The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical Reviews

Danny from Chicago, Illinois

NEEDS A LOT OF WORK

I saw the matinee on 7/23. I loved the movie so I was disappointed that the show fell flat. No memorable songs, costumes looked cheap, roommates were cool but got too much attention, Emily and Miranda underutilized, Christian seemed half-drawn as Andy loved him and then hated him even though they didn't have much of a relationship and he was mostly a side character. The writers seemed to try to use a pool table as a metaphor for Andy's relationships with her friends and Nate but made the show look to be on a tight budget. Beth Leavel has amazing stage presence and should have had a lot more time on stage. Harry Potter was gone from the show even though it showed a real transformation in the movie. They spotlighted HR Sharon from the book which was cute but took too much time away from the meat of the story. The clackers at the intro were too ominous and gave horror vibes even though the most horrible thing that happened was Miranda called too much. The show has potential but needs work

Prabha Parameswaran from Chicago, Illinois

DISAPPOINTING

Attended the premier of The Devil Wears Prada: A new musical at the Neederlander in Chicago on Tuesday 7/19/22. First, the live orchestra was horrible - not a good start for a MUSICAL! Second, while a few performances were "good", overall the quality of the singing and "script reading" was ho-hum at best. Given that Beth Leavel is a Tony recipient, was expecting so much more out of her which we did not get last night. Taylor Iman Jones showed promise last night but her timing was often off and awkward. Javier Munoz (who plays Nigel) stole the show in my opinion but could not save it alone. The Ensemble provided many moments of joy thankfully in this 2 hr + production. Lyrics really need to be cut down to make this a more enjoyable and memorable musical. Had a really hard time recalling any lyrics to any song including chorus/ refrain as just too wordy and surprisingly (given Elton John wrote the score) no catchy tunes. Stick to the movie folks !

J. Graziano from Chicago, Illinois

SAD DISAPPOINTMENT

I REEEEAALLY wanted this to be sensational as ‘Devil Wears Prada” is one of my all time favorite movies, it’s one of those you have to keep watching no matter what point you find it on TV….Gladiator is like that too…But if I am honest, this was a huge flop. The book and score were barely mediocre and ALL the most important moments fell flat and did not ‘land’. The arc of the characters were extremely muddled and this led to nothing really having any emotional punch. Even the costumes, which one could imagine would lend themselves to be downright out of this world fabulous, looked gaudy and ‘costume-ey’. They missed a wonderful opportunity to really celebrate the fashion world, even pay a sort of homage to past decades showcasing iconic looks and fashions icons but Nope, we got cheesy, lack of focused, cheap looking, stale, stereo typical looks. The whole thing was just awful. And the music… C’mon Elton, really?? This is what you came up with? There was not one single song that lent to any real emotional feeling…. Not one beautiful melody or even pop style song that you wanted to tap your feet or sing along too. All the music felt disjointed, like it didn’t know what it wanted to be. But the worst was again, every moment that should have been vital for the unfolding of character developement, that should have been poignant and pivotal shaping the characters arc with substance was completely and utterly missed. It was convoluted by bad lyrics, indulgent excess dialogue and unnecessary distractions. Don’t waste your money unless you want to be mildly entertained from a few good dancers who know how to strut like models. Ps: I worked as a professional on stage for nearly 25 yrs so I do have a more critical eye, but also more expertise.

Rebecca from Crown Point, IN

BORING

At intermission, I said the show was “kinda boring.” I should have waited until the show was over because the second act would be best described as an insomnia cure. Very disappointing.

Megan B. from Chicago, Illinois

MEH - 6/10

Adaptations have to be done in a way that stays true to the story, while still bringing something fresh, relatable, and moving. This..just was none of those things. The jokes were updated and didn't land. The lyrics were forgettable. The acting was fine but more like good acting from a local production rather than a professional stage. I liked the ensemble the best. The production and set design was amazing. If this got anywhere near Broadway, there would have to be a LOT of reworking

Lba from Chicago, Illinois ( by way of Kansas City )

NOPE. NOT ENOUGH MEAT TO STORY. NEEDS ALL THE WORK.

It’s no Billy Elliot. It’s no movie Prada. It’s a disappointment. It has a few bright spots. But it is slow, disjointed, dull, uninspired, cliche, and a real let down. Should be way better on all the levels. Everyone has to know this. No NY for this show without serious work.

LMP from Chicago, Illinois

DISAPPOINTED

I saw this musical last night. It was disappointing. I think it's fair to say the movie was centered around the glamour, clothes and the evil Miranda. This was non existent in the musical. Miranda's character was lack luster and her "look" was outdated. Andrea transformation was poor, especially using an old Gucci bag as part of her accessories. I agree with the other comments as well. I will say the cast did have beautiful voices. My favorite character was Emily. Her costumes were appropriate for her role. It's a shame the ball was dropped with Miranda & Andrea.

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