I feel like Madame X, having travelled around the world just to get back here.

[Cinemaspeak59]

Welcome! If I recall we discussed a Jane Powell movie on