Me, in my tourist clothes, walking all day through the streets of London, usually blended in perfectly among the spectators who also come to musicals dressed comfortably, some even carrying shopping bags and snack bags to munch on.
This time, however, I notice a difference: many of the people who came to see The Devil Wears Prada musical showed up all dressed up, man! As if they were ready to step into the world of “high fashion”.
It feels like I’m at a fashion parade and, surprisingly, the gentlemen are the sharpest dressed, not the ladies!
The gentleman in the picture is shining, in his rhinestone-covered suit.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
The musical arrived in London with a lot of fanfare, with music by Elton John and the leading role played by the American singer and actress Vanessa Williams!
It was announced as a limited run, so greedy little me bought tickets to see it twice, only 3 months apart.
(In the meantime, the musical is still running… Still with Vanessa in the lead role and Matt Henry, whom I had previously seen in the leading role in the musical Kinky Boots.)
As soon as you step into the Dominion Theatre, you are greeted by a sort of exhibition of luxurious outfits.
I read that the fashion in The Devil Wears Prada includes fancy brands such as Versace, Tom Ford, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, but also pieces specially created by costume designer Gregg Barnes. Meanwhile, the American designer Pamella Roland – who has dressed celebrities and members of royal families – created most of Miranda Priestly’s costumes.
There is even a red carpet leading you to the photo backdrop.
And, ingeniously, they built the Runway magazine in… human size, a magazine cover you can instantly appear on 🙂 Actually, inside the cover, because you step into it.
I think this is the biggest hit with the audience coming to see the show.
The theatre shops sell merchandise related to the musical – T-shirts, badges, pens, mugs, tote bags, keychains…
You can even buy a pair of “à la Elton John” glasses to impress people around town 🙂
Even before entering the auditorium to take your seat, you are warned that the show contains all sorts of visual and sound effects, just in case you are sensitive to such things.
The theatre slowly fills up, people are cheerful and noisy, I photograph the sound booth area and take a selfie out of reflex 🙂
Then I enjoy the show – the protagonists, the costumes, the music. I am not as ecstatic as I was at other musicals I’ve seen, but it is definitely a show that leaves you in a very good mood.
As with any musical, you are not allowed to take pictures or film during the performance, but at the end they seem more permissive, so I don’t miss the opportunity.
Afterwards, I find out that the lead actors come out behind the theatre to sign autographs. Of course I go 🙂 It’s not madness like it was for Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte or for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick – whom I wrote about here and here.
We wait patiently, and the artists come out one by one. Vanessa Williams last.
Kind, beautiful, smiling, she signs programmes, photographs, chats with people about various artistic subjects or mutual acquaintances.
Then she takes pictures with anyone who wants one. Me included, naturally…
While taking a picture with her, the song that first made Vanessa famous to me comes to mind (Save the Best for Last), before I later discovered her in several films and TV series – Desperate Housewives, Dance with Me, Eraser, etc.
I thank her and then head back to the hotel on foot, through a London where nobody cares that I am humming a song in the street…
SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST
Only 3 months later, knowing the musical had a limited run (which later changed, as it is still playing…), I rediscover how small the world really is, maaaan.
Gabriel, a talented man I worked with many years ago on many TV shows and whom I met again in London, happens to know Matt, who plays Nigel and, guess what: he arranges a meeting for me inside the theatre, right in their dressing rooms, with Vanessa Williams and Matt! How cool is that?!?
Look, man, real artists – they looked amazing from the very first selfie, unlike others 🙂 But that’s not what matters; what matters is that I actually got to exchange a few words with them!
I had more time to chat with Matt and bombarded him with questions about musicals, about them as artists, about their work. Vanessa escaped more quickly, but that little meeting definitely boosted my ego, not gonna lie.
Both extremely friendly, cheerful, and open.
When I think about it, all these “encounters” with Hollywood celebrities that I experienced in London thanks to musicals and theatre plays have thrilled me enormously! That world, apparently untouchable to us, ordinary mortals, was only a few centimetres away. And you simply can’t help feeling lucky…
I saw Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard, and a few years later I discovered Nicole Scherzinger in the same musical (with a different directorial vision), I took a picture with John Lithgow while he was starring in Giant, I stood in the rain waiting for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, I was neighbours with Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte, I waited an hour outside the stage door for Cate Blanchett, and I bumped into Amy Adams on the street…
You can read the first story here; if I managed to catch Sarah Jessica Parker – here; how often I “ran into” Emily in Paris in London – here; about Cate Blanchett, here; and what it was like with Amy Adams, here.
