“A Beautiful Noise,” now playing at the Pantages, is a musical framed by therapy sessions with an older Neil Diamond looking back at his career, now with Parkinson’s disease and trying to find a peace that his younger self could only find onstage.
The show is filled with 28 of Diamond’s songs and divided by two Diamonds, younger Neil played by Nick Fradiani in a remarkable performance, a Jewish songwriter from Brooklyn, and older Neil played by Robert Westenberg, trying to come to terms with a career that has ended. The audience gasped when Fradiani began to sing due to the stunning similarity to Diamond’s distinctive voice. This is the standout reason to see the show, Fradiani is Neil Diamond. The show unpacks Diamond’s rise to fame, his personal demons, marriages (with wives played by Hannah Jewel Kohn and Tiffany Tatreau), and the music that both saved and haunted him.
From “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin’ Rosie” to “I Am... I Said” and “America,” the show delivers many of Diamond’s hits, though we missed “Girl You Will Be A Woman Soon,” which is not included. Choreographer Steven Hoggett brings an ensemble-driven energy to the musical numbers.
Where the musical falls short is digging deeper into Diamond’s life to unravel the “dark clouds” that plague him throughout his career. The failed marriages and lost family time are typical themes in musical biographies, but the audience doesn’t get much more information behind Diamond’s depression, insight into his feelings of not fitting in, or background into his songwriting process. The emotional story is best when it focuses on Diamond’s internal conflicts including his discomfort with fame, his strained relationships, and his search for self-worth.
“A Beautiful Noise” will be loved by his fans for celebrating Neil Diamond’s many hits and for Fradiani’s outstanding performance. Our performance included a very special virtual performance from the man himself, via his third wife Katie joining the cast and Diamond via Facetime for a sing along of “Sweet Caroline.”
“A Beautiful Noise” plays at The Pantages in Los Angeles through July 27, then moves to other cities throughout the year, tickets at https://www.broadwayinhollywood.com/events/detail/a-beautiful-noise.
