Sunset Boulevard

Reclusive silent movie star Norma Desmond has retreated to the faded glory of her gloomy Sunset Boulevard (Hollywood) mansion, planning her return to the screen, in the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical version of Billy Wilder’s screen classic.

Willoughby Theatre Company has mounted the NSW Premiere of this grand musical theatre diva vehicle in great style.

From projected cinema-style titles and credits at the outset, a multi-media motif of black and white cinema extends in splendid detail, well beyond the projected titles and filmed car sequences to encompass the whole look, down to minute detail, of Norma’s mansion and her costuming. It’s part of designer / co-director Simon Greer’s splendidly conceptualized and executed atmospheric, stylised design, sitting neatly inside the studio stage setting, then retracted upstage by smartly integrated crew members, utilising the considerable depth of the Concourse stage, ensuring the production flows smoothly.

Best known in southern Sydney musical theatre circles, Michele Lansdown has crossed the harbour for a splendid success in the iconic role of Norma Desmond. It’s a finely balanced portrayal with a mix of faded glamour, pathos, fragility and ultimately descent into madness, complete with memorable interpretations of Norma’s big numbers and her striking finale.

As played by Morgan Cleary, leading man Joe Gillis, an unemployed opportunistic script-writer who stumbles into Norma’s mansion, is an appropriately and convincingly unsympathetic character. Patricio Alloa carries off the role of Max, Norma’s steadfast Butler and Chauffeur impressively, with the requisite bearing, dignity and repressed emotion. Elizabeth Garrett’s Betty Schaeffer is buoyantly naive and enthusiastic.

There’s strong work in numerous supporting roles too, Tony Byrne’s cameo as Cecil B De Mille being a particular stand-out.

The ensemble attack their work with great vitality. Most of their scenes are peripheral to the main plot, though those that advance the show really do delight. For the men, the level of high-camp fun in ‘The Lady’s Paying’ was just perfect. Similarly for the women ‘A Little Suffering’ was deliciously silly fun. Like the great moment of Norma’s return to Paramount Studios, these scenes revolve directly around Norma and the central plot.

Ensemble melodies, like much of the score outside a few big ballads, become mundane with over-repetition. That’s down to the composer and lyricist, though, not the enthusiastic, disciplined Willoughby ensemble, where individuality of performances breathes life into their scenes.

Any fault I find with music itself certainly doesn’t extend to the excellent orchestra, under Greg Jones, which accompanied this almost through-sung show impressively.

Sunset Boulevard draws me back time and again to see a new diva’s spin on this star turn, and Michele Lansdown has set the bar very high for the Sydney community theatre Normas who will, doubtless, follow her.

Willoughby, too, has set the bar high for future productions.

Neil Litchfield

Photographer: Grant Leslie, Perfect Images.

Our earlier coverage.