That line pretty much encapsulates the show’s literal approach, with every plot point laid on thick: The paparazzi, who actually have one of the best song-and-dance numbers, “Snap, Click,” all wear trench coats, just in case you couldn’t tell they were bad. Diana’s riding instructor turned paramour, cavalry officer James Hewitt, is first introduced atop a raised saddle, wearing only skintight breeches. At one point, two beds are rolled out to assure us that dueling extramarital affairs are taking place.
With the staging nothing to write home about, especially when we’ve got The Crown to ogle, Netflix may be the ideal medium to experience the production so that you can see star Jeanna de Waal, nailing Diana’s famous head tilt, up close. The lyrics may veer between cleverness and corn, but her eyes—alternately emitting joy, heartbreak and spite—speak volumes.
Though there’s no question as to whom we’re supposed to be mad at here, the book by Joe DiPietro, who co-wrote the lyrics with composer David Bryan, doesn’t shy away from Diana’s manipulative side.
