Sunset Boulevard for Limelight in Perth.
Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Sunset Boulevard, based on the famed 1950 film, plays at Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo (WA) from November 22 to December 8.
Often described as one of the greatest films of American cinema, Sunset Boulevard was adapted into a stage musical in 1993 and scored eight Tony Awards in 1995.
The story follows Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the Los Angeles’ fabled Sunset Boulevard.
When young screenwriter Joe Gillis accidentally crosses her path, she sees an opportunity to make her comeback to the big screen – but romance and tragedy follow.
Director Robert Benson-Parry said he wanted to direct Sunset Boulevard because of its raw emotion and substance.
“This is in direct contrast to the content of the musical, meaning it’s crying out to be performed,” he said.
“It’s a story of greed, false glory, faded dreams and the eternal love triangle where girls-meets-boy and then the boy meets another girl.
“When you’ve got all that, it will always end in tears.
“It is a musical that captures the Golden Age of Hollywood when the movies were massive productions and the stars even bigger.
“Yet this is also an intimate story, dealing with two people who want very different things from each other.”
Involved in theatre for the past 35 years, Benson-Parry has performed extensively with Harbour, Celtic Circle and Limelight Theatres and the Perth Actors Company.
“With Sunset Boulevard, my main challenge is portraying the false glamour of Hollywood without making the characters themselves appear false,” he said.
“The world they live in is definitely false but they are real people with substance.”
Sunset Boulevard plays from November 22 to December 8, 2012.
Book on 9571 8591 between 9am and midday, Monday to Friday, or online at www.limelighttheatre.com.
Limelight Theatre is located on Civic Drive, Wanneroo.
Norma Desmond (Rachel Monamy) and butler Max von Mayerling (Keith Scrivens) in Sunset Boulevard.
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