Scrolling through Netflix has become a late-night pastime some days. There’s always something to watch, and whether it’s weird or intriguing is another debate. So when I saw “Diana: The Musical” pop up on the screen, my first thought was: Why?
I’m not the only one, either. Critics have nothing nice to say about the film. A reviewer from the Guardian called the dialogue “deathless.” The Chicago Tribute headlined their review of the film as being a “royal pain.” Entertainment Weekly reported, “While musicals are meant to use song to offer their characters emotional depth and advance the plot, Diana’s songs simply exist.”
It’s the worst review a musical can get. In an ideal musical, each song is meant to move the audience, but for “Diana: The Musical,” the only place its songs move the audience was anywhere but in front of the screen. Before this, “Cats,” minus that one song, was the musical to hate, but now it seems that “Diana: The Musical” has taken the shameful trophy.
Overall, everyone who’s watched it has had nothing but mean things to say. So why make it in the first place? The obsession people have with her probably, but Netflix must have seen something in the film; the company was reportedly involved in a $100 million deal to acquire “Diana: The Musical.”
The whole musical of Diana’s life is ironic, considering many believe that the media essentially was the cause of her death. Princess Diana was one of the few royals that used the press to her advantage. Over many years, the press, Diana and the public had formed a “close” relationship because she spoke openly about her life in a way no other royal had.
“Diana: The Musical” results from the press still being obsessed with an audience who turned the Princess into the legend she is today, but “Diana: The Musical” is something we all need to forget exists. But if you must watch an accurate retelling, “The Crown” or Diana’s actual interviews are a better option.