Sat in the auditorium waiting for the show to start I had a sense of excitement and anticipation, like every time I go to the theatre, but this time it was different. Having never seen this show before with no sense of what it was about I was looking forward to finding out. And then the orchestra played the opening chords of the opening numer, the house lights went down and suddenly I was in another world.
Sunset Boulevard tells the story of a down on his luck writer named Joseph ‘Joe’ Gillis (played by Strictly’s Danny Mac) who befriends an old silent film star who is still under the illusion that she is a big deal called Norma Desmond (played by Ria Jones). The chemistry between these two stars on stage is evident and you can tell they’re good friends, which adds to the believability of these two central characters. The show is full of surprises, one of which being how well Danny Mac can sing – his almost angelic voice reflecting Joe’s naiveity as to how in over his head he truly is but doesn’t realise.
The live orchestra adds a nice touch to the overall atmosphere of the show and immerses the audience in the world of Hollywood in the 1940s/1950s. The staging is ingeniuous; with very few set pieces and projections of movie clips from the era in which the show is set, you almost forget that you’re in a theatre. The main centrepiece however is Ms Desmond’s magnificent staircase, which serves as the object that represents both Norma’s mansion on Sunset Boulevard, as well as the sound stages in the Hollywood world.
With the plot, which has many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, music, set pieces and the maginificent cast, a stand out of which being Adam Pearce who plays Norma’s long suffering Max with an outstanding singing voice, this show is spectacular. It’s unlike any musical I have ever seen before, it deals with deeper issues than just the fakeness of Hollywood, but it was still a very enjoyable show and I would absolutely see it again if the opportunity arose.
alltheworldsascreenblog 