OBSERVER: A Beautiful Noise
A live phone call to the iconic American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond was a wonderful highlight of the launch of the musical A Beautiful Noise at the Princess Theatre.
A Beautiful Noise is the successful Broadway musical based on Diamond’s life which will open in Melbourne in August next year. The musical has an interesting structure with scenes and songs from Diamond (then) back in his heyday juxtaposed with scenes involving Diamond (now) in therapy sessions.
Something of a coup was revealed at the launch when Will Swenson, who played the original Diamond (then) when the show opened on Broadway in 2022, came on stage and announced that he will reprise this role for the Melbourne season.
A Beautiful Noise is a jukebox musical, where the majority of songs are well-known popular hits rather than original music composed for the show. Written by Anthony McCarten and devised with input from Diamond himself, the show features such fabulous songs as I’m A Believer, Kentucky Woman, Solitary Man, Shilo, Sweet Caroline and Cracklin’ Rosie, all of which Diamond wrote and/or performed himself. The latter two were performed by Swenson at the launch to a thunderous reception by the invited guests.
A strong personal connection between Swenson and Diamond became apparent during the launch as Swenson spoke of how Diamond had mentored him in the role of Diamond (then). There was clearly a warm familiarity when the two spoke over the live phone connection.
Also in attendance at the launch was veteran Australian musical promoter and producer Paul Dainty and the Victorian State Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks, both of whom spoke highly of the forthcoming production.
Neil Diamond is an enormously popular artist here in Australia, being the first one to sell a million concert tickets down under. It is wonderful to see how Melbourne audiences will at last see A Beautiful Noise in Australia’s musical theatre capital.
Peter Murphy