| Except, perhaps, the differences in subject matter might dictate prisms on the storytelling. The Royals need not be revered; yet having them sing puerile, well-known exposition and end up reduced to obstacles comes off as bad taste. In a show by American creatives (as two British reviewers noted.). Listen, Peter Morgan's speculative writing hardly whitewashes the House of Windsor. But he exploits its foibles and peccadilloes to dig, look for new answers. What Diana does, creepily, is treat its protagonist like a musical theater project, a collage -- part Eva, part Fantine, part ... to my ears and eyes ...Tommy. I just wish it dared to be subtle for 10 minutes. To look for a damned new angle. The show -- unlike Evita -- pretends we know zip about this woman, when in fact -- unlike the story of Eva Peron -- we know almost everything they're dramatizing. |
