Sunset Boulevard, the iconic play that has been captivating audiences worldwide, has recently graced the stage of the historic Savoy Theatre in London under the direction of West End and Broadway director Jamie Lloyd (Cyrano de Bergerac, Evita).
The actors in this Andrew Llyod-Webber iteration of the classic musical on Hollywood narcissism, insecurity, and neuroses are headlined by Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, returning to the stage after her Olivier Award nomination for her role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 2015 production of Cats. Co-starring with Scherzinger are Tom Francis as Joe Gillis, David Thaxton as Max Von Mayerling, and Kamilla Fernandes as Betty Schaefer, just days in after her debut in the role.
Scherzinger brings her “triple threat” capability of vocals, acting, and dancing to the character of Desmond with undeniable confidence and stage presence.
Unlike previous productions of Sunset Boulevard, this iteration immediately stands out by being particularly spartan in production design. No sets, props or background design are used making the production feel more like an independent theatre production rather than a West End spectacle.
That’s not to say that this is a bad thing, by any stretch. This almost ascetic approach by director Jamie Lloyd brings the characters and actors to the forefront of the performance and allows them to shine. In scenes, it is apparent that the actors themselves are the set. Scherzinger brings her – to use an overused Hollywood term – “triple threat” – capability of vocals, acting, and dancing to the character of Desmond with undeniable confidence and stage presence. Probably the pinnacle of the vocals is by David Thaxtron, as the ever loyal and omnipresent Max, but all other performers perform adequately too.
The production design also foregoes any colours except black and white, imitating the black and white golden age of the silver screen to which the plot hearkens back, only breaking this rule during critical parts of the plot. The sound production is proficient though some of the lyrics are lost in the output.
While the production is minimalist, Lloyd opted for an interesting addition to the stage cast. A Steadicam operator with a live working camera broadcasting to full stage-sized screen in real-time, capturing classic film style framing and close-ups, immersing the audience in a play that is directly tied to the screen in narrative and delivery. Unusual for a stage play, it certainly gets mileage from this principle and is sometimes used to break the fourth wall with pragmatic effect. While this technique is probably the technical highpoint of the production, it does unfortunately highlight one of the weaker aspects of the show. Kamilla Fernandes’ debut as Betty is apparent, as there is almost no chemistry between her and Francis as Gillis. A small dip in an otherwise sharp and effective production.
Sunset Boulevard’s limited sixteen-week run in the West End will be until 6th January 2024.
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