Sure, Kristen Stewart’s performance in the Spencer trailer is captivating, and all two words she says in it are perfect. Yeah, fine, our first looks at Elizabeth Debicki on The Crown look immaculate, with not a wig hair out of place. But can either of these Ladies Diana break into song? We thought not. Today, Netflix dropped the trailer for its “World Premiere Event†of Broadway’s Diana, a musical reimagineactiment about the People’s Princess’s rise to fame and royalty. The twist? The show hasn’t actually opened on Broadway yet. Diana began preview performances at the Longacre Theatre in March 2020, days before Broadway was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Diana’s gambit is that it will stream this filmed production, shot without an audience in 2020, on Netflix beginning October 1. Then, in November, the show will once again resume live performances on Broadway.
The trailer showcases Jeanna de Waal as Diana, Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles, Erin Davie as Camilla, and Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth. There’s also lots of fancy stagecraft, a re-creation of the iconic wedding dress, and lots of chorus members twirling around with paparazzi cameras. How it compares to the legendary community-theater Princess Diana musical remains to be seen.