece.

Thank you Netflix for saving me money on buying a ticket for this garbage.

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 10/2/21 at 11:43pm

I just read the Frank Marshall interview.  While I get that during Covid they were inspired to take a great risk to release this before the Broadway opening, I  think it's clear this will go down in history as an epic fail.    I just finished it, and everyone I know who has seen it thinks its insultingly bad, just like I do.   Another week of this, the Broadway box office will be completely dead.   And there won't be any foreign tourists who don't know how bad it is to sell to, so it will depend on New Yorkers, and word is out:  If you buy a ticket, eyes will roll.   It's that bad.   This will be legendary.  Not Spiderman/Carrie legendary, but "In My Life"/"Good Vibrations" legendary. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:03am

I honestly don’t think it’s that bad. People just love to hate.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:11am

I mean "that bad" is relative, no? Compare to what? In terms of production and design, I think it's great. In terms of quality? No. I think it's terrible. I don't fault the actors. Everyone was great. But the songs are... nothing. Not a memorable song in the bunch. And overall just a non-event. 

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:21am

I'm not surprised by people's reactions since they were already hating this since it was announced but, even if it's not the best musical in years, it is at least entertaining. It made laugh, and it surprinsingly, made me cry during If (and during the visit to the hospital). I've loved this song for what feels like years now, and it somehow yet managed to move me.

I must be honest and tell you I don't have much of a connection to the actual Diana. She died when I was old enough to remember stuff but I don't remember it, and most of what I remember of her was an old VHS tape we had with her on the cover that I never bothered to watch (and recently through some internet rabbit holes during the last season of The Crown)

Take it or leave some of the lyrics, the staging is perfect for this show, the sets and costumes are great and Jeanna de Waal is fantastic (Roe Hartrampf is also great).

I liked this filming better than the almost chaotic Hamilton filming (save for one moment where it seems they were adjusting the camera and it somehow ended up on the final version)

[EspinosaRoscioliBlock]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 2:37am

To quote EVITA: I thought “it had some moments, it had some style.” But ultimately I think the show is a bit of a mess and simply has too much going on. I think it should have been simpler to get the story across. I don’t think the ensemble erupting into a frenzied flash mob every 5 minutes helped anything. Judy Kaye while usually a delight, as the Queen gets old fast. Roe as Charles was fun, Erin as Camilla was okay but not a greatly written role. Jeanna de Waal is dazzling but ultimately is too talented in a show that isn’t equipped to utilize her to the best of her abilities even though she still had some wonderful moments. The set, overall look, design, and lighting and 1 or 2 songs were the best parts of the show. There’s just too much going on. I can’t see the show running on Broadway past January.

[bear88]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 4:47am

I will admit that I am not the natural audience for this, but I am old enough to remember the actual Diana and the fascination she still holds.

The show just provided a pretty straightforward blow-by-blow of her marriage and came off as a surprisingly dull biopic with a few tacky things included. I thought Jeanna de Waal did the best she could but the musical doesn’t have enough imagination to justify its existence. (I did learn about her real-life dance performance, which sounded a lot more interesting than anything in the fictional show.)

I don’t think Netflix is pushing this much. I could only find it by doing the search.

While I am in favor of recording Broadway performances for posterity, I have my doubts that releasing this one in advance of its opening is a particularly good strategy. We’ll see, though.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 7:53am

I just find very hard to believe the lyrics were written by an actual human being

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 10:41am

The story is just boring and could have been much more interesting. The opening isn’t great. The hospital scene felt forced like “Oh look she’s a good person.” The James Hewitt song was silly.

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 10:56am

Best case scenario: this show gets one Tony nomination, for Judy Kaye - best supporting actress.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:10pm

I watched for maybe 45 minutes. DIANA is unintentionally a recipe on how to make a bad musical. All the ingredients are there.

Oof.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:19pm

I got to the part where Judy Kaye entered as Barbara Cartland before I switched off. The Royal staff constantly gyrating behind the Queen almost killed me off.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 12:48pm

SouthernCakes said: "The story is just boring and could have been much more interesting. The opening isn’t great. The hospital scene felt forced like “Oh look she’s a good person.” The James Hewitt song was silly."

I should preface that overall, I enjoyed the sum of it- my biggest qualm being the lyrics and dialogue. I have faith the creatives genuinely thought they were doing their best, but I just wish the writing generally had more nuance and taste and in the most serious of moments didn't try to make it all so camp.

There are some instances that I thought it was purposeful and generally worked or was clever- This Is How Your People Dance for instance, where the song doesn't need to do a whole lot more than just personify her desire to enjoy fun 80's music. "Feel the groove, even royals need to move!" Campy, but... clever and endearing IMO. Liked this scene.

