It doesn’t seem like two decades have passed since The Devil Wears Prada first hit theaters. The frenzy generated by every leaked photo from the set of her sequel in recent weeks is proof that Miranda Priestly’s fan base remains loyal. But, before that, the stages were already showing the timeless appeal of the story.
After a long gestation, the musical version of the film directed by David Frankel and the book written by Lauren Weisberger has premiered in London to eager eyes. On stage, “The Devil Wears Prada” has been enticing audiences for a year, at the Dominion Theater, which was completely renovated for the superlative production.
Also in the spotlight more than usual was a new play in the West End – London’s equivalent of Broadway – and the fact that none other than Elton John took on the challenge of translating the 2006 film’s elegance and subtle humor into an original soundtrack. In addition to being one of the biggest names in world music, the British sir has written other theatrical songs.
With no intention of coming to Brazil anytime soon, “The Devil Wears Prada” is today one of the great theatrical attractions for tourists passing through the British capital. With its brilliance, the production has this new version of Miranda Priestly, the famous editor of a fictional fashion magazine, hit the stage in high heels — even if the musical side of the production lacks sparkle.
Elton John doesn’t repeat his feat of action and entertainment and, at the same time, sound pop enough to play the soundtrack in your headphones, as he did on “Billy Elliot” and “The Lion King.” However, it does a cohesive job, with the melodies accompanied by lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick fitting easily into the story of an aspiring journalist who ends up in the clutches of a creepy, volatile publisher.
Many of the songs reference the film’s soundtrack – which had actual music videos to the tunes of “Suddenly I See” and “Vogue” – and to the career of Elton John himself, in what must be his most self-referential theatrical work, musically speaking. This month, the original crew went into the studio to turn the song into an album.
But unlike the movie, and as ridiculous as it may sound, the show has no great vocal moments, nor complicated choreography. It’s also ironic that the production’s wardrobe looks nothing like the cover of the fictional Runway magazine.
Protagonists Miranda and Andy may dress up for the role, but the supporting cast relegates themselves to generic designs from a platform frozen in time, reproducing a neat idea that is the result of mere imagination or ignorance.
In the original cast, which is still on view, Vanessa Williams plays the role celebrated by Meryl Streep in theaters. A voice of “save the best for last,” the actress and singer charms with her character Miranda Priestly, just the right amount of cartoonish, but with less comedic timing than the celluloid diva.
Andi Sachs, the girl in trouble from the movies, is also sharper. Georgie Buckland, who takes on the role that belonged to Anne Hathaway, acts and sings well, but is subdued when sharing a scene with Amy Di Bartolomeo. This supporting role of Emily, the workaholic assistant who once belonged to Emily Blunt, is a lot of fun.
In the path from cinema to musical theater that has exploded in recent years, “The Devil Wears Prada” was not innovative and independent enough to establish itself as a masterpiece, as was the case with “Moulin Rouge!” And “weird shoes.”
But it is far from being a disaster, like “Pretty Woman,” being more of a collection of the hits that conquered “Beetlejuice” and “Back to the Future” – musicals that came from the cinema with the aim of entertaining and delighting those who are already fans of them. “And that’s it,” says Miranda Priestly.
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