Theater review: ‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’ nothing you haven’t seen before
“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” says “Hello Again” as it arrives at its Orlando, Fla. stop at the Dr. Phillips Center after a two-year run on Broadway.
In a world where the biographical genre has become just as saturated as superhero movies, you might ask yourself, “Do we really need a whole movie about this person?” “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” is yet another retelling of the life of a well-known music icon translated for the stage. Like “Jersey Boys” or “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” the show is what’s referred to as a jukebox musical, featuring songs from the discography of its subject, in this case Neil Diamond.
Photos by Jeremy Daniel
I have never been a fan of jukebox musicals. If I wanted to sing along to songs I already know, I would just open my Spotify up and hit play — with an exception for shows like “Mamma Mia” and “Moulin Rouge,” two shows who use hit songs for an original story instead of a book report on someone’s life. I went into “A Beautiful Noise” apprehensive on if I would enjoy it or not. Half of my family is from Boston, so I’ve had more than enough of my fair share of “Sweet Caroline” sing-alongs. While pleasantly surprised, I walked out of the theatre with my suspicions confirmed. Let me elaborate.
“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Story” starts out with present-day Neil Diamond sitting in a therapist’s office. Urged by his third wife Katie to tackle the “clouds” that have plagued his life, Neil is doubtful to open up. His therapist reveals she bought a lyric book cataloguing every Neil Diamond song. It was at this moment I felt hopeful this musical would be a refreshing take on the biographical genre.
The show dives into the subtext of the lyrics of Neil’s hit songs, showcasing what he was going through at the time. Most notably, “Sweet Caroline” was written when Neil had hit rock bottom. It’s compelling to see where an artist was at mentally and emotionally at the time of the song’s conception. The song obviously has now become his most recognizable track, which leads to some of the downfalls of the show’s viewing experience.
If you’ve ever been to a live show, whether on Broadway or on tour, you probably understand what’s expected of you when it comes to theatre etiquette. Unfortunately, the clientele the Neil Diamond musical brings in seems to have not gotten the memo. During the performance I attended, there was loud coughing, people on their phones, and singing along when the show was not inviting the audience to sing along. “A Beautiful Noise” likely brings in an older crowd, and the audience might differ depending on when you visit the show, but manners seem to have been left at the door to the Dr. Phillips’ Walt Disney Theatre. The show does allow for audience participation for a few moments throughout the show, which makes for some fun, interactive moments. But singing along when two characters are separating from their marriage? Maybe not the time.
The technical aspect of the show is beautiful. A production that can use a minimal set (downsized even more because it’s on tour) to the best of its abilities is very impressive. I was worried about sound-mixing issues due to the show’s loud music and concert scenes, but the musical does a great job transporting you to being at a concert during the golden age of Neil Diamond. While there were a few hiccups along the way when it came to the sound level on actors’ mics or music being louder than the dialogue being spoken, it was a nonissue overall.
On the topic of being at a concert, if you have issues with bright lights and loud music, you’ll want to address that before heading in. At one point, I was nearly blinded during a concert montage scene. The lighting during the rest of the show is really neat, and matches the tone of each scene perfectly.
When the namesake of the musical is so closely involved with the retelling of their life, it leaves one to wonder just how honest it will be. With a present-day Neil Diamond essentially guiding us through his life, the thought did cross my mind that I would be subject to a lot of fluff with little to no substance. Neil is very honest about his relationships with his wives and the affair he had while married to his first wife Jay with his soon-to-be-second wife Marcia. Throughout the show, Neil talks about the “clouds” in his mind, which we later touch on through the session with his therapist. For the sake of avoiding spoilers of what I considered to be the emotional climax of the show, I will say that the third act (which did drag, a lot) was really trying to pull on my heartstrings.
Vocal performances are what you would expect from a Broadway show, to the point where I’d probably listen to these versions of the Neil Diamond catalog before revisiting his renditions. The pressure to live up to Neil Diamond is one that does not weigh too heavily on performer Nick Fradiani, as his pipes were more than enough to inspire the audience to start singing along. Hannah Jewel Kohn, who portrays Neil’s second wife Marcia Murphey, is a knockout and delivers the second-most emotional performance in the show.
It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. In the last month, movie biopics like “A Complete Unknown” or “Better Man” have received critical acclaim, with the latter being a much more unique and original take on the genre. That’s where my grievances come into play. There’s nothing that separates “A beautiful Noise” from its counterparts focusing on other artists. You can claim to be “bigger than Elvis,” but with how uninspired your show’s book is, how am I supposed to believe that? While the concept — a therapy appointment going through the songs of Neil’s lifetime and what led him to write what he had — is one I was intrigued by, it wasn’t enough to save my glances at the watch on the person next to me to see how much was left of the performance.
Had my personal connection to Neil Diamond’s music been more than just the guy who wrote the song I hear at a Red Sox game, I’m sure this concert with a script attempting to tie each song together would have entertained me as much as those around me.
Don’t let my apathy toward the show deter you from making a trip out to see “A Beautiful Noise”! The songs are great, the ensemble is wonderful, and any excuse to see live theatre is one that I will always jump on. Your enjoyment of the show almost solely relies on your enjoyment and prior knowledge of Neil Diamond’s music. If that description speaks to you, you’ll love it! If not, you might need some red, red wine to get through it.
“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” runs now through Feb. 9, 2025 in Orlando, Fla. before continuing its tour across America. Check dates and get tickets here.
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