Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story – Pleasance Courtyard

Diana, Princess of Wales is brought to life as you’ve never seen her before, in a chaotic sort-of solo show by Awkward Productions. Starring Linus Karp as the titular princess, who is often upstaged by Joseph Martin in the role of Camilla, the show also features very enthusiastic audience participation.

The company are honest at the outset – this is the story of Diana’s life, but there is very little truth to it. Instead, this is a mix of drag, multimedia, comedy and borderline slander. Certain audience members are chosen to play roles such as Diana’s parents, the royal nannies and even the Queen’s corgi. To their credit they all get involved with great enthusiasm and seem to relish the opportunity to hop up onstage. Charles is represented by a cardboard cutout with real hair stuck on, and Camilla is a monstrous life size puppet which is dragged through the audience and around the stage like someone in the midst of an exorcism. Martin operates the puppet with steely conviction, creating some of the funniest scenes in the show while simultaneously operating the soundtrack and multimedia screen with a remote control. There’s even an onscreen appearance from the Queen, heralded by a sort of disco fanfare each time.

Karp plays Diana in an eerily monotonous way, with a slow delivery mimicking her soft voice and adding a stilted wave. This sometimes works very well, but at times it feels as if the pace needs to lift a little. Although the storyline is partly fictitious, the attention to detail and accuracy in the costumes is to be commended. Karp appears in the famous wedding dress complete with 25ft train, in the black sheep sweater, and even has a replica of Diana’s iconic engagement ring. We are given a whistle stop tour through some of the main points of the late Princess’ life – her marriage, the birth of her children, and her work with those suffering from AIDS. Then, in a bizarre fantasy sequence involving a female god, Ru Paul and Lorraine Kelly, we find out what really happened after the tunnel in Paris.

This is not a production which claims to be serious – as Karp says “Plot? What plot?”, and at times it verges on the offensive. There’s a deliberately amateur feel to some of the design elements, which often adds to the humour. However, it provides an entertaining hour or so for those who enjoy chaotic comedy, and no knowledge of the Royal Family is needed.

Reviewer: Torya Hughes

Reviewed: 20th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: