Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): The Devil Wears Prada musical at London’s exquisite Dominion Theatre. Starring Vanessa Williams and Olivia Saunders (now Stevie Doc). Playlist-worthy score from Elton John. Glorious sound design by Gareth Owen. Flashy lighting design by Bruno Poet. Obviously extensive costume design by Gregg Barnes. Modern scenic design by Tim Hatley. High-octane production that deserves to see Broadway. đź‘
See it!
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? 1000x yes!
Mainstream Appeal: High
If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Absolutely
My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Fresh out of college with dreams of becoming a writer, Andy Sachs can’t afford to be picky. The only job available turns out to be a personal assistant to Miranda Priestly, the tyrannical editor-in-chief of the top fashion magazine. They say that surviving one year under Miranda’s hell-ish reign opens every door in publishing. But first, she has to make it that far.
Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion’s most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda’s impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed… and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted.
Type: Musical
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: Several
Several or Few Settings/Locations: Several
Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Dynamic
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: You’d probably appreciate this more if you read the book or saw the movie.
Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes
Live Band/Orchestra: Yes
Union Actor(s): All
Total Actor(s): Too many to count
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to maybe fast
Was there an intermission? Yes, but I’m surprised how late they ended the second act in regard to the storyline from the movie.
Length (Including Any Intermission): 2.5 hours
Other Rave(s)
- Design:
Every design department was firing on all cylinders, and the result screamed high production value. From the opening hook of “I Mean Business” song, Gareth Owen’s sound design (which admittedly bordered on loud) took me straight back to the clarity he brought to his sound design in Hell’s Kitchen.
Bruno Poet’s lighting was exquisite and bold. Heavily saturated vertical beams bathed the stage in Moulin Rouge reds, while other scenes played with gradient washes against clean architectural lines. The camera flashes during the fashion montages and fashion shows added to the excitement.
A story set inside a fashion magazine demands extensive stunning costuming. Gregg Barnes’s bold work certainly delivered across the show’s many dazzling montages and runway sequences. The leggy ensemble rocked those outfits!
Tim Hatley’s scenic design was equally impressive. The Eiffel Tower hotel set was gorgeous. It echoed the soaring NYC skyline set from earlier scenes. The mirrored curtains that turned transparent were enchanting.
With all this glitz and glamour, there was admittedly a certain monotone high energy to the show. But honestly, high energy is exactly what I want from a Broadway musical. Give me the spectacle. The opposite monotone approach like in The Notebook musical is far worse.
- Music: That same one-dimensionality carried into the energy and volume of the score. And again, it wasn’t necessarily a flaw. Elton John’s signature style was unmistakable and it suited the material well. “I Mean Business” was a hit opening hook. “I Only Love You for Your Body” was a fun, throwaway crowd-pleaser. But the standout was Nigel’s (played by Matt Henry) “Seen.” It was a surprisingly moving, gospel-inflected number with a beautiful melody, rich chord progression, and a relatable message. I may have shed a single tear at its climactic moments.
- Ambition: One of the musical’s most interesting departures from the source movie material was its deeper investment in ambition as a theme. In the film, Andy Sachs kept herself at arm’s length from the vanity of it all, as though she’s too good for the world she’s entered. In the musical, she basked in the prestige of her proximity to Miranda. The “Miranda Girl” number captured that intoxicating pull of wanting to be somebody and to be seen. It gave me strong “Everybody Wants to Be Us” energy, and I was here for it.
- Choreography: Particularly in the opening number, the show delivered Rockette-level dance precision choreographed by director Jerry Mitchell. The sharp, high-energy ensemble work was even more striking by the statuesque legs of the company in their chic costumes.
- Venue: The Dominion Theatre was an outstanding choice for this production’s venue. Its breathtaking grandeur perfectly matched the show’s high-fashion subject matter. Walking in, I felt like I was arriving at the Met Gala.
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
- Hell: This production leaned into hell-and-demons iconography. This could be seen through the title song, the red-drenched scenic/lighting palette, and the devilish costuming choices. As someone raised Christian, I felt a slight guilty chill like the Hell sequence in The Book of Mormon. It was theatrical provocation handled with style.
