Diorama: London's Climate Disaster Musical Falls Flat

Set in a 16th-floor flat overlooking the Thames in a flooded London of 2425, "Diorama" attempts to chart climate disaster through an ambitious musical production. The narrative unfolds across two timezones, featuring tower block survivors and a couple in the 1990s who become implicated in the environmental catastrophe. The musical employs an electro-folk sound, but its impact is diminished by short, filler scenes and lyrics described as cumbersome and waffly.

The production grapples with underdeveloped plotlines and inconsistent worldbuilding. Elements like "The Balance," its founder Robin Blake, and a "Hunger Games-style" Tombola lack sufficient explanation, leaving the dystopian stakes feeling low. Even character backstories, such as that of Biscuits, remain neutered due to a lack of detail.

While "Diorama" clearly strives for a new musical form, the experimental approach ultimately overshadows the drama. Despite some promising musical arrangements, the songs themselves are not infectious, and the overall effort drowns out the narrative, failing to fully progress or engage its audience.