Diana Previews Thread- Page 2

[BwayinVan]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:01am

Jordan Catalano said: "Just got home from the show tonight. What an exciting show! Non stop talking! Bags of chips! Kids! A fight! And that was just the audience!

A fight ?!? Do tell

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:08am

I guess a woman was talking and someone asked her to stop and she and her husband (?) started freaking out and it was all “I’m gonna do what I want dont you tell me to shut up you shut the hell up I’ll kick your ass...”

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 3/4/20 at 12:15am

Jordan Catalano said: "The paparazzi stuff has got to go, though. That’s just pointless, overused and awful."

I kind of get it, since the paparazzi was always hounding her since the beginning, and I thought their "snap click" number was interesting, but starting off with them and having them just to reappear again and again while saying nothing new seemed exhausting to me (though one of my friends liked the energy of it a lot).  I wish that if they had wanted to use the paparazzi to frame the story they would've made it more apparent, and showed a change when Diana started to take back the reins to use the paparazzi herself as well.

They did remove commentary around the wedding dress in the beginning, and outside of Underestimated, there's no meta commentary at all (a bit of a loss imo).  The actual wedding scene is interesting in how it uses the dress but it looks a bit freaky for a sec.

As for the ending, I don't remember exactly how it ended after If in San Diego, but as it was when I saw it last night: 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The news reporters talk about the car crash and the progression of events that followed (this I think is the same), and there's a pause before Diana walks off stage.  Charles, Camilla, and Queen Elizabeth step forward and sing a bit of a reprise of something, and end with "Sometimes the people who change the world aren’t the people you think would change the world", which I believe was said in the beginning as well, but was just such a cliche line to end the show with.

 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 3/5/20 at 3:51am

Broadway.com's video interview with Jeanna de Waal (''Diana'' )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6IqOeP5dLg&t=908s

Updated On: 3/5/20 at 03:51 AM

[KingOfTheMine]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 12:46am

I went into this musical with pretty low expectations, and it lived up to them.  This show is in the Pretty Woman slot for this season.  It's not bad enough to get into the "so-bad-it's-good" category, but just sort of unoffensive and forgettable, which is almost worse.  Jeanna de Waal has a lovely voice and does the best she can with the material she's given.  That really applies to most of the cast as my issue is not with the performances but the writing.  As a side note, Erin Davie was back in the show tonight and seemed to be in good voice.  Glad she was able to recover quickly from her vocal injury.  They've made Charles completely unsympathetic to the point where you don't understand why Diana doesn't just up and leave.  Clearly they're not going to rewrite history, but it just wasn't dramatically satisfying.  There were a couple good numbers, but they were few and far between.  The score has a generic contemporary musical theatre sound.  "Pretty, Pretty Girl" was a good Act I closer, and highlighted some iconic Diana outfits that looked great onstage.  There are a few good moments where Diana decides to stick it to Charles.  The best audience reaction was for "The Dress" which comes late in Act II.  I won't spoil it, but the whole number is essentially one joke that they repeat for three minutes.  They went for the low hanging fruit, but it's the only number I can quote from the show.  This also had one of the worst endings I've ever seen.

SPOILERS AHEAD (not sure who wouldn't know what happens at the end of this story, but stranger things have happened) - Elizabeth, Charles, and Camilla step forward after Diana's death.  They say some line about how she changed the world and it just ends.  They should use this moment to say something, to make the audience feel something.  The ending as it currently stands is a total waste.  There is no emotional catharsis to speak of, and the audience seemed to be second guessing whether it was actually over.

[BJR]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 9:36am

Does the Queen still have a verse of The Dress? I thought that was such a sophomoric choice, and also undercut the weight she needs in the following scene with Charles and Di. Felt so obviously cheap.

[KingOfTheMine]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 12:20pm

BJR said: "Does the Queen still have a verse of The Dress? I thought that was such a sophomoric choice, and also undercut the weight she needs in the following scene with Charles and Di. Felt so obviously cheap."

Yes, she does.  I completely agree with you.  Seems like the creatives couldn't decide if they wanted Elizabeth to be the serious, steady matriarch or a silly caricature.

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 12:31pm

I saw this Friday night. I went in not expecting much but ended up having an amazing time.

The show is a lot of fun. The story is super juicy, songs are energizing and the cast and vocals are amazing. It’s not high art by any means but if you want to be entertained and have a good time it’s a great show for that. A fun guilty pleasure. I would see it again.

