Princess Diana musical – dignified drama or a royal flop?
On the 31st of August 1997, the whole world stood in shocked silence as the news broke out that Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, had been killed in a tragic car accident. Recently however, a different kind of news has come to light which is only slightly less shocking. A new musical called Diana is coming to Broadway in early 2020, which will chronicle the complicated life of the Princess, leading up to her death.
It’s really no shock that a person who attracted such international fame in life would be the basis of a musical – we’ve seen it done successfully many times before. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s biographical Evita and Lin Manuel Miranda’s beloved Hamilton both depict the lives of real historical figures on the Broadway stage. However, what makes the news of a musical based on Diana so surprising is perhaps due to the massive emotional impact that her death had upon the modern world.
Through her philanthropic charity work, Princess Diana became globally adored. Her humanitarian deeds touched the hearts of many, with Diana spearheading more than 100 charities in her lifetime, and campaigning for the lives of those afflicted by AIDS and Leprosy; actions which rightfully earned her the title ‘The People’s Princess’.
The tragedy of her untimely demise will perhaps leave some people labelling the musical as distasteful or disrespectful
Diana was not just respected; she was loved, and, for many, her death was akin to losing a friend. Whilst this is a testament to her influence in life, the tragedy of her untimely demise will perhaps leave some people labelling the musical as distasteful or disrespectful – particularly since she is no longer present to defend the accuracy or inaccuracy of her on-stage portrayal. Some people will perhaps even argue that such a traumatic event as the crash which killed Diana has no place being shown on stage at all; the heavy subject matter simply too tragic to do justice.
However, whilst we must acknowledge the difficulty it will take to translate the complexities of both Diana’s life and death onto a stage, we have in the past seen many real-life, tragic events depicted very successfully through drama. Recently the musical Come from Away, which surrounds the events of 9/11, opened to commercial and critical acclaim, irrefutably proving that there is a place in theatre for real-life tragedies to be addressed.
Arguably watching depictions of such horrific events unfold on stage actually allows people to confront their feelings about these tragedies in a safe environment. So, whilst watching Diana’s death being portrayed on stage may be a painful experience for the audience, it may also provide an outlet for people’s grief and anger surrounding the event, allowing a sense of catharsis.
Perhaps this musical represents an opportunity to continue the Princess’ story, and, thereby, her legacy
Moreover, in terms of financial success, the musical couldn’t be released at a better time. It seems almost impossible nowadays to open a magazine or newspaper and not see the smiling face of Meghan Markle staring back at you – the royals are constantly being talked about in all forms of media. This obsessive need to peer into the private lives of the monarchy seemingly guarantees that there is a market for a musical surrounding Princess Diana – one of the most beloved royals of our time.
On a more sentimental note, however, the musical could thrive beyond commercial success, and be an emotional triumph as well. As proven by the success of countless books, TV series and films surrounding Diana, people seem desperate to find out as much about her as possible. This is perhaps fuelled by the fact that we will never hear from the princess herself again. The only way for us to truly learn about her life is to watch such productions, read such novellas and make up our own minds. In that way, perhaps this musical represents an opportunity to continue the Princess’ story, and, thereby, her legacy.
If handled with care and sensitivity, this production could truly be a testament to a powerful woman whose tragic death came too soon, but who in life devoted her time to others. I, for one, am excited to see her saga depicted on stage, and to see her continue to receive the recognition that she deserves.
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