The Devil Wears Prada – Dominion Theatre

Georgie Buckland and Amy Di Bartolomeo in The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre, London. Picture: Matt Crockett

The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical continues at the Dominion Theatre, London, currently booking until 18 October 2025.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

A musical theatre adaptation? Of a popular film? Groundbreaking!

Knockout performances from Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt aside, what made 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada stand out from countless other Faustian comedy movies of its era was its delightful smartness. In addition to an effective structure and the wealth of now-classic lines, there was a certain intellectualism with which it defended the oft-ridiculed field of fashion. It championed the industry as artistic, rather than a cynical and pretentious money-making endeavour, and in doing so, offered lay audiences a superbly enjoyable look into a glamorous and remarkable world.

This new musical version has all the ingredients of a successful adaptation. For one, it is directed by Jerry Mitchell, whose deft helming of Legally Blonde resulted in perhaps the most celebrated and artistically successful film-to-stage transpositions of all. Furthermore, it can boast music by Elton John, who has written some of the most popular songs as well as most popular musicals of all time. With Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick handling the lyrics and Kate Wetherhead writing the book, the words are more than adequately covered, and we even have Emmy and Grammy-winning producer Giles Martin serving as music executive! This is a dream team to turn a popular movie into a stage musical.

Well, if you want to see a musical version of a film you love, you can’t really go wrong here. There is little divergence from the source material and all the great lines you remember are included. To its credit, the show resists the temptation to musicalise every single piece of iconic dialogue from the movie, a trap into which too many musical adaptations fall. However, there is little attempt to do anything fresh with the material or use the new medium to build upon the now classic tale.

Still, just as the original film is tightly structured, this show likewise clips along at a pace that is anything but glacial. Despite the challenge of comparison to some of the greatest actors of all time, the cast acquits itself admirably. In the lead role of Andy, newcomer Georgie Buckland is particularly impressive. Elsewhere, Amy Di Bartolomeo steals scenes with confidence and consistency as Emily, while Matt Henry masterfully delivers humour and pathos in the role of Nigel. And, of course, the great Vanessa Williams herself is perfectly iconic as Miranda Priestly. With a little help from the set and lighting design, she takes away the breath of the audience by force, as any terrifying fashion magazine editor should.

Sadly, the general lack of ambition in the writing of this production extends to occasionally underwhelming choreography and some quotidian sets that are dwarfed by the Dominion Theatre’s enormous auditorium. Fortunately, Gregg Barnes’ costume design – the one area in which dullness would be fatal – more than passes muster with the ‘Sinful Figures Ball’ and fashion show scenes being highlights on this element alone.

Those not attending for their love of the movie will have been lured in by the score by the indisputably great Elton John. Without the benefit of 30 years of familiarity, it’s hard to identify whether there are any moments of Lion King greatness, but I did find myself enjoying many of the songs a great deal. Some distinctly Elton melodies are sprinkled throughout, and though the numbers are decidedly pop in form, they exhibit more harmonic sophistication than many new musicals. Some of the ensemble numbers are impressive, but my favourite musical moments might be the solo spots for Buckland and Di Bartolomeo, both of whom showcase exceptional vocal skills.

Whereas the original movie assuredly distinguished itself from its competitors, this musical adaptation does not build substantively upon its excellent source material and, as a result, risks being underwhelming. Were it not for the hard work of a stellar cast and crew and its enjoyable musical numbers, it might be lost in a sea of stiff competition. There is more than enough on offer here to provide a perfectly fun Saturday night out, but despite its repeated championing of fashion as an art rather than just a cynical business, this musical’s lack of distinct innovation might lead some to construe its production as somewhat cynical itself.

Let’s not overthink it: you can be assured of a good time if you are a fan of the film and obsessive enough about musical theatre to be reading this publication, but for those sceptical on either front, this production may not be quite fresh enough to convert you.

Ian Bowkett