Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Dominion Theatre, London
Cast: Vanessa Williams, Georgie Buckland, Amy Di Bartolomeo, Matt Henry, Rhys Whitfield and James Darch
Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion’s most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda’s impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed...and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted?
The Devil Wears Prada is a musical based on the 2003 book by Lauren Weisberger and the 2006 cult classic of the same name featuring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway. Having been a huge fan of the existing material since being a teenager, I was thrilled that the musical was coming to London's West End, with music written by the legendary Elton John.
The story follows Andy, an aspiring journalist, who secures a job as an assistant for one of the fiercest women in the fashion industry, Miranda Priestly. She quickly finds her life taken over by the glitz and glam of the new world she's been introduced to, and her old life slipping away from her; including the down-to-earth personality she once had.
For me, fashion was one of the most important aspects that the musical had to get right, and thankfully, this is where the production shines the brightest - in every aspect of the word. The costume design by Gregg Barnes is awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping and showstopping. There are more costume changes than you can possibly count, with each member of the ensemble's costumes complimenting one another perfectly. The costumes are only heightened by the use of the entirety of theatre almost like a catwalk; the aisles of the stalls, the boxes - almost every moment was a visual feast for the eyes.
The book and the lyrics are a little clunky at times, with some of the jokes not landing quite right or seeming outdated. However, it is set in the 2000's so a lot can be forgiven as the words are a product of their time. The music by Elton John is a mixture of pop with the dramatic flair you'd expect from a production like this.
While the music isn't particularly memorable, the performances from the cast were exceptional. Nigel (Matt Henry) shares a poignant number with the audience in "Seen", whereby he speaks about growing up queer in America, and fashion magazines like Runway being his safe space. In this quiet, understated moment, Matt Henry reveals himself to be the star of the show, oozing with sincerity and deeply felt emotion in every word.
Georgie Buckland (Andy) and Amy Di Bartolomeo (Emily) are an unstoppable duo together, with vocals that almost blew the roof off of the Dominion. Di Bartolomeo plays the bristly, judgemental, workaholic Emily faultlessly. And a mention must also go to Ethan Le Phong who plays James Holt. While his scenes are limited, he was one of the most memorable characters for me.
Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestley was every bit as terrifyingly terrific as you'd expect. However, I do wish we'd seen more of her in the production, particularly as she's the most anticipated character. When she does appear, the atmosphere in the audience shifts and it's clear that Williams can take ownership of a stage with ease.
The scenic design by Tim Hatley makes the already enormous stage of the Dominion feel even bigger and he makes use of every inch of space they have. The set feels big and bustling, encapsulating the feel of New York perfectly. And makes the transition back to Andy's small apartment with boyfriend Nate feel even more striking and is an effective way of showcasing the comparisons of Andy's old and new life.
While there's a few differences from the screen to stage, and some iconic lines that don't make it into the script, as a long time lover of the film, I thought its translation to the stage was utterly brilliant. Fierce, a spectacle in every aspect of the word, and oozing with drama. That's all.
You can book tickets to The Devil Wears Prada, here.
**photo credit: Matt Crockett and Mark Senior**
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