Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is about a movie star past her prime, trying to reinvent her career by taking a new ill-advised direction.

As per the original movie Norma Desmond is writing a screenplay with herself as a 16- year-old in an adaptation of Salome.

In a sense life imitated art, with Sarah Brightman the superstar soprano of Phantom of the Opera fame, receiving poor reviews at the Melbourne opening, then missing part of that season through injury, followed by producers initially switching their Sydney advertising focus to the alternate Norma Desmond – Silvie Paladino.

Tongues wagged! Would Sarah even make it to Sydney? Well yes, she did, and they even released a YouTube video showing her singing “As If We Never Said Goodbye” as proof of performance life.

The diva by all accounts has made progress over her tentative Melbourne opening but still does not have the lower register to truly take command of this role. Her diction was not always as clear as it could have been. However, in the final scene where Norma famously says she is ready for her close-up, I was wooed by her artistry.

This is a divisive production – several industry types, that is performers and frequent theatre goers, were unenthusiastic about the production when I mingled with them during intermission.

However, my date, a non-regular theatre goer, who had not seen the musical before enjoyed the spectacle, well-known tunes and old-world Hollywood glamour.

This a lavish looking musical with exquisite costumes on a dark and brooding set. When you enter the Joan Sutherland theatre the eyes of Norma Desmond peer ominously at the audience.

There was an impressive reveal into the grand mansion on Sunset Boulevard,  with its sweeping staircase  where struggling screen writer Joe Gillis (Tim Draxl) stumbles into by accident.

Gillis is the prime role in the musical and Draxl plays it with passion and skill – but perhaps was a fraction harsh on the signature tune.

However, his duet with Betty Schaefer (Ashleigh Rubenach) was delicious, and it was easy to understand why his relationship with the younger women was so much more natural.

Robert Grubb as Norma’s mysterious butler (Max Von Mayerling) nailed his songs with clarity and wit.

The bedrock of the performance was a sumptuous orchestration. A regular orchestra in professional musical theatre season has about 20 in the pit – this had more than 60.

The musical really flew in the chorus scenes, with the ensemble taking to the stage with gusto and humour.

A night of glamour, exploitation, spectacle and intrigue.

David Spicer

Photographer: Daniel Boud