Looking for an alternative way to celebrate the King’s coronation in Manchester? The heartbreaking tale of Princess Diana is one that’s been retold time and time again, whether by devoted fans, royalists or anti-monarchists. A new performance coming to CULTPLEX tells the tale through the words of the Princess herself, direct from heaven, in drag and on the date of King Charles’ coronation.
Diana The Untold and Untrue Story has been written by Linus Karp, who will don his best little black dress as he takes on the lead role as the people’s princess. The regal comedy combines drag artistry, multimedia, audience participation and Diana-influenced queer joy, because unbeknown to her, she’s become one of the UK’s biggest gay icons.
The show delves into an extraordinary, imaginary tale from the promised land, where Diana now resides since her death in 1997. As hilarious as it is tasteless, Karp’s performance as a ghostly Diana takes audiences on a journey through the princess’s past that the press didn’t bother to cover. And maybe for good reason.
Karp doesn’t shy away from the story we’re already familiar with, as the show begins at Diana’s birth and follows the timid young woman as she meets the endearing Prince Charles. Things start to get a bit wild after this encounter, but not in the way you might expect. Combining royal hilarity, improvisation and a cardboard cut out of the Prince himself, this on-stage celebration of Diana’s life is the alternative coronation Manchester needs for a weekend free from the national anthem.
The theatre production, which comes from chaotic theatre company Awkward Productions, has already been selling out venues across its UK tour. Taking place on Saturday 6 May, the exact date of King Charles’ coronation ceremony, the Manchester debut of Diana The Untold and Untrue Story offers an entirely different way to celebrate the long weekend. Maybe not exactly how Charles himself had planned.
Taking place at CULTPLEX, Manchester’s independent cinema above GRUB in Red Bank, tickets for the alternative theatre production are on sale now for £15. There’s a matinee show at 2.30pm and an evening performance at 7.30pm.
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Diana The Untold and Untrue Story
Date: Saturday 6 May
Time: 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Venue: CULTPLEX
Price: £15
