Review: Sunset Boulevard; at the Savoy Theatre, London

Well... this was a lastminute.com decision if there ever was one; the tickets were booked only last Friday for the Monday. Having Mondays off (often) with the new job does have some benefits it seems... 

I didn't think I would get the chance to see the new production of Sunset Boulevard during its limited run, but here we are! This Sunset has had an interesting journey; from it being announced, to knowing it was Jamie Lloyd behind it, to announcing that former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger was going to be headlining: it went from "hmmm interesting" to being the hottest ticket in town. 

But if you see it on a Monday, you will get West End leading lady Rachel Tucker as "the greatest star of all" 

Before I go into Tucker and co, I want to talk about the production itself. As it is as far away as possible from any production of Sunset Boulevard you will have seen before. In fact, I am almost reluctant to call it a revival, and instead, would call it a total reimagining and reinvention of the material. 

This is, admittedly, the first Jamie Lloyd production I have seen, but I have of course seen pictures and heard things about his style through friends in my theatre WhatsApp group, and through critics like MickeyJo. So I know about how he likes to strip everything to its bare bones and have the focus be the work itself, rather than all the meat that set and costumes can provide. Sunset is no exception. 

There is no set to speak of, just a blank movie set, a huge screen that lifts up and down (more on that later), and minimal props: in fact, apart from a chair or two, and the handheld cameras (again, more on that later), the only prop I can think off the top of my head is the body bag Joe crawls out of at the beginning of the show. 

The costuming is very minimal too, with them all being black and white "modern" dress, not signifying a specific time period. Norma herself wears only a black slip and is barefoot throughout the whole show. Paying homage the to the original movie, as well as the costuming, the lighting (blinding at times, Jack Knowles creates some of the best effects you'll see) and few props are either black or white. With one shocking exception.. red.... 

This show is about cinema, and so Jamie Lloyd genius-ly combines theatre and cinema together to create a whole new and unique experience 

Time to talk about the screen and cameras - helmed by members of the ensemble, these handheld cameras get extreme close ups of the company, either onstage or backstage, and beam them live onto the giant screen at the back of the stage. And when I say extreme close-ups, you can see every quip of the eyebrow, every tear, even every bead of sweat that nearly falls into Joe's eyes during the car chase scene. 

With rolling titles and end credit scenes, it really does feel like a marriage of both worlds. I don't want to spoil any more surprises with it, but is a creative masterstroke; so huge props to the expertise of cinematographers Nathan Amzi and Joe Ramsom. No doubt this has been the most ambitious thing they've done. 

Now onto this cast - fit perfect for this production 

We open, as I said, with Joe unzipping himself from the body bag; and then Tom Francis (& Juliet) takes us into the darker side of Hollywood. After all, "getting there is only the beginning". It's great to see the slightly more classical side of his voice, without losing his grungy Kurt Cobain tone we first saw in RENT. This Joe is very cynical; he's disillusioned with the glitz Hollywood offers, which actually works in favour in his scenes with Betty (the ambitious newcomer played by Grace Hodgett-Young in her professional debut). Ironically, he's a survivor, and Francis was a great choice for this Joe. 

As well as seeing Rachel Tucker, the other performer I was really excited to see was David Thaxton. I got to hear his voice in lockdown with The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and since then, have come to realise he is probably one of the most underrated performers in the West End. His Max was one of the best performances of the night: Max is described as Norma's German Shepherd and to be honest, that was a pretty apt description. He's mysterious, always working in the shadows; but more than anything, he is truly devoted to Norma. He doesn't show much emotion, but the ending for Max is devastating; you see his purpose being ripped away and it's hard to watch. Thaxton's voice too suited the whole range of Max's score; he was phenomenal. 

And now, The Greatest Star of All (on a Monday): Rachel Tucker 

I have known about Tucker ever since she was an I'd Do Anything contestant; but have never had the opportunity to see her live until now. From her days as a Nancy hopeful, to the videos I have seen of her perform as Elphaba and Beverley Bass, you cannot deny she has this captivating presence. This is essential when playing Norma Desmond. In fact, you need it With One Look (pun intended). 

Tucker had charisma, stubbornness, confidence, energy in spades (needed for when she was dancing in Salome, or running all over the place), desperation, and both hope and hopelessness at the same time. Also, add in a touch of scary; Norma is a manipulative character from the get-go in how she treats Joe, but at the climax, Tucker is truly terrifying. 

Her big solos give more than chills, her As If We Never Said Goodbye in particular for me; and it's more than the growly belts she can hold on for seconds upon seconds. Tucker's voice casts a spell on you, bringing you into her delusional world. It is only you and her in the room. To be honest, it has been hard to find the exact words, and I likely still have interpreted it wrong... but know more than anything, it is something extremely special to witness. 

This Sunset is truly like any you will have seen before

One of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best scores has never sounded better; the performances will knock your socks off; the cinematography is so unique. I cannot recommend giving this production a chance enough. I have heard, of course, how incredible Nicole Scherzinger is, so whether you see her or Rachel Tucker, you are going to be in for a riveting Norma Desmond. She really has come home at last.