Lady Diana has been semi-fictionally depicted in TV series like The Crown and even a flop of a Broadway musical, but never quite like Awkward Productions bring it to us.
Queer Swedish theatre maker and co-founder of Awkward, Linus Karp, gives us a clever, funny and outrageously offensive new view of the ‘People’s Princess’.
In this version, currently available to stream, Lady Di has come back from heaven – the place upstairs, not the club – to re-tell her story with many a variation from the truth as we know it. Though it’s largely a one-person show, there is a great deal of comic support from a cardboard cut-out Charles (voiced by Awkward co-founder Joseph Martin), various audience members. and Joseph Martin in the flesh operating a manic, growling, out of control rag doll representing Camilla.
I think you get the idea of how irreverent this story is. We also get video clips of both the late Queen and a female God, just to round out the storyline. It works well online, apart from some obscured camera angles caused by the coming and going of audience members to the stage to play small roles.
Linus, whose previous shows include a homage to the Jellicle Cats of the ill-fated film version of Lloyd Webber’s Cats, is energetic, quirkily deadpan and quick witted to pick up audience reactions. If you’re an extremely purist Monarchist, or an absolute Di worshipper, you’re probably going to be outraged. For the rest of us, there are many moments of genuine fun, and there’s a serious pro-queer, pro-trans series of messages.
Joseph Martin is physically and visually hilarious manipulating the human-size Camilla doll. Take it at face value as a queer romp and you’ll love it.
The show is available online HERE throughout April. I’m guessing it’ll get more live outings too!
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