Awkward Productions’ latest show streams across the world by popular (and very possibly, Royal) command following a successful run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe and at the Pleasance in London.
Linus Karp’s earlier work has been of the Jellicle kind, but here he brings another icon to the stage in the person of Diana, Princess of Wales. With the help of his trusty PowerPoint, and his partner Joseph Martin’s sound design, Diana comes to life to tell her tale.
A cast of many is briskly performed, as are many costume changes. This show revels in its irreverence. This is Diana as you have never seen her, as we join her in heaven for her own, hilarious, autobiography.
Karp looks the part with the downcast eyes and part-pout, and in bringing Diana’s ‘story’ to the stage, has pre-empted the furore over the ‘spare’ and his own (possibly untold and untrue) recollections in book form.
Penned before the death of the Queen (played here by Geri Allen) and accession of now King Charles, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story has a cheeky view on the action behind the sceptre and the palaces.
With a fertile and quirky mind behind his show, Karp pulls in audience members to perform scripted bits; a terrific way to get the punters involved in the tale and keep the laughter fresh. There are also up-to-date tweaks to include recent references and events.
At 70 minutes, this is full of invention, including characters popping up on video screens (design by Daniel Boylett), cardboard cut-outs which have minds of their own, a floating demon, cheeky puppetry, and a plot you most certainly will not find in any of the history books.
As a digital production, the on-stage screens do get a little lost and if they are essential, I would have liked to see them utilised with an online audience in mind; however, as this is a live stream of a show being performed to a live audience, I appreciate that is tricky. Just accept you may miss a bit of the audience interaction.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is an inspired choice for a show, revelling in her ‘people’s princess’ and gay icon status, and almost sainthood, and it will be fascinating to see what Awkward Productions come up with next.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story streamed live on 1st April 2023, and is now available on-demand at https://accidentaltheatre.co.uk/box-office/diana
Reviewer: Louise Penn
Reviewed: 1st April 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★
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