Director Jamie Lloyd's new minimalist revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard opened at London's Savoy Theatre in the West End October 12, and the reviews are in. Previews began September 21.
Audiences have the chance to catch the performances of two different Norma Desmonds. Nicole Scherzinger stars as the ill-fated silent screen star, but the production also features West End and Broadway actor Rachel Tucker (Wicked, Come From Away, The Last Ship) guest-starring as Norma at Monday performances beginning October 16 and continuing through January 6, 2024.
The cast also includes Tom Francis as Joe Gillis, Grace Hodgett Young as Betty Schaefer, and David Thaxton as Max Von Mayerling.
Read the reviews below.
Evening Standard (Nick Curtis)
London Theatre (Marianka Swain)
The New York Times (Matt Wolf)*
The Telegraph (Dominic Cavendish)*
TimeOut London (Andrzej Lukowski)
*This review may require creating a free account or a paid subscription.
Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
Completing the company are Carl Au as Myron/Jones, Georgia Bradshaw as Lisa/Masseur, Hannah Yun Chamberlain as Patsy/Beautician, Tyler Davis as Sheldrake, Kamilla Fernandes as Dorothy/Astrologer, Ahmed Hamad as Artie, Laura Harrison as Catherine/Doctor, Charlotte Jaconelli as Joanna/Masseur, Olivia-Faith Kamau as Nancy/Beautician, Luke Latchman as John/Guard, Emma Lloyd as Mary/Heather/Analyst, Mireia Mambo as Jean/Beautician/Dance Captain, Gregor Milne as Sammy, Kody Mortimer as Finance Man/Frank, Jon Tsouras as Finance Man/Cecil B. De Mille, and Charlie Waddell as Morino/Hog-Eye, with Lara Denning as the Standby Norma and Jordan Cork and Shayna McPherson as the Camera Operators. Swings are Catherine Cornwall, Michael Lin (assistant dance captain), Jon Reynolds, Kirsty Anne Shaw, Harrison Wilde, and Lillie-Pearl Wildman.
The production also has set and costume design by Soutra Gilmour, choreography by Fabian Aloise, music supervision and musical direction by Alan Williams, lighting design by Jack Knowles, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design and cinematography by Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom, casting by Stuart Burt, voice and dialect coaching by Hazel Holder, fight direction by Kate Waters, intimacy coordination by Ingrid Mackinnon, costume supervision by Rachel Woodhouse, props supervision by Lily Mollgaard, associate direction by Rupert Hands, associate choreography by resident Paris Green, associate musical direction by Huw Evans, associate sound design by Kelsh B-D, and production management by Martyn Sands.
Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (with a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton) is based on the 1950 movie of the same name, which featured Gloria Swanson as the reclusive Norma Desmond who falls in love with an unlucky writer—Joe Gillis—who happens upon her home by accident. William Holden played Gillis in the film, which was directed by the late Billy Wilder. Swanson, Holden, and Wilder all received Academy Award nominations for their work.
The Jamie Lloyd Company production of Sunset Boulevard is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, Gavin Kalin Productions, and Wessex Grove.
Sunset Boulevard is produced by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd and is based on the original Paramount film by Billy Wilder.
Visit SunsetBoulevardWestEnd.com.
Tom Francis and cast of Sunset Boulevard
Tom Francis and cast of Sunset Boulevard
Tom Francis and Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Tom Francis and David Thaxton in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard
Hannah Yun Chamberlain and Mireia Mambo in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Grace Hodgett Young in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Grace Hodgett Young, Nicole Scherzinger, and Tom Francis in Sunset Boulevard
Grace Hodgett Young and Tom Francis in Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
David Thaxton and cast of Sunset Boulevard (West End, 2023)
Cast of Sunset Boulevard
