Prada Trips on the Runway!
“If you keep being lazy, I will send you to Estee Lauder for lab testing!”
Miranda to long suffering staff
It is unusual to start a theatre review with a commentary on costumes and design but as this is a musical about high fashion, the clothes are Fa-a-bulous! Based on the 2006 film of the same name it is set in the fictitious New York leading high fashion journal Runway Magazine with obvious homage to one beginning with V****. There is a running joke through the production when the editor Miranda Priestly (Vanessa Williams) puts on a large pair of dark glasses to become A*** W******; this gets a cheer from the audience.
There are four principal parts: Vanessa Williams as the editor who has a long history in musicals; Amy Di Bartolomeo as the Editor’s assistant Emily, who is being promoted so a new assistant has to be found. Amy’s life goal is to go to Paris Fashion week. The chosen replacement for Emily is Andy (Georgie Buckland), a somewhat gauche but intelligent writer. These two women are comparative newcomers to lead roles and I was most impressed that they held their own with good singing and acting skills.
The final principal is Nigel (Matt Henry) an experienced actor with good presence playing the creative fashion director to the magazine. You may remember him as the lead in Kinky Boots. Nigel is an intensely loyal worker to Miranda and takes the ugly duckling Andy under his wing to help her blossom into the high fashion assistant role.
On the face of it there are a number of good things in the Prada musical’s favour: music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Tabub and Mark Sonnenblick and director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. The fantastic costumes from Gregg Barnes are modelled on original classics from the likes of Versace, Dior and Gucci and the hats are fabulous. There is a strong cast and great dancers but the choreography isn’t innovative.
Adapted from the successful 2006 film, unfortunately this is where the issues start to build against this production. In the film Miranda was played by the steely eyed Meryl Streep, who plays the part to the hilt. Her best lines are in closeups “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking” or the ultimate putdown “That’s all!” Anyone sitting more than a few rows back misses the nuances, which undoubtedly detracts from the performances. I am sad to say that Vanessa Williams is no Meryl Streep.
The scenic design by Tim Hatley is simple but adaptable allowing for the big numbers to come over as best they can. According to the program, Miranda Priestley had her own designer Pamella Roland who produced, for her, the sharp power suits and outfits, some with shoulder pads.
The story draws on some familiar cliches: “ugly duckling turns into a swan”, “middle class girl enticed by glitz and glamour has to decide on new life or old life with ever loving partner” so we have seen it all before with nothing particularly new.
The creatives have done their best with the material but bearing in mind this musical started in America some two years ago and had a try out at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, this should have been better. Eighteen years on, there is talk about a sequel film.
Rather sadly the rumour that Pope Benedict XVI was wearing Prada red loafers has been debunked. However the designer shoes were specially made for him.
Malcolm Beckett has been reviewing theatre since 2017
Musical Numbers
Act One
I Mean Business
House of Miranda
I Mean Business (Reprise)
I Only Love You For Your Body
How to Survive at Runway
How to Survive at Runway (Reprise 1)
Girl For the Job
In or Out Part 1
How to Survive at Runway (Reprise 2)
Dress Your Way Up
In or Out Part 2
How to Survive at Runway (Reprise 3)
The Devil Wears Prada
Miranda Girl
Act Two
Entr’Acte
Bon Voyage
The Old You
Paris, City of Dreams
Who’s She?
Seen
Your Twenties
Bon Voyage (Reprise)
Stay On Top
Seen (Reprise)
What’s Right For Me?
Finale and Bows
Production Notes
The Devil Wears Prada
Book by Kate Weatherhead
Music by Elton John
Lyricists Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick
Directed by Jerry Mitchell
Cast
Starring:
Matt Henry
Amy Di Bartolomeo
James Darch
Rhys Whitfield
Georgie Buckland
Vanessa Williams
With:
Maddy Ambus
Josh Damer-Jennings
Ethan Le Phong
Liam Marcellino
Kayleigh Thadani
Debbie Kurup
Gabby Antrobus
Selena Barron
Pamela Blair
Robertina Bonano
Lloyd Davies
Elisha Edwards
Akeem Ellis-Hyman
Elizabeth Fullalove
Jinny Gould
Natasha Heyward
Samuel How
Luke Jackson
Ciro Lourencio Meulens
Theo Papoui
Christopher Parkinson
Eleanor Peach
Jon Reynolds
Harriet Samuel-Gray
Olivia Saunders
Ella Balentine
Tara Yasmin
Creatives
Director: Jerry Mitchell
Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell
Set Designer: Tim Hatley
Costume Designer: Gregg Barnes
Musical Supervisor and Orchestrator: Tom Deering
Lighting Designer: Bruno Poet
Sound Designer: Gareth Owen
Musical Director: Katherine Woolley
Information
Running Time: Two hours 30 minutes with an interval
Booking until 18th October 2025
Theatre:
Dominion Theatre
268-269 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7AQ
Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Reviewed by Malcolm Beckett
at the Dominion Theatre
on 5th December 2024
