The new musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada at London's Dominion Theatre is a visually dazzling but hollow retread of the hit film, according to critics. Despite powerhouse vocals from Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestly and Elton John's exuberant score, the show fails to capture the icy heart of the original story.
Directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, the production replicates the 2006 film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway almost scene by scene, with Kate Wetherhead's book closely following the screenplay. While the costumes by Gregg Barnes and Pamella Roland impress in parts, some ensembles look like they belong in a high street Christmas collection.
The uniformly tall, thin models reflect the body fascism of the late 1990s setting, with no nod to the plus-size revolution of today. Characters feel like dashed-off transpositions, lacking the depth that made even the unlikable figures in the film endearing. Williams's Miranda is too flat a devil, while Georgie Buckland's Andy has little personality.
Amid a glut of film-to-stage adaptations in the West End, the show is described as a 'prosecco o'clock musical' that rings hollow. Critics question its purpose, noting it neither adds to nor updates the satire of the fashion industry. The production's tagline 'Gird your loins' sums up the experience: impressive on the surface but ultimately unsatisfying.
