★★★★★
If you only make it to one show this year, choose A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.
Staged in Melbourne’s majestic Princess Theatre, this production demonstrates just how powerful a finely crafted jukebox musical can be. Conceived with Neil Diamond’s own guidance, the show carries a remarkable sense of honesty and emotional depth, each moment shaped by his unmistakable voice and perspective.
Paired with Anthony McCarten’s compelling book, this is a musical that is richly entertaining and genuinely meaningful. In short, it is a triumph from start to finish.
The story unfolds in the quiet space between two chairs: one occupied by an 85‑year‑old Neil Diamond (Terence Crawford), the other by his therapist (Monica Sayers). Through their conversations, Diamond is encouraged to revisit and interrogate the moments that shaped him.
It’s an intimate, inventive and refreshingly candid framing device, steering the show away from glossy nostalgia and toward something much more meaningful. Instead of a feel‑good montage, we’re given an artwork that confronts the cost of fame and the emotional weight behind the music.
That’s not to say we aren’t treated to Diamond’s hits. The show is full of them. But each number is placed with such care that it becomes a meaningful, affecting beat in the storytelling.
Terence Crawford proves once again why he sits among the elite. As the older Neil Diamond, he brings remarkable nuance to his vocals, drawing the audience into every corner of Diamond’s memory.
His raw, aching delivery of I Am…I Said held the room breathless. In moments like these, you almost believe the real Neil Diamond is standing before you, telling his story in real time.
Will Swenson, as the young Diamond, delivers pure star power. Having originated the role on Broadway, he brings a fully realised, three hundred and sixty degree embodiment of Diamond: the voice, the mannerisms, and the grit.
His chemistry with every performer on stage is electric, sparking energy through each scene he touches. Swenson’s voice is radiant and fills every corner of the Princess Theatre.
The women in Diamond’s life are beautifully brought to the stage, offering some of the show’s most touching and memorable moments. Ellie Greenwich, Diamond’s discoverer, is brought to life with irresistible charm by Hannah Fredrickson, whose comic timing is unmatched and whose presence adds sparkle to every scene she touches.
Diamond’s overlooked first wife, Jaye Posner, is portrayed with sincerity and quiet dignity by Alana Tranter. Her rendition of Love On The Rocks is exquisite. Understated, authentic and deeply felt, the song reveals the emotional cost of living in the shadow of a rising star.
Ashleigh Rubenach is a standout as Diamond’s second wife, Marcia. She commands attention effortlessly, her connection with Swenson’s Diamond utterly palpable, bringing both warmth and complexity to a role that could easily have been simplified.
Together, these performers enrich the narrative with nuance, strength and emotional intelligence, ensuring the women in Diamond’s life are not merely footnotes, but fully realised figures who shaped his journey.
The multi‑talented ensemble is a symbolic force within the production – they are Neil Diamond’s music. Doubling in featured roles, this dynamic group brings every note, lyric and rhythmic pulse to life with effervescence and joie de vivre.
Their presence becomes the heartbeat of the show: sometimes driving the narrative forward, sometimes surrounding Diamond like a living echo of his past. Whether delivering tight harmonies, expressive movement or subtle character work, the ensemble infuses the production with colour, vitality and emotional clarity. They elevate the story, embodying the soundscape that shaped Diamond’s life and legacy.
In a jukebox musical, the band is essential, and in A Beautiful Noise, they are nothing short of breathtaking. Led by Music Director Nigel Ubrihien, the nine-piece ensemble hits the audience with a wall of sound from the very first note and never lets up. They make us dance, cry, clap and boogie across the span of the show.
Special mention must go to the brass section: Ed Fairlie (trumpet) and Ian Haines (trombone) paired with Carlo Barbaro’s reed work. Their musicianship adds an extra layer of vitality and punch to the score. Sonny Paladino’s orchestrations and arrangements are superb, ensuring every song has purpose, place and presence.
Michael Mayer’s direction is exceptional, utilising the stage to its fullest potential and drawing the very best out of the cast. Steven Hoggett’s choreography celebrates the unique movement talents of each cast member, infusing the performance with joy and dynamism.
Their work creates a production that feels meticulously crafted and wonderfully alive. Every transition is seamless, every gesture purposeful and every moment charged with emotional clarity. Mayer shapes the narrative with sensitivity and precision. Hoggett’s movement vocabulary adds texture, rhythm and forward momentum.
It’s a partnership that elevates the storytelling, ensuring the show moves not just with musicality, but with intention, heart and theatrical intelligence.
A Beautiful Noise is much more than just a jukebox musical. It’s a deeply considered portrait of an artist reckoning with the legacy he built and the life he lived to create it. What unfolds onstage is a celebration of memory and music, delivered with love and unmistakable theatrical genius.
By the time the final chord rang through the Princess Theatre on opening night, we were left humming Neil Diamond’s songs and reflecting on the man behind them. His triumphs, his sacrifices, and the enduring impact of his work.
For the many devoted Neil Diamond fans who have carried these songs with them for decades, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical offers something particularly special: the chance to hear them again, not simply as beloved hits, but as part of the story of the man who wrote them.
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical runs to 7 November at The Princess Theatre. It then runs in Sydney from 14 November at the Lyric Theatre.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://theneildiamondmusical.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/theneildiamondmusicalau/
Photo credits: Jeff Busby
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