After being delayed due to the pandemic, Diana: The Musical will officially make its debut on Broadway in the United States, but not before it streams on Netflix right here in Australia.
WATCH BELOW: Diana: The Musical trailer
To kick start October, a live recording of Diana: The Musical will arrive to Netflix screens on the first day of the month, where it will depict Princess Diana’s life during her marriage to Prince Charles.
The show first debuted in 2019 and was originally set to open in March 31, 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The show is now scheduled to debut on Broadway this November, but you’ll be able watch the musical from your own home thanks to Netflix.
So what’s been the consensus so far? Well, when the show made its debut in February 2019, several theatre critics and royal commentators attended the performance, and were left less than impressed with what they saw.
“It is in such bad taste that it’s best ignored,” said editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward, before adding that “none of” the royal family would have “any interest in it.”
The Sunday Telegraph’s arts writer Luciana Bellini echoed similar distaste, where she said the performance was “just so silly and tongue-in-cheek that it can’t be taken seriously”.
The play itself will depict Princess Diana’s life as a royal, right up until her tragic death in 1997, which is also shown in the epilogue.
It also shows her relationship with Prince Charles, her relationship with the press, and even the Camilla Parker-Bowles’ affair.
The musical’s synopsis from theatre company La Jolla Playhouse reads: “Behind the fairytale, there was a troubled marriage and a young woman struggling to find her voice.
“Facing an entrenched monarchy and unprecedented media scrutiny, Princess Diana surprises everyone—including herself—as she grows into a global phenomenon and manages to change the world.”
In the musical, Diana is played by British actress Jeanna de Waal, who has performed in a number of plays and musicals including Kinky Boots and Wicked.
When speaking about playing the role of the people’s princess, Jeanna said: “I feel very daunted by the prospect, but I hope people who didn’t know about her and weren’t aware of her journey leave the theatre with an idea of what she did for the world.”
“She made everyone feel special, from the highest person to the lowest-ranking person, and I think we want to celebrate her.”
Diana: The Musical will be available to stream on Netflix from October 1.
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