Once upon a time, a young girl named Diana decided that she was going to marry Prince Andrew, or Prince Charles. ‘Hopefully, Prince Charles,’ she declared.
As for Charles, he knew he should commit — but the slipper never fit.
That’s sung, by the way.
Yes, I’m at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego for an early preview of a musical fantasy fairy tale bearing the title ‘Diana’.
Jeanna de Waal, an actress from Solihull who has based herself in New York for the past decade, plays the people’s princess
Yes, I’m at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego for an early preview of a musical fantasy fairy tale bearing the title ‘Diana
Roe Hartrampf plays Prince Charles, and Erin Davie is Camilla Parker Bowles, described as the ‘villainess’
I schlepped down from LA on Tuesday, though the show’s director Christopher Ashley and its authors, lyricists and composers, Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, were still working on a new opening, which should have been installed by now.
Jeanna de Waal, an actress from Solihull who has based herself in New York for the past decade, plays the people’s princess.
Roe Hartrampf plays Prince Charles, and Erin Davie is Camilla Parker Bowles, described as the ‘villainess’.
Judy Kaye, a Tony-Award winning actress, plays both the Queen and romance writer Dame Barbara Cartland (Diana’s step-grandmother).
Ms de Waal, meanwhile, told me: ‘I’m trying to play a Diana people will recognise; and I’m trying to be part of a show that celebrates her’
The show’s premise is that Diana’s head was stuffed full of a Cartland-esque sense of what love is. However, La Cartland (who appears to have been dressed in pink candy floss) puts Diana right by telling her, angrily, that men are ‘liars and cheats’, and suggesting the poor gel should read other books.
As the Queen, Kaye also has the show’s best line . . . if it doesn’t get cut. ‘In the old days we would have chopped off your head and be done with you,’ she tells Diana. She waits a beat, then adds: ‘I miss the old days.’
Ms de Waal, meanwhile, told me: ‘I’m trying to play a Diana people will recognise; and I’m trying to be part of a show that celebrates her.’
Diana, the character, starts off foolish and naive and then, as de Waal puts it, ‘finds her power’. She also discovers how to dress. Her frocks, designed (with the keen eye of a Diana devotee) by William Ivey Long, are sublime.
I liked the song The Dress that accompanied a set piece about the ‘revenge dress’ the princess wore to the Serpentine gallery the night Prince Charles admitted his adultery on television, to show him what he was missing.
The show is not a documentary, though there are some ‘facts’ in it. My royal-watcher colleagues will be most displeased by it, but there are three or four set pieces that work well; and a certain self-awareness about it – it’s silly and it knows it – that I kind of liked.
Overall, though, do we really want to see our Royal Family mocked . . . by Americans?!
It is, admittedly, much better than a pretty feeble Diana musical that was trying to gain traction a few years ago. But it’s not there yet.
Director Ashley agreed there’s work to do in San Diego, let alone Broadway.
And as for the West End? Well, heads might roll!
California dreamin' of box office gold...
Hollywood producers and directors are checking out rock ’n’ roll back catalogues following the four Oscar win — and $900 million box office haul — by Bohemian Rhapsody, about Queen.
Michelle Phillips of The Mamas And The Papas (the line-up included John Phillips, Denny Doherty and Mama Cass Elliot) wants her life with the group, based on her California Dreamin’ autobiography, turned into a movie.
The track list could be pure gold: California Dreamin’; Monday, Monday; Creeque Alley; San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) and many others.
Michelle Phillips of The Mamas And The Papas (the line-up included John Phillips, Denny Doherty and Mama Cass Elliot) wants her life with the group, based on her California Dreamin’ autobiography, turned into a movie
The track list could be pure gold: California Dreamin’; Monday, Monday; Creeque Alley; San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) and many others
Meanwhile, a couple of films about David Bowie are in very early stages of development. And Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton as Elton John, has already been shot.
The musical fantasy, directed by Dexter Fletcher (who completed Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer was fired) looks terrific, from the early footage I’ve seen.
Hollywood types are looking into the back stories of many bands following the success of the Bohemian Rhapsody movie featuring Queen
Watch out for...
Brian d’Arcy James who stars as Quinn Carney and leads several new cast members in the Broadway production of Jez Butterworth’s powerful drama The Ferryman.
The actor, who was so good as one of the journalists in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, and who created the role of King George in the original production of Hamilton at the Public Theater, is a delight to watch.
And he’s joined by Ralph Brown, a top Brit actor making his Broadway debut, Holley Fain, Emily Bergl, Sean Delaney, Shuler Hensley, Collin Kelly-Sordelet and Ethan Dubin, who put their stamp on their roles.
Brian d’Arcy James who stars as Quinn Carney and leads several new cast members in the Broadway production of Jez Butterworth’s powerful drama The Ferryman
Toby Jones, who will play the eponymous Uncle Vanya in a new version by Conor McPherson that Ian Rickson will direct in the West End.
Producer Sonia Friedman and her team are in negotiations for a theatre which they hope to have ready for a December opening.
Other roles are still being cast. Last week I revealed that Rupert Everett is starring in and directing another adaptation of the Chekhov play by David Hare at the Theatre Royal, Bath.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/01/baz-bamigboye-a-new-stage-show-about-the-royal-family-off-with-their-heads/
Main photo article Once upon a time, a young girl named Diana decided that she was going to marry Prince Andrew, or Prince Charles. ‘Hopefully, Prince Charles,’ she declared.
As for Charles, he knew he should commit — but the slipper never fit.
That’s sung, by the way.
Yes, I’m at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Dieg...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Celebrity News HienaLouca
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