Such is the speedy turnaround times between shows in various Fringe venues that the team behind Don’t Tell Dad About Diana had just one song as part of their pre-show set, a Spice Girls tune called ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’. But for whatever reason, the show started later than it should have, and at the performance I attended, it started to become increasingly ridiculous that we, the audience, were sitting there, listening to the same song being blasted out over and over again.
The show’s title only tells a relatively small part of a wide-ranging story. Conor’s dad cannot stand ‘the People’s Princess’, or British royalty in general, for that matter, being that kind of Irishman. A wardrobe dominates the admittedly small stage, doubling up as a sign holder amongst other things, as both Conor and his best friend Hannah (funnily enough, played by Conor Murray and Hannah Power respectively, although the production does not claim to be autobiographical) set about participating in a competition called Alternative Miss Ireland. Their drag act is based on Princess Diana, but there’s an issue that only becomes evident to them once they begin teching at the venue and another drag act is horrified, having to spell out precisely why circumstances earlier in the day mean there is now no chance a Diana drag act could ever win a drag competition.
The show explores Irish national identity – what does it really mean when Conor isn’t, contrary to the pair’s plans to relocate from Dublin to London, leaving home after all? At the surface level, he’s accepted a place on a course he wanted, but Hannah was completely unaware – what other secrets has he kept from her? The sense of hurt and betrayal is palpable in this otherwise heartfelt portrayal of youngsters just trying to make their way in the world. A vibrant and energetic production.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Written and performed by Hannah Power and Conor Murray
Director – Emma Finegan
Producer – Rua Barron
Dramaturg – Austin Hughes
Set and Props Designer – Gabe Gilmour
Lighting Designer – Ferdy Emmet
Sound Designer – Theo Foley
In this fast-paced whirlwind of a show, we follow two best friends secretly preparing to compete for the crown of Alternative Miss Ireland with their outrageously regal Princess Diana drag act – all under the nose of their hardline nationalist families ahead of the Good Friday Agreement. In the year that saw Ireland’s first gay kiss on Fair City, Eurovision on home turf, and Boyzone dominating the charts, this is a story about formative friendship, identity and grief at the crossroads of adolescence, reflecting on the profound and personal experience of mourning a cultural icon.
DON’T TELL DAD ABOUT DIANA
Underbelly Cowgate at the Edinburgh Fringe
31 July to 25 August 2025