- Miranda Priestly: Casting Vanessa Williams made obvious sense on paper since her turn as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty covered similar territory. But there’s a fine line between inspired casting and typecasting, and this felt like the latter. Her Miranda was a rehash of her loud monochromatic roles in Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty more than it revealed a distinct interpretation of Miranda Priestly. She looked the part impeccably, but her “That’s All” felt like a role she’s played before, not a character she’d discovered anew.
- Movie Comparison: Two iconic details from the film were notably absent. Miranda pursing her lips as a silent, devastating signal of fashion disapproval never appeared. But that made sense given live theatre’s difficulty in depicting facial expressions to the far audience. “The Book” – that legendary object of dread in the original story – also never appeared. It was a missed opportunity to reward the audience members who knew and loved the source material.
Venue: Dominion Theatre
Venue Physical Address: 268-269 Tottenham Ct Rd, London W1T 7AQ, United Kingdom
Price Range: 25-250 GBP
Seating: Assigned Seats
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Photos: See production photos below by Matt Crockett.
Cast and Production Team: See after photos below.
The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical – Production Credits
Producers: Kevin McCollum, David Furnish, Jamie Wilson, Gavin Kalin, Sally Greene OBE, Cedric Perrier, Todd and Katie Boehly, Jaehong Shin, No Guarantees Productions, Lams Productions, Betsy Dollinger, Nicole Eisenberg, Leonoff Federman Wolofsky, Bob Cohen, Isaac R. Hurwitz, Seth Goldstein, Willette & Manny Klausner, James L. Nederlander, Iris Smith, Stage Entertainment, Scott Abrams, Jonathan and Rae Corr, Marco Santarelli, Leslie Mayer & Jennifer Melin Miller, Independent Presenters Network, Bob Boyett, Ashley DeSimone, Lucas McMahon.
Creative Team: Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick; Book by Kate Wetherhead; Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Cast at this Performance: Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestly; Olivia Saunders as Andy; Maddy Ambus as Emily; Matt Henry as Nigel; Rhys Whitfield as Nate; James Darch as Christian; Ethan Le Phong as James Holt; Josh Damer-Jennings as Irv Ravitz; Liam Marcellino as Hot Nurse; Kayleigh Thadani as Jacqueline Follet; Pamela Blair as Chanteuse.
Ensemble: Gabby Antrobus, Selena Barron, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Pamela Blair, Robertina Bonano, Lloyd Davies, Elishia Edwards, Akeem Ellis-Hyman, Jinny Gould, Natasha Heyward, Samuel How, Luke Jackson, Emma Johnson, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Ciro Lourencio Meulens, Shannon Molloy, Christopher Parkinson, Eleanor Peach, Jon Reynolds, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Olivia Saunders, Joshua Steel, Ella Valentine, Tara Yasmin, Maddy Ambus, Georgie Buckland, Amy Di Bartolomeo, Brandon Lee Sears, Kayleigh Thadani.
The Band: Conducted by Ehsaan Shivarani. Musicians: Kath Woolley, Anna Senger, Richard Coughlan, Luke Davies, Doug Harper, Owain Harries, Howard McGill, Barnaby Philpott, Katie Punter, Justin Quinn, Bryan Smith, Owen Williams.
Production Design: Scenic Design by Tim Hatley; Costume Design by Gregg Barnes; Lighting Design by Bruno Poet; Sound Design by Gareth Owen; Hair, Wigs and Makeup by Campbell Young Associates; Casting by Jill Green CDG.
Management Team: Jane Salberg (Company Manager), Arielle Campbell (Deputy), Fiona Findlater (Stage Manager), Rachel Phillips (Deputy Stage Manager), Emily Gaskin, Laura Smith, Isabella Vayoni (Asst. Stage Managers), Simon Marlow (Production Management), Jamie Wilson Productions (General Management).
Music Department: Tom Deering (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator and Arranger), Giles Martin (Music Executive), Katharine Woolley (Musical Director), Ehsaan Shivarani (Associate Music Supervisor).
