The Devil Wears Prada Musical Makes a Statement in Chicago
CHICAGO — The James M. Nederland Theater welcomed the musical adaption of the 2003 film The Devil Wears Prada on July 19 to a city of expectant fans. The result? Lackluster—but hopeful— reviews from critics wondering what can be changed as the show makes its way to Broadway in the coming years.
I had the chance to be a part of the audience in the show’s opening week, and, let me tell you, it was quite an experience. The cast still had the marks of shaky excitement as they became used to performing with live human beings in the room. Likewise, the greeters and ushers were clearly also beyond elation to finally have a lively, full theater after almost two years of the pandemic. Even the audience members came in extra high spirits, with most flaunting their best Fashion Week outfits in the true style of the show.
Although the audience members dressed to impress, the same can not be said about those in the cast. Most of the costumes looked vaguely reminiscent of ones seen in a dance recital or high school production. Even the characters supposedly on the cutting edge of fashion seemed to get stuck in an odd assortment of fabrics, accessories, and patterns in an attempt to cultivate an environment of “too-elevated-for-you” design choices. These outfits seem especially out of place when compared with the movie—one renowned for its famous looks that still act as cultural icons to this day. Hopefully a run on Broadway would allow for an increased costume budget, but for right now, these ensembles would certainly not be Miranda-approved.
Despite the reliance on the previous book and movie adaptation, the story seems to have been “defanged” so as to not include controversial elements that may deter critics or audiences; however, in doing so, the show has lost what made the 2003 film such a raging success. The movie may have greatly criticized the fashion industry, but it worked hard to simultaneously validate it. Pokes at diet culture and body shaming were interweaved with multi-dimensional characters each with their own intentions and aspirations; just because someone works in a beauty-focused industry does not indicate his or her shallowness. The changes made by the musical to bring the story into the modern day retroactively misses on this essential mark. Most jokes with mention of the toxicity of the industry have been replaced by overdramatic gags making fun of fashion trends or influencers. Emily (Megan Masako Haley), Miranda’s (Beth Leavel) first assistant, represents a stereotypical fashion guru—pointlessly catty, social media-obsessed, and with low-level dialogue that makes the audience even less likely to respect the world of fashion. I believe theatre should have creative liberty to change elements of its source material…when those decisions do not destroy the message of the work as a whole.
The highlight of the show for me was undoubtedly the choreography and, to an extent, the score. James Alsop did a wonderful job infusing traditional ballroom styles with modern voguing and stylistic moves as seen on modern shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race. The entire cast executed the movement in a way that filled the stage with energy and made me want to jump up and start partying with them—that is the true indicator of effective choreography. The score by Shaina Taub and Elton John had its highs and lows. I genuinely enjoyed the witty lyrics and upbeat musicality of Miranda’s rebuttal to Andy’s (Taylor Iman Jones) accomplished job portfolio. It fit with the theme of the movie and characterized Miranda as a ruthless force to be reckoned with. I also enjoyed the face-paced, chaotic nature of the music during the Runway Benefit sequence. On the contrary, most of the personal ballads of the show dragged on and provided very little information about the story or the singer. For a score with help from Elton John, one cannot help but wish for more artistic sung storytelling.
Despite every criticism, I can say with full sincerity that I am grateful to have experienced this show. As an avid theatregoer, I appreciate the amount of work and love put into a show such as this one, especially when navigating the post-pandemic entertainment world. I wish the best of luck to The Devil Wears Prada on Broadway and, as Miranda Priestly herself would say, “that’s all”.