Yahoo News Meryl Streep is a dancing queen once more in The Prom’s dazzling trailer
Sequins! Jazz hands! Meryl Streep! Sadly, we’re not here to tell you that the surprise trailer for Mamma Mia 3 that we’ve all been dreaming of during lockdown has finally become reality - but 2020 has been a year of managing expectations, and the first teaser clip for The Prom might just be the next best thing.
With a star-studded cast, massive showtunes, a very earnest message and, erm, James Corden, The Prom could be the sparkling musical gift that makes this Christmas that little bit less grim. Or, it could just end up being this year’s Cats (did we mention that Corden is starring?) Either way, we’re invested.
Based on a musical which debuted on Broadway in 2018, The Prom tells the story of Emma, an Indiana teen whose high school prom was cancelled when she asked to bring her girlfriend along. She’s played by newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman, who won the role after - drum roll - a nationwide search.
Meanwhile, a group of washed-up musical theatre stars, fresh from the critical mauling of their latest Broadway venture, are searching for a worthy cause to help redeem themselves in the eyes of the public: Emma’s plight seems just the ticket.
If that all sounds rather Glee, it’s hardly a surprise to learn that Ryan Murphy is on directing duties - all-singing, all-dancing high school misfits are very much his bag, after all. The film, which will debut on Netflix in December, is part of his mega-deal with the streaming service, which has recently brought us series like The Politician, Hollywood and Ratched (make of that what you will).
As musical theatre doyenne Dee Dee Allen, Streep is dancing, jiving and having the time of her life once again. There’s even a wonderful moment in the trailer where she attempts to force the concierge of a regional motel into giving her a better room by forcefully placing two Tony trophies onto his front desk (“Surely you know who I am?”). Ironically, three-time Oscar favourite Streep has only ever received one Tony nomination, and no statuette.
She’s joined by her Big Little Lies co-star Nicole Kidman as a former chorus girl who never managed to snag a starring role (however this turns out, let’s just take a moment to thank the film gods for giving Kidman her first musical role since 2001’s Moulin Rouge!) along with bonafide Broadway star Andrew Rannells.
Kerry Washington and Keegan-Michael Key, meanwhile, play the high school teachers backing Emma’s bid to bring back the prom. The cast list is undoubtedly impressive, but it didn’t initially go down too well in musical theatre circles, with some fans left wondering why Murphy chose big names over supporting the show’s original cast, who received a slew of (real) Tony nominations last year.
Casting controversy aside, it looks like The Prom has enough schmaltz, silliness and sparkle to drag us into the festive season. Roll on opening night.
The Prom is available to stream on Netflix from December 11.
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