When you hear about the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it’s easy to imagine a glamorous whirlwind of success and instant recognition. But for Hannah Power and Conor Murray, creators and stars of Don’t Tell Dad About Diana, the journey was far from a fairy tale. It was a story of grit, friendship, and taking control of their own destiny, going in with no expectations and making the magic happen through sheer hard work.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Hannah and Conor recently, and what struck me most was how their friendship is the beating heart of the show and their creative journey. They met studying drama together, quickly becoming inseparable. Conor joked about being cast as Hannah’s son in one of their early shows, a quirky start to a partnership that would evolve into something much deeper.“We were codependent, inseparable,” Hannah said. “We started writing it at the very end of drama school. We knew we wanted to make something together.”
Their show, set in Dublin in 1997, follows two best friends obsessed with Princess Diana, navigating friendship, identity, and the chaos of coming of age against a backdrop of Irish nationalism and pop culture. But beyond the story itself, it’s their chemistry on stage that reviewers and audiences can’t get enough of. “There’s something about building a world that’s super rich and fun, and hopefully the audience feels like they’re part of this friendship,” Conor explained. “They speak the same kind of language that we do.”
What makes their story even more inspiring is how they made the Edinburgh Fringe accessible to themselves despite the festival’s growing inaccessibility and costs. They went without a budget for posters, relying on word of mouth and a manifesto they wrote to keep their expectations grounded. “We put all our eggs in this one basket,” Conor said. “We fundraised, worked two or three jobs to put our own money into it just to make it happen.” Hannah added, “It can be so overwhelming with marketing and everything, but we picked a couple of things that fit our budget and tried not to get crazy overwhelmed.”
Their honesty and upfront approach resonated deeply with audiences, leading to a sold-out run at Edinburgh, rave reviews, and awards like Theatre Weekly’s Best LGBTQ+ Show. The validation was overwhelming.
“It was our baby for about two years,” Hannah reflected. “Waiting for the reviews was nerve-wracking, but after a few days, we could finally breathe and realise it might go our way.”
Despite the success, they remain grounded, focusing on the story and the connection with the audience rather than the hype.
“If the reviews were bad, we’d throw them away,” Conor said with a laugh. “It’s about being in the moment and telling the story the best we can.”
Their Irish tour has been just as successful, and now they’re bringing the show to London’s Underbelly Boulevard Soho for two nights only on 26th and 28th May 2026. They’re buzzing to get back on stage and share this story with a new audience.
“We want people to leave thinking about those obsessive teenage friendships, texting your best friend, listening to the same music, dreaming about the future” Conor said.
If you haven’t seen Don’t Tell Dad About Diana yet, this limited London run is not to be missed. It’s a celebration of friendship, identity, and the power of making your own path, something Hannah and Conor have done with heart and determination.
See Don’t Tell Dad About Diana at Underbelly Boulevard Soho on 26th and 28th May 2026. Tickets are on sale here.
Listen to the full interview on Stage & Screen with Harvey Morton.