A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical Review - by Peyton Webb

Two brown armchairs face each other on an otherwise empty stage. One is occupied by an empathetic counselor, eager to listen. In the other sits a bitter old man who was once a king of rock. And thus, the scene is set for A Beautiful Noise.

(From left) Nick Fradiani as ‘Neil - Then,’ Robert Westenberg as ‘Neil - Now’ and Lisa Reneé Pitts as ‘Doctor’ in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel

The Tony-nominated 2022 musical presents the life and times of legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond. The guitar-clad performer is an imposing, prolific cornerstone of American music history, boasting 37 Top 40 Hits, a Grammy, and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A Beautiful Noise depicts a modern, retired Diamond (“Neil Now”) in therapy. He unpacks his life through a series of flashbacks beginning in the 1960s (“Neil Then”). Directed by Michael Mayer, Beautiful Noise’s Broadway tour opened in Minneapolis on Tuesday for a nearly full house, which seemed to be filled with devoted Diamond-ites who grew up to the tune of “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin’ Rosie.” But even though nostalgia was the show’s appeal for many, the actual experience of the evening drifts from the beloved music it celebrates.

Beautiful Noise’s use of the “therapy flashback” framework was dismaying; it’s a tired trope that came across more like a convenient writing crutch than a creative choice. The conversations between Neil Now (Robert Westenberg) and his therapist (Lisa Reneé Pitts) were manufactured and uninteresting–by no fault of the actors, but, rather, a result of Anthony McCarten’s painfully mediocre writing. Their dialogue seemed intended to be the show’s pulse, yet fell short of whatever profound revelations or insightful commentary it aimed for.

Nick Fradiani as ‘Neil - Then’ (center) with ‘The Noise’ and the Band in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel

Indeed, Beautiful Noise’s most enthralling and memorable moments happen when it forgets the dialogue and lets the music take over. 

Diamond’s discography overflows with irresistible melodies and mouthwatering lyrics, and Nick Fradiani’s portrayal of Neil Then undoubtedly does them justice. In “Kentucky Woman,” “Cherry, Cherry,” “America,” and more, Fradiani recreates Diamond’s twangy rock lilt with remarkable accuracy, and nails the beloved “Jewish Elvis” stage presence. His character’s showtime flamboyancy contrasts wonderfully with his offstage broodiness, reiterating the singer’s poetic disposition and cementing his place under the “tortured soul” archetype. Backing up Fradiani are the ensemble performers billed as The Beautiful Noise. The Noise joins in on nearly every number, bringing the color, vivacity, and awe that form the theatricality the show thrives on.

A Beautiful Noise is at its best when it embraces the beloved songs in its repertoire and allows them to form the story. The primary issue is that it doesn’t do so nearly enough. Diamond’s music holds enough wisdom and heart on its own; it doesn’t require a forced, sentimental therapy session to speak for it, and an overly editorialized version only serves to dilute Diamond’s story. Most of the fans filling the theater aren’t there for poorly executed commentary. They’re there for the “Sweet Caroline” singalong that closed Act I. They’re there to hear Neil triumphantly sing out, “they’re coming to America.” They’re there for the recreation of the moments that touched their own lives. A Beautiful Noise is so close to being exactly what it needs to be, if only it could forget the modern frills and lean more into the musings of that star-eyed kid from Brooklyn.