But most other serious scenes, especially in the hospital scene, literally just every single lyric felt so tasteless and one dimensional. "Are you getting good care?" "The best anywhere, although my eyeliners run low." "Well no need to fear, I'll send a case here." Like... beyond the objectively poor rhymes that litter this song, this is really the quality of dialogue we're throwing around to best personify the AIDS victims she visited? Can we not take notes from, oh I don't know, even the new ETAJ song "This Was Me" which touched on this topic far more tastefully. The same could be said about "Snap, Click".

[Andrea1232]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 1:46pm

Usually I'm only reading,  but now I want to add a few lines here.
 

It's interesting how people are influenced here by each other and the media...

Honestly.. it's obvious that the (british) media just WANTED to hate this musical sooooo much, since it's been announced.  

They released tons of shabby articles, before they had a clue what exactly they are talking about, and when it's been released on Netflix, they had their reviews ready, even before they have been able to watch it. (Obviously these have been prepared in advance)

Several media even released 3 or 4 negative articles within 2 hours  
Come on... That's really lame!! 

And it's no secret that many (not all) of these "critics" are checking what's  in media already, and copy/pasting other "opinions", because they are too lazy to watch themselves, and build up their own ones. 

Honestly; I think it's kinda funny, that media made such a scandal of the "foul language" 

Come on, do they really think the royals are no real humans, and that they don't act like everybody out there, having good and bad days, and talking foul language if they dislike something? Do they really think they are always that royal-ish behind the curtains? 
 

I think it was good to see their "normal side" in their dialogues. And I think it was good to see Diana growing from being a kindergarden-teacher to being the princess. To see her different sides, of loving people  in needs and hating Camilla, and calling her names. To see her fighting for her marriage and giving it up at one point. To see her getting stronger and stronger and going her own ways at the end. 

Just to see her being a normal human-being. 

I think the creatives did a great job, in telling this story  and I'm wondering if some people and these "all-famous-tabloids" just don't understand the meaning behind all this. Why they can't see these  everybody's human side.

Instead of getting this, they just refuse trying to understand the message, and keep repeating what a big deal it is that the queen called her a "tart", etc ..... there was no chance anyways for the production, from the beginning on. These media are blowing eveything up for no reason!!

 

When they released their cast album  last week, and no media was writing about this, most of people's reactions (even here) have been pretty positive. 
Even after the first previews last year,  people here have been writing positive reviews. 

Same goes for the first reactions here, after it's been out on Netflix. 
Surely not all of them, but most of them.

But since media put their "this is bad"-stamp on it lately,  it seems very clear that this makes people  not being neutral anymore. The negativity got copied here within a few hours.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not talking about a masterpiece, but many here thought it's been surprisingly entertaining, and some even bought their tickets right away. 


Checking out reactions of "normal people" and theatre-lovers (not these "oh so important"-critics or press) in social media, they still like it. There are many many positive ones. Even  YouTube-bloggers really liked it as far as I've seen. But media and critics started to play their games.  
 

As far as I read DiPietro and Bryan wrote their lyrics/book after doing researches for years, listening to her interviews etc. They told Diana's true story, they made a musical out if the things SHE said by herself. 

If you don't like the  story, you just don't like her reality.

If you don't like how they transfered this to bring it on stage, that's a different story. 
 

I think they made the best out of it, covering her whole marriage with her up and downs in appr. 2 hours.

Same goes for the music: It's not all good, and a bit monotone from time to time, but some numbers are really catchy. 

You can clearly hear that Bryan isn't a born musical composer, but you can hear that he improved in doing this since Memphis and Toxic Avenger hit the stage.
I think he is a great musician, since he isn't just focused in one type if music professionally. His work for Bon Jovi is more than different from his work with DiPietro, and even this group is not one of my favorites, he gets my respect for his creativity and musical skills.

He's not A.L Webber, yes,  but I like Diana's music way more than I like the one in Wicked, Chicago or other shows. 
 

Overall I think it's a good musical and I hope people will open their eyes and minds when watching it. 

It deserves a fair chance, without all these stupid and senseless reactions of british media in advance and people just copying their "opinion". 
 

I think if they wouldn't have released it on Netflix now,  with all this bashing alongside,  the reviews would have been pretty good, like last year, when they had their previews.

I wonder: What’s the difference? Is it only pure influence?
It seems so, bec I don’t see no other reason!

Now with all the negativity around, it will be hard for them to turn everything around again.  
I hope they do, bec this is not what they deserve.

