Official blurb: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’s SUNSET BLVD. is reimagined by six-time Olivier-winning and Tony®️-nominated director JAMIE LLOYD in a “scorching, brilliant revival” the New York Post calls “Broadway’s most exhilarating show in years.” Nicole Scherzinger’s Olivier-winning turn as the immortal Norma Desmond is “a wonder to behold,” raves USA Today. “Every bit as stunning and volcanic as you’ve heard. Her talent is earthshaking.” Haunted by her memories and dreams, movie star Norma Desmond yearns to return to the big screen. A struggling screenwriter who can’t sell his scripts to the Hollywood studios may be her only hope, until their dangerous and captivating relationship leads to disaster. Drenched in champagne and cynicism, SUNSET BLVD. focuses the lens on the ambitions and frustrations of its characters and puts their intoxicating need for fame and adoration in stark close-up. Witness magic in the making at SUNSET BLVD. on Broadway. “For collectors of history-making Broadway performances, this is one not to be missed.” (Wall Street Journal)
My take: I’m confused about this one. First of all, I love Andrew Lloyd Webber, and for all its flaws I enjoy Sunset Boulevard so there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy this. But I actually think this is a Sunset Boulevard for people who do not not enjoy the original, it is subversive.
I know everybody is raving but i had some thing I liked and some things I did not. I’m gonna start with the Positives. Lets state the obvious straight out of the gate: The two best parts of Sunset Boulevard, With one look and As If We Never Said Goodbye, both sound absolutely beautiful , Nicole hits a home run and that is worth the price of admission alone. I thought that the video close-ups were beautiful and completely relevant to the story. such great stage making. (although why didn’t you have a close-up in With One Look?) I think Nicole’s performance is fabulous for me 80% of the time. Sometimes I think she was trying to play two different characters and it was a little bit confusing (a more regal Norma vs a real housewive Norma) but in general she was awesome and her voice was great, a totally worthy performance. Tom Francis as Joe is a very stoic take that i really liked, a more dark and brooding handsome take on the character.
As For the negative, I think they tried so hard to be innovative and new but they did not add much for me to like the story more or improve the story telling. I might be the only person who did not love the Sunset Boulevard scene. Yes its fun that they are filming outside but does it add anything to the story? going outside doesn’t really give much to what we’re saying, breaking the fourth wall and having Andrew Lloyd Webber, Pussycat dolls things and going through the dressing rooms I don’t think really gave me anything that made me understand the story, the character or Sunset Boulevard better other than its kind of cool what they are doing logistically and technically. My other big issue is what what is up with the costumes. I personally really like the opulence of past takes. i really did not understand why we are going minimal other than to be different, I get the black-and-white as a nod to the silent films, but do the people have to wear like their exercise clothes and T-shirts and shorts they would wear to rehearsal? Could we have done fashionable black-and-white? I don’t think they even hired a custom designer, it looked like a college production. I also personally did not love Betty. I did not get their love story like I kind of felt more connection between Joe and Norma than with Betty.
In general, I have to say, it is a must watch. Doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best watch, but it is a must watch to make your own opinion. I like that I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I wasn’t raving about it.
Official blurb: The Youth Are F**Ked. Left to their own devices in their parents’ world of violent ends, an impulsive pair of star-crossed lovers hurtle towards their inescapable fate. The intoxicating high of passion quickly descends into a brutal chaos that can only end one way. Emmy Award winner Kit Connor (“Heartstopper”) and Golden Globe Award winner Rachel Zegler (Spielberg’s “West Side Story”) star as Romeo and Juliet in Tony Award-winning director Sam Gold’s (Fun Home, An Enemy of the People) visceral and visionary production. Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy now belongs to a new generation on the edge.
my take: Romeo and Juliet has been done modern and young to perfection and I think we should keep Claire Dane and Leo, and the Baz Lhurhams version as a staple as it was done beautifully. This was kind of a lame attempt to get Shakespeare to the youth but there were many things that didn’t work for me. I went because I like Rachel and Kit, and they might not be the best Shakespeare actors but they did a solid job. I was obsessed with their balcony scene and I thought that was the best moment. They were let down by their direction. (At this point after the disastrous Macbeth by Sam Gold a couple of years back, 1. why do I keep subjecting myself to his takes and 2. why do they keep giving him theaters and money).
I love the fact that they were different characters played by the same person, and speaking of multiple characters l, The best part of the show was Gabby Beans as Mercutio / The Friar, she stole the show. But if you’re gonna do multiple characters, I believe there have to be stronger sartorial or costume choices That promote that. Sometimes it was not clear. And speaking of sartorial choices, the costumes were a total mess. I did not get what we’re saying. I don’t know where we were. I don’t know if we were poor if we were rich if we were in the past, in a post apocalyptic future, in a rave, if we were in LA , Verona in the 15th century or the 22nd century, I was just confused they were just hanging around killing each other. Lets also discuss the music – it was another mess. You hear original music by Jack Antonoff and you have Rachel’s voice and you think this is going to kill it but it doesn’t. If you want a wonderful Romeo and Juliet with a side of music definitely go to see &Juliet which is spectacular. Here the music does not add much and just made me want to transport back to my Romeo and Juliet CD in high school and the fab song: Kissing you.
So we didn’t have a clear point of view or location or story, it was pretty much an avenue to have two really popular actors do Shakespeare , which is a cool opportunity. Unfortunately one that was a big fat mess for me and wasted beautiful actors in and boring non-engaging staging so I think this is the last chance I’m gonna give Sam Gold. I’m just gonna get my Shakespeare elsewhere.
Tati's Tidbits 