Also I had the understudy for Camilla and she was excellent.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 6:27pm

I saw it this weekend as well. I thought it was fun and entertaining. I like the sets and the costumes but nothing particularly wowed me. I wouldn't see it again, but it's not a terrible show or anything. The audience was mostly white people over 50, as expected for this production. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 7:31pm

I also want to point out how much I appreciated and enjoyed that the musical is a total throwback to the British shows of the 80s, with the synthesized music and rock songs/power ballads etc. I really loved that.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/8/20 at 9:29pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I also want to point out how much I appreciated and enjoyed that the musical is a total throwback to the British shows of the 80s, with the synthesized music and rock songs/power ballads etc. I really loved that."

I have already planned to see it but this piqued my interest even more,

[BJR]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 10:51am

KingOfTheMine said: "Yes, she does. I completely agree with you. Seems like the creatives couldn't decide if they wanted Elizabeth to be the serious,steady matriarch or a silly caricature."

Completely agree. Sadly, I felt it was the type of clumsy storytelling the piece had all over it. An 80s rock musical of Diana's life is a great idea, but it needed far more clever and nuanced writing.

 

[hork]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 11:43am

Oh, I didn't know this was an '80s rock musical. My interest level just went from zero to maaaaybe.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 11:23am

Not that it means anything, but I was just looking on Playbill and this show has a TON of producers.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 11:38am

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Not that it means anything, but I was just looking on Playbill and this show has a TON of producers."

That’s not unusual anymore.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 12:00am

Flashbulbs fill the air…

Tomorrow night, the People’s Princess lights the world once again, as Diana resumes previews at the Longacre Theatre a month after its Netflix premiere; opening night is set for November 17. The cast is led by Jeanna de Waal in the title role. The new musical features a score by Memphis co-creators David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, with a book by DiPietro, choreography by Kelly Devine, and direction by Come From Away Tony winner Christopher Ashley. 

The majority of the proshot cast will be intact. New to the ensemble are Anthony Murphy and Shaye Hopkins (who was a swing before the shutdown). Joining dance captain Richard Gatta in the swing department are Kristen Faith Oei, Libby Lloyd, Alex Hairston, and Michael Williams. Finally, my man Ted Arthur takes over as music director / conductor! He has been a sub, associate, and assistant his entire Broadway career, so this is a big moment for him. 

Cast members will perform from the show on Good Morning America this Thursday. 

“Diana tells the story of one of the most beloved women of modern times. Engaged to a prince she barely knows, 19-year-old Diana Spencer is thrust onto the world stage and, overnight, becomes the most famous woman in the world. As she struggles to navigate her way within the rigid structure of the royal family, Princess Diana finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, eventually finding her voice by devoting herself to those in need. Forced to endure a media spotlight brighter than the world has ever known, Princess Diana defies all expectations to emerge as her own woman and create a legacy that will endure forever.”

Who’s got a ticket to the main event?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 12:18am

Jordan, This is great news.  I see the first preview on Tuesday, then leave for the airport on Thursday around 10 am.  My hotel is right down the street from GMA.  Do you know what time approximately the performance?  From some clips, it doesn't look to be huge crowds.  Not sure if you have to be allowed to stand outside and watch or just walk up and grab a spot.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 12:23am

ArtMan said: "Jordan, This is great news. I see the first preview on Tuesday, then leave for the airport on Thursday around 10 am. My hotel is right down the street from GMA. Do you know what time approximately the performance? From some clips, it doesn't look to be huge crowds. Not sure if you have to be allowed to stand outside and watch or just walk up and grab a spot."

I believe the past several Broadway performances on GMA have been between 8:30 and 8:45. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 12:30am

Thank you.  That is kind of what I thought when looking at some other clips.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 12:32am

Appropriately opening in Turkey Month!

Would love to know how much they got from Netflix to film that thing...

Even if they've done some revisions since the filming, most of the issues with the show didn't seem "fixable."

[phan24]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 1:18am

From sources, it cost Netflix a whopping $10 million between the rights and actual filming, and thus far one of their biggest flops (from Netflix’s internal proprietary measure on engagement)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 2:03am

There seems to be a plan to tour a Diana musical since it's the anniversary. But it's not this version? I saw a casting notice go up. I'd assume non-union. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 9:07am

Does this last until Christmas? Is this the first flop since Lightning Thief?

[Showhopper2]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 9:18am

ACL2006 said: "Does this last until Christmas? Is this the first flop since Lightning Thief?"

Omg!! Give it a break now!!

All these bashing before it's even opened is really lame!!! 

Most of the people liked it back in March 20, so please get a life and wait till  people who actually saw it live post their reviews here. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 9:50am

So funny - what’s happening now is exactly what I predicted would happen. People who saw it back then actually enjoyed it but it’s not “cool” to say that now.