Neil Diamond got his start as a writer in the hit-making Brill Building and his early songs in the ‘60s were hits for other artists.
These included I’m A Believer and Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) for The Monkees, The Boat That I Row for Lulu, I’ll Come Running for Cliff Richard, and Kentucky Woman for Deep Purple, among others.
It gave the impression he was an instant just-add-water pop songsmith with a clever way with words.
But A Beautiful Noise is more than another jukebox production. It is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Chess, Spring Awakening, Hedwig And The Angry Inch), choreographed by Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child), and written by Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes).
The show begins with Neil Diamond in the present day (played by Terence Crawford) in analysis with his doctor (Monica Sayers). The star had been sent by his wife and family to find out why he is so difficult to live with.
Through his songbook and a wonderful depiction of young Neil Diamond (compellingly and sexily played by Broadway actor Will Swenson), the audience travels the journey of his writing, his stories, his fears, his families, his successes, and the price he paid for being Neil Diamond.
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You feel the anger and hurt he carried, the doubt about his talent, and the pressure by his parents to be mainstream successful and not a lowly songwriter.
Solitary Man and I Am I Said take on extra depth, as does Shilo about his imaginary friend during a lonely childhood. There are glimpses of the family coming from Poland, Diamond gifted with a guitar at 16, and an early career where bosses firmly told him to focus on writing hits, and how life changed when a producer suggested he try out performing his own material in a small New York club.
The contemporary Neil Diamond and the doctor stay on stage, commenting as the narrative unwinds. A cathartic win comes towards the end of the show when Diamond comes to grips with his emotional state.
The storyline about the collapse of his first two marriages (his third wife Katie McNeil Diamond, made an appearance on stage) explains the moods behind You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, Love On The Rocks, Forever In Blue Jeans, and Song Sung Blue come from.
Over the 28 songs are the sing-alongs: Sweet Caroline, Cherry Cherry, Red Red Wine, Cracklin’ Rosie, and Crunchy Granola Suite.
The production is spectacular, with humour, colour, sadness and self analysis. You go off with greater respect for the man and the songs.
The Australian run is already a triumph, breaking the attendance record at Princess Theatre. The 1972 live album Hot August Night spent 29 weeks at #1 and 65 weeks on the chart, making it the third-longest-charting album in that era.
He’s toured Australia seven times and sold out each time. Each time it’s been with Paul Dainty, who was one of the producers of A Beautiful Noise. The two are so close that Neil is the godfather of his son Sam Dainty, now an artist manager.
As Diamond summed up on Sweet Caroline: “Good times never seemed so good.”
A Beautiful Noise plays in Melbourne until November 7th and opens at Sydney Lyric on November 14th.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
