“Diana” the musical is a stage-film of the soon-to-debut Broadway show that premiered on Netflix Oct. 1. It tells the story of Princess Diana and details her extensive struggles in the British royal family. You can find this stage-film on Netflix. The performance begins with a solo by Diana, who is played by Jeanna de Waal. In my opinion, the song lacked the intrigue and energy that I was hoping for from the big entrance.

 As the show continued, I felt that it was missing several of the aspects that make a musical most appealing to the audience. For example, I noticed that they lacked sufficient chorus participation, specifically in the singing. The most powerful and memorable shows are when the songs are loud and striking, which is most easily accomplished by a strong chorus of harmony and unity. If the producers had supported the lead singers with a written chorus in the background for many of the songs, I believe the show would have had a larger impact on people. 

Another thing that bothered me was the rushed beginning. While I understand the directors had a lot of history to cover, I felt that the push of the exposition aspect of the plot caused a lack of emotional connection between the audience and the characters because the audience did not have the chance to form a deep initial impression of each character. With that important piece missing, the show lacked depth and intrigue.

Looking past the cons, overall, the actors and female actors are all very talented. They are marvelous singers and actors, and their dancing was extremely well-rehearsed. There’s no doubt in my mind that the spacing and overall work of the performers was phenomenal. However, the lack of a compelling script caused this show to fall flat in my mind. I would not suggest this show to anyone, unless you only wish to learn about the history of controversy within the infamous royal family in a very flashy way.