Sunset Boulevard Archives - North West End UK

20Mar

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Sunset Boulevard – Sheffield Lyceum

‘I am big. It’s the pictures that got small’. Norma Desmond’s famous line encapsulates all that is Sunset Boulevard, pure opulence from the scrumptious score to the dramatic and flamboyant performance. Based on the 1950’s film by Bill Wilder starring silent movie queen Gloria Swanson, the stage version; after many attempted and aborted musical adaptations; finally had its debut in 1992 with the book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and the music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sunset Boulevard powerfully charts the decline of the silent movies and instead of celebrating the rise of the talkies such as the musical Singing in the Rain, it hovers moodily over the demise of the stars who were cast aside and ‘dethroned’. Told through the eyes of the struggling writer Joe Gillis as he ...

4Dec

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Sunset Boulevard – Royal Albert Hall

Sunset Boulevard is a whirlwind of a musical about ambition, dreams, and human fragility. The story focuses on two characters, one who is based in fantasy and one who is based in reality and what happens as their worlds collide. Joe (Ramin Karimloo), a writer in desperate circumstances fortuitously meets Norma (Mazz Murray), a middle-aged actress longing for her glory days. The plot lulls the audience into a false sense of security, as it is easy to buy into the “struggling writer who finds a new muse” and “has-been who reclaims her fame” cliché. Both actors bring a truth and freshness to their roles, handling their characters with delicacy and are thus magnetising. Karimloo is the first to appear on stage, transporting us to Joe’s feeble life as a writer in Los Angeles. He imbues Joe w...

Sunset Boulevard at Royal Albert Hall for one night only

19Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Sunset Boulevard at Royal Albert Hall for one night only

In a special, one-night-only concert, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s iconic musical Sunset Boulevard will dazzle audiences at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 3rd December. Presented by The Alpha Family, in association with Quick Fantastic, the concert reunites stars Mazz Murray (Mamma Mia; We Will Rock You) as Norma Desmond, Ramin Karimloo (Les Misérables; Phantom of the Opera) as Joe Gillis, Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins) as Betty Schaefer and Jeremy Secomb (Les Misérables) as Max von Mayerling. Based on Billy Wilder’s legendary 1950 film starring Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard is heading to the Royal Albert Hall following a critically acclaimed performance at Alexandra Palace earlier this year. The 19-strong cast will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra on...

Sunset Boulevard – Leicester Curve Online

13Jan

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

East Midlands

Sunset Boulevard – Leicester Curve Online

As it toured the country, Leicester Curve’s 2017 production was praised by audiences and critics alike. Now, the team has come back together and filmed the musical for home viewings, whilst the theatres it visited sadly remain closed. Nikolai Foster’s artistic take on the iconic show has elevated the plot, and in doing so, has created an even more captivating piece. The first number embodies the chaos and desperation of late-40's Hollywood, set to the familiar melodies of Webber. “Did I hear that chord sequence in Joseph, or was it Jesus? Or have I just heard it earlier on in this song?” Webber’s signature style is stamped onto the show from the get-go. Another thing that is noticeable straight away is the appeal of the leading man. Narrating directly to camera, Danny Mac (White Christm...