PicksInSix Review: DIANA: The Musical - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Powerhouse Central Performance Drives THEO’s ‘DIANA’!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton
The great Fred Anzevino, founder and executive director of THEO up on Howard Street in Evanston, passed away recently. The last production on his watch, co-directed and choreographed by Brenda Didier, was “DIANA,” the musical piece that delves into the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Britain's Royal Family. “DIANA” opened this past weekend and plays at THEO through July 6. From the time of her late teens—when she was literally selected by Queen Elizabeth II as a bride for her first-born son Prince Charles—to the time of her tragic death in 1997, Diana was daily exposed to the international spotlight.
As created by Joe DiPietro (book/lyrics) and David Bryan (music/lyrics), Diana is taken from her position as a nursery school assistant in early 1981 and whisked through what amounts to a crash course in royal life and expectation. By July that year, she and Charles have their royal wedding with an international television audience viewing the event at St. Paul's Cathedral, chosen over the traditional Westminster Abbey because it offered more seating.
From there, we see all the ups and downs of life with Diana and Charles. Very little is spared in the script—two sons, at least two affairs (one of which, of course, included the now-wife of Charles III, Camilla Parker-Bowles)—and a great deal of societal exposure for a woman who is not ready for such an experience, but learns well on the job. The public embraces her fully, thanks to Diana's own brand of a common touch, and it couldn't get enough of her.
Neither could the British press. It hounds her constantly, with photographers and reporters waiting at every turn. Such a reality naturally puts pressure on the marriage. Diana tries to plant her feet and be her own person, while Charles expects her to fall in line with every piece of royal etiquette and tradition as the wife of the heir to the British throne. With each child born (William in 1982, Harry in 1984), the couple makes amends and tries yet again to overcome the obstacles. But in time, there are simply too many walls to climb, and they divorce in 1996.
The best parts of the story come after. Diana visits an AIDS ward, where she reaches out to meet the sick and fights the protocol to don protective outerwear, producing a touching exchange between visitor and patients. Diana (a powerhouse vocal performance by Kate McQuillan) speaks and sings openly of her desire to truly impact the world. Charles (Jack Saunders in his Theo debut) sticks to the palace traditions throughout, costing him dearly. A real delight is Jacqueline Grandt in the dual role of Queen Elizabeth/Barbara Cartland, as she plays the author in a marvelous comic turn and the Queen as the rock of the family. Her song in Act II, "An Officer's Wife," shows a vulnerability that belies the Queen's tough exterior. Colette Todd marvelously underplays her Camilla Parker-Bowles in a strong portrayal.
This is a difficult story to tell onstage, and the ensemble is more than up to the task. They play everything from royal staff to paparazzi to intimate friends to outlandish partygoers at every turn. The three-player music ensemble led by keyboardist Kevin Zhou expertly guides his band through a long list of twenty-nine pieces of music, all the while being supportive and controlled in the small environment that is THEO's stage and trademark.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com Coming soon, his new solo play “Teddy’s Last Ride.”
PHOTO | Time Stops Photography
Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
presents
Midwest Premiere
Diana
721 Howard Street
Evanston, IL
through July 6, 2025
WEBSITE
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