Words by Rosanna Spence
It’s been 27 years since Diana – the shy aristocrat destined to become the People’s Princess – tragically passed away. Nearly three decades later and there are still few people so universally loved that, even when parodied in one of the most absurd and chaotic pieces of theatre I’ve seen recently, you never once doubt the true admiration and respect at the heart of the comedy.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story – Awkward Productions’ (Gwyneth Goes Skiing) multi award-winning, Edinburgh Fringe sell-out show – does just that, setting out on a deranged journey through Diana’s life, from the moment of her conception to current day. Only in this version of reality, nothing is quite as it seems. Conspiracy theories rage at the fore, and fortunes are retold in a side-splittingly funny and fantastical version of events, which, if I’m honest, I now prefer to what really happened.
So what exactly has Lady Di been up to in heaven? Well, apparently she’s been getting ‘white girl wasted’ with Mother Teresa and playing UNO with Lorraine Kelly… who as a living person can only mean she’s mastered the dark arts of card games with those on the other side through some kind of Ouija board set up.
This 70-minute riotous romp – which is as simultaneously hilarious as it is tasteless – is certainly not for royalists (note: ‘Camilla Parker Bowles’ listed among the content warnings; a murderous Queen keen to dismember most people she encounters: “Off with their heads!”; and a lacklustre cardboard cut-out Charles whose infamous line from that engagement interview – “Whatever in love means” – becomes an achingly pathetic personality trait).
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story blends drag, video and audio content, tons of audience participation (if you’ve ever wanted to be a royal corgi, now’s your time to shine), demonically unhinged puppetry (aka Cam-Cam, I’ll let you guess who that is) and healthy dose of queer joy – let’s not forget England’s Rose was a true ally and advocate of the gay community, a timely sentimental reference coinciding with Pride month’s celebrations and protests.
Despite the performance on one of the hottest evenings so far this year being plagued with technical issues… a little like Charles’ and Diana’s marriage, I guess… the show went on with aplomb and the cast didn’t miss a beat, instead smartly incorporating quick asides about the street-wide power cuts and surges into dialogue. Barely five seconds went by without another cheer, whoop, applaud and cheeky jeer from the crowd.
I won’t give away too many spoilers, but this previously ‘untold and untrue’ story asks two very important questions at its very core. What if Di didn’t…. die? What could the Mother, fashion icon, queer ally and world-class humanitarian really have achieved for us all by now?
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is at Tobacco Factory Theatres until 21 June (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