 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 2:29pm

This idea that British media are brainwashing people into hating this musical is frankly ridiculous. People are not criticising Diana for its portrayal of the royal family – a lot of British people are far more critical of the royal family than this musical is, especially younger people. It tells the same story that we watched in season 4 (and will watch in season 5) of The Crown, which won several Emmys and gained a massive audience and excellent reviews. And it's not like people are brutalizing Diana, they are simply saying that it's silly and the lyrics are idiotic. And no one can say it's a well-written show after having heard lyrics like



or

 

or even



not to mention:

[Andrea1232]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 2:45pm

imeldasturn said: "This idea that British media are brainwashing people into hating this musical is frankly ridiculous. People are not criticising Diana for its portrayal of the royal family– a lot of British people are far more critical of the royal family than this musical is, especially younger people. It tells the same story that we watched in season 4 (and will watch in season 5) of The Crown, which won several Emmys and gained a massive audience and excellent reviews. And it's not like people are brutalizing Diana, they are simply saying that it's silly and the lyrics are idiotic. And no one can say it's a well-written show after having heard lyrics like



or



or even



not to mention:

"

I've never said that the book is perfect. Did I?
But the story itself got also critisized in a very harsh way, and you even told by yourself that it's the same shown in "The Crown" where they won Emmys for. So what is the point here? 

And it would be interesting to know why most people liked it in the previews, and why they liked the cast-album and why most people here liked it  what they saw on Friday. 
The lyrics had been the same.

Just saying! 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 2:55pm

So, Andrea 1232, you're saying that the.posters here aren't writing about their true opinions? How ridiculous when everyone around here really likes to be the only one that truly gets a shows brilliance. More importantly, why does it bother ypu so that many seem to dislike it? If you liked it, that's fine....but your arguments are riddled with negatives...so why are you sticking up for it so hard?

At best your comments put it in the mediocre category.

Updated On: 10/3/21 at 02:55 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 3:00pm

“ I've never said that the book is perfect. Did I?
But the story itself got also critisized in a very harsh way, and you even told by yourself that it's the same shown in "The Crown" where they won Emmys for. So what is the point here?

And it would be interesting to know why most people liked it in the previews, and why they liked the cast-album and why most people here liked it what they saw on Friday.
The lyrics had been the same.

Just saying!”

The lyrics aren’t just not “perfect”. Their horrible. There are no bad ideas for a musical. Just bad execution. This is bad execution.

I don’t know where you’re getting this idea that so many people loved it in previews or love the cast album or liked it here on Friday. I suspect that is demonstrably untrue on all accounts.

I’m glad that you enjoy it. But that doesn’t mean other people have to enjoy it. Just like you’re entitled to believe that the scores of Wiicked & Chicago are not as good as this even though I wholeheartedly disagree.

I suspect that people that attend this either bought their tickets before they knew what they were in for, or bought their tickets because they wanted to see a guilty pleasure, or to a lesser extent, like you, saw the Netflix filming and thought they really liked it.

Updated On: 10/3/21 at 03:00 PM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 3:02pm

Andrea1232 said: "imeldasturn said: "This idea that British media are brainwashing people into hating this musical is frankly ridiculous. People are not criticising Diana for its portrayal of the royal family– a lot of British people are far more critical of the royal family than this musical is, especially younger people. It tells the same story that we watched in season 4 (and will watch in season 5) of The Crown, which won several Emmys and gained a massive audience and excellent reviews. And it's not like people are brutalizing Diana, they are simply saying that it's silly and the lyrics are idiotic. And no one can say it's a well-written show after having heard lyrics like



or



or even



not to mention:

"

I've never said that the book is perfect. Did I?
But the story itself got also critisized in a very harsh way, and you even told by yourself that it's the same shown in "The Crown" where they won Emmys for. So what is the point here?

And it would be interesting to know why mostpeople liked it in the previews, and why they liked the cast-album andwhy most people here liked it what they saw on Friday.
The lyrics had been the same.

Just saying!"

A story is not just the mere plot, but also how the plot is told. Cinderella is always Cinderella, but some of its adaptations are wonderful and others suck. Which is why The Crown got praises and Diana is not. The Crown also gives a much more nuanced representation of Diana, her bulimia and her mental health in general, while in the musical if you blink they're gone. Saint Diana gets boring after a while.

I mean, I don't think it's awful. I think it just belongs to that category of fun trash that is funny to watch when you're not entirely sober and you can laugh at it instead of laughing with it.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/3/21 at 3:03pm

Did anyone see any evidence of any body mics? Were they incredibly well hidden or were they eliminated for the taping?