Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️
2024 may be drawing to a close but there is still time for one more huge West End opening as something big and iconic has arrived. It may have taken a glacial pace to get there, but the musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada is finally here after a, shall we say, tricky journey. This has been one of the most hotly anticipated show openings of the year and the one I have personally been looking forward to above all else, but now that it is finally open would it have been worth the wait and would the show be runway ready or would it prove to be in poor taste? Gird your loins, everybody – we’re about to meet the devil…
Starting life as a 2003 novel from Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada is best known for its 2006 movie starring Meryl Streep in the instantly quotable and legendary role of Miranda Priestly. The musical adaptation premiered in Chicago in 2022 for a limited run, though the response was far from favourable. After being substantially reworked, it is now ready for its close-up (wait, that’s another musical entirely) as it opens up at the Dominion Theatre, following a preview engagement in Plymouth earlier this year.
Set in the cut-throat world of the fashion industry, aspiring journalist Andy Sachs knows nothing about fashion but is thrust into that world when she unexpectedly lands a job as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. Think Vogue… with a different name and you get the idea. As she struggles to fit in with her colleagues and keep her demanding boss happy, she finds herself falling in love with aspects of the industry but would she lose herself in the process?
The first thing to talk about with this production is how beautifully stylish it is. You’d expect high-stakes glitz and glamour and they are all accounted for in abundance with a gorgeous aesthetic and an incredible attention to detail extending far beyond the stage at the Dominion Theatre (take a trip upstairs and explore some hidden treasures when you visit). Tim Hatley’s set design transports you into the world of Runway and fashion with New York and Paris creatively realised in a fun and flamboyant fashion with plenty of flair. Of course, the fashion itself is integral to the show and Gregg Barnes's costume designs really are stunning to behold with some outstanding looks that could even raise a smile out of Miranda.
The big problem with The Devil Wears Prada is it really is a case of style over substance. While it is fabulous visually, peeking behind the curtain reveals a much thinner production that shows its shortcomings in the writing. In this show’s defence, it could never be accused of moving at a glacial pace, but its speedy retelling of the story didn’t exactly thrill me, feeling a tad too speedy and losing much in translation. While the fashion industry can be cold and cut-throat, the fact the show comes across as cold too makes it struggle to connect. The Dominion Theatre is a vast cavity of a space, and while it does an admirable job of filling that huge stage, the show comes up short in filling the atmosphere around in a production that lacks heart and struggles to form any sort of meaningful connection.
Any nuance in the characters seems to have been lost here with several of them feeling far more caricaturesque than in the movie, and not fleshed out enough to be able to invest in their stories and personal journeys. While there are limitations with translating the story to the stage, more insight into characters' motivations would have made all the difference. I wanted to care about these not always likeable characters, but nothing in this show was giving me that opportunity. A frustration is in the depiction of Miranda herself, who comes across far too one-note with one key scene revealing more of an emotional and dare I say human side to her, crucially lacking any real emotion to convey it convincingly enough. Yes, Miranda comes across as having a steel heart but it is this moment that shows more depth than anyone had given her credit for. A change to the final scene between Andy and Miranda again detracts from the more well-rounded nature of the Prada-wearing devil and runs the risk of painting her in a panto-villain territory.
Though the legendary Elton John is responsible for the music on offer here, it proves to be a real mixed bag with inconsistent and uneven numbers often feeling like rough demos rather than their finished forms. Miranda’s big opening number ‘House Of Miranda’ just isn’t good enough for what should be a striking and instantly memorable moment, though the number that follows it, ‘I Only Love You For Your Body’ proves far more difficult to endure in a number that I personally felt didn’t work at all, almost bordering on being offensive and feeling like it should never have made it past any workshop of this show. There are some much better numbers, thankfully, with act one closer ‘Miranda Girl’ and undoubted standout ‘Seen’ showcasing what this show can achieve at its best but highlighting the missed opportunities elsewhere.
It may be style over substance but if ever a show was crying out for style, it’s The Devil Wears Prada and this show more than delivers on that front, namely due to Jerry Mitchell’s loud and proud direction, bringing a touch of fashion to the Dominion Theatre and thrilling in a visually stimulating show. The writing may be hollow throughout but Mitchell manages to miraculously amplify it through inspired choices, never pausing for breath in a show that speeds you through the story faster than you can say “Cerulean”. Mitchell’s choreography also delights, bringing the larger ensemble numbers to life with both his direction and choreography fusing together on the title number ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ to create a truly stylish and ultimately satisfying sequence.
One key strength in this production is that of its sensational cast. Georgie Buckland makes her West End debut in the role of Andy and proves she is a force to be reckoned with in a devilishly good lead performance. A common issue among the performances is how limited they are due to the constraints of the writing, and Buckland’s Andy is one of the casualties of this, though her accomplished and charismatic performance despite these obstacles is a testament to her talents as a performer and sets her up as a star in the making, with her performance of ‘Miranda Girl’ a huge highlight.
Matt Henry is an undoubted standout in Nigel, a character whose backstory has been expanded from the movie and benefits in doing so in one of the richest characterisations on display. His heartfelt performance lights up the stage at his every performance, and Henry also relishes from delivering the greatest song in the show by far with the beautiful ‘Seen’. Reminding me of how impactful his performance of ‘Not My Father’s Son’ in Kinky Boots with, his exceptional vocals mixed with authentic emotion to create a powerhouse performance that equally blew me away and frustrated me that this sheer quality wasn’t seen elsewhere.
I would have thought with an icon like Vanessa Williams in the role of Miranda Priestly, I would be saving the best for last in this review. Indeed, when she was first announced in the role, I was delighted at this truly perfect casting, drawing obvious comparisons to her time as the similar Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty. The problem is Williams seems to be playing that role near identically, not getting a chance to show her versatility and talents as a performer in an extremely one-dimensional characterisation. Her attempt to separate her portrayal of Miranda from that of Meryl Streep in the movie is admirable, and perhaps comparisons are unfair though inevitable given how embedded in popular culture that performance has been.
Williams’ is a phenomenal talent in her own right, dominating, charismatic, and commanding, but something about the stage adaptation of the character and her personification doesn’t have the desired impact, highlighted by the subpar material Williams has to work with during her own musical numbers – a shame considering her own proven abilities. While Williams still delivers an enjoyable and perfectly watchable performance, a character like Miranda should be the single greatest performance in the show and the one you come out of the theatre obsessing about. ething just doesn’t quite connect with her performance, sadly, which isn't to say she is still a remarkable talent - this just didn't seem to be the right fit after all. However, there is one performer left to discuss and this person effortlessly steals every scene…
The standout in The Devil Wears Prada, without a shadow of a doubt, is the sensational Amy Di Bartolomeo as Emily. Though again she suffers from a fairly tunderdeveloped characterisation, what Amy does with the character is nothing short of miraculous. Through a mix of incredible vocals, faultless timing, and an unrivalled stage presence that eclipses that of even her celebrity boss, Amy delivers a masterclass performance particularly in the comedic front, never failing to elicit a laugh and make the most of her time on stage. While comparisons to the movie counterparts are hard to overlook, Amy is the strongest case of building on a character and making it your own while not losing anything in translation. There are some great performers among the cast of this show but Amy’s is the one I will be remembering more than anything.
I mentioned that this was the show I was looking forward to above all else this year. Would I go as far as to say, to quote Miranda, it is my biggest disappointment? Not quite. There is much to love about The Devil Wears Prada but there is also more that could have been done to make this more substantial rather than solely stylish. It is still a perfectly enjoyable show and one I expect many will love. The best way to describe it in a way Emily from the show should relate to is it is the equivalent of eating a cube of cheese when you are feeling hungry. It might do the trick for a few minutes but it won’t fill you up and will leave you wanting more shortly after. It is fine - perfectly fine albeit far from perfect itself. Not groundbreaking by any means but just fine. That’s all.
The Devil Wears Prada is playing at the Dominion Theatre. Tickets available here
Photos by Matt Crockett and Mark Senior