Anchored by the extraordinary star turn of visiting Broadway performer Will Swenson, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical provides Diamond’s legion Melbourne fans the chance to revisit and revel in his prolific catalogue of highly personal hits. 

2022 Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical makes a relatively prompt appearance in Australia, perhaps boosted by co-producer Paul Dainty’s almost forty year association with the great man himself. Diamond made seven Australian tours (every one of which, I can attest, was enthusiastically attended by my mother in her lifetime).

Book writer Anthony McCarten uses a unique framing device for the bio-musical with mostly positive results. We join the cantankerous older Diamond (Neil Diamond – Now) in therapy, his Doctor prompting reminiscences with a hefty tome of Diamond’s complete lyrics. McCarten deftly sidesteps the usual onslaught of wikipedia factoids, beginning with young Diamond (Neil Diamond – Then) as a songwriter who is soon coerced to take to the stage himself. 

Neil Diamond – Now and his Doctor remain on stage, watching the action and reflecting on Diamond’s ongoing dissatisfaction with anything other than performing. Storytelling and musical momentum tend to be swiftly dissipated whenever the focus returns solely to the therapy session, but the conceit reaches a cathartic triumph late in act two when Diamond makes a breakthrough with his understanding of his emotional state. 

Whilst the narrative is generally linear, there is a sense of the abstract in the unfolding recollections, expertly presented with sterling clarity by prolific Broadway director Michael Mayer. Mayer and his creative team work as one, each element contributing to the fluid sense of exploration of memories and personal connections. 

David Rockwell’s endlessly adaptable scenic design consists almost entirely of lights, including a gorgeous bank of overhead period light fittings, designed by Kevin Adams. The extensive costume design of Emilio Sosa conveys time and place as well as charting Diamond’s rise to the top, both in terms of his performing career and his offstage lifestyle.

The title of hit 1976 hit song “A Beautiful Noise” is adopted as the name of the ensemble of the musical, a group of singer dancers who appear as the embodiment of Diamond’s music. Occasionally playing actual backup singers and fans, the ensemble members frequently simply move to the music, whilst delivering pristine backing vocals. Choreographer Steven Hoggett creates a gentle form of dance, a pleasure to watch, that seems to just organically derive from the music. 

While the work of the sound designer can often be taken for granted, Jessica Paz achieves particular success here in creating a “live” vocal sound when Diamond is performing, in contrast to the regular musical theatre sound of other scenes. 

On keys, music director Nigel Ubrihien helms a rocking band of eight fellow musicians, seen on stage to terrific effect in the concert montages of act two. The band of nine may be somewhat diminished from the Broadway production’s 13 musicians and yet the local artists readily make up the difference with their supreme skill.

Charismatic star Will Swenson commands the stage as Neil Diamond – Then, oozing with the raw sensuality that made Diamond such a huge stage star. Swenson adopts a gravelly vocal tone that completes the highly successfully interpretation of Diamond without being an impersonation. Swenson neatly captures the difference between Diamond on and off stage, earning welcome laughs with his oh-so-dry deadpan delivery. This is Swenson’s defining role and Australia is fortunate to be playing host to it. 

Terence Crawford brings a lifetime of experience to invest Neil Diamond – Now with the requisite weariness, irascibility, and despondency, all underpinned by a spark of the light which once burned so brightly. When Crawford all too briefly breaks out in song himself, the hard won effect is tremendously moving.

As the ever patient Doctor, Monica Sayers provides wonderful support to Crawford, believably “discovering” relevant passages in the book of lyrics and almost disappearing into the scenes to keep the focus on Diamond. 

Ashleigh Rubenach delights as Marcia Murphey, effectively styled as a knockout blonde bombshell, second wife of Diamond. In gorgeous voice, Rubenach brings fresh life to “Song Sung Blue” and the poignant “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” also stopping the show with a fabulous rendition of “Forever in Blue Jeans.”

Diamond’s down to earth first wife Jaye Posner is given an additional boost of personality with the subtly quirky performance of Alana Tranter. 

Hannah Fredericksen brings sunny warmth to Brill Building music producer Ellie Greenwich, later unrecognisable in a flashback as matriarch Rose Diamond.

Highly dependable musical theatre performer Tim Wright adds to his catalogue of character roles as both folksy The Bitter End proprietor Fred Weintraub and unhinged mob man turned record producer Tommy O’Rourke.

Special mention of Etuate Lutui, who steps forth from the ensemble to play one scene as teen Diamond with his first guitar, memorably crooning a sweetly tender rendition of “Shilo.”

An absolute boon for lovers of Diamond’s music, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is an entertaining and expertly performed piece of theatre in its own right. 

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical plays at Princess Theatre, Melbourne until 9 November 2026. For tickets, click here.

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical plays at Sydney Lyric Theatre from 14 November 2026. For tickets, click here.

At select performances, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical offers a Backstage VIP Experience. For details, click here.

Photos: Jeff Busby