By Graham Hiley. Photos: Matt Crockett.
Grab your Gucci, dig out your Dior and Choos your Jimmy. Then gird your loins and head for the Dominion Theatre for The Devil Wears Prada – the musical.
The celebrated movie has been given a sparkling makeover into a smash hit show in the heart of London’s West End.
Complete with all the catchphrases and a pulsating score by Elton John, this is a surefire Runway success. If one nod is good and two nods very good, there were plenty of smiles at the end!
Of course, the biggest problem transferring from screen to stage is how to replace Meryl Streep in the iconic role of Miranda Priestly, the stylish but savage editor of Runway magazine.
There is probably nobody on the planet who could come close to matching Meryl for presence and charisma but Vanessa Williams comes passably close.
She delivers the tyrant’s killer lines with all the sharpness of the many gin and tonics in the audience, most of whom were glammed up in glitz and sequins ready to party, creating a fantastic fun atmosphere.
While Williams – the first black woman to win Miss America – puts her own stamp on the central role, the other main characters are pretty true to the film.
Matt Henry is brilliant as Nigel, delivering withering put-downs to Andy Sachs (Georgie Buckland) for her total lack of fashion style – or interest in the industry.
They and Rhys Whitfield as Nate are very much on a par with the cast from the movie but the greatest resemblance comes with the outstanding Amy di Bartolomeo who is almost interchangeable with Emily Blunt as first assistant Emily.
She has the haughty tone, the aloof mannerisms and the dismissive voice not only to carry off the role but also to dominate the stage from the moment she strides out and orders the audience to switch off their phones.
The songs are superb, the choreography flawless and the staging very effective with clever use of the New York and Paris skylines.
So is it worth seeing? Please, bore somebody else with your questions.
Let’s just say, to paraphrase the movie, of all the musicals I have seen, this ended up disappointing me the most. And if you don’t go and see it, you’re an idiot.
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Why are you still here?
Go!
That’s all.
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