The Diana Tapes Lack Depth

James Clements, Jorge Morales Picó Photo: Pablo Calderón-Santiago

Based in part by Andrew Morton’s 1992 book, Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words playwright James Clements gives us, The Diana Tapes. Produced by What Will the Neighbors Say?, this production is amaturish and makes ninety minutes seem more like 3 hours. Part of this is due to the direction by Wednesday Sue Derrico and the set design by Madeline Wall. In a way this set was ingenious, with two long black conference tables, chairs and cubes being moved back and forth to create offices and more. The problem was instead of creating two scenes at once, every scene required a rather long scene change and it stopped the flow. The play became more about the setting the stage.

Sam Hood Adrain, James Clements Photo: Pablo Calderón-Santiago)

The play follows Dr. James Colthurst (Jorge Morales Picó also the sound designer), Princess Diana’s confidant and go-between, Mr. Morton (the playwright James Clements), his American ex-patriate publisher Michael O’Mara (Sam Hood Adrain) and Princess Diana (Ana Cristina Schuler).

Ana Christina Schuler Photo: Pablo Calderón-Santiago

The events are straightforward, but it is hard to follow, as this seems more like a student production. None of the actors are old enough and just come off as “Hey kids lets put on a show”.

Jorge Morales Picó’s sound design isn’t in the time frame and just blasts electronica. Only the lighting designer Elizabeth M. Stewart and Ms. Wall’s costume design seem NYC ready.

I was intrigued to see this show, but the material does not live up to the name Princess Diana.

The Diana Tapes: What Will the Neighbors Say? at HERE, 145 Sixth Avenue, ithrough June 10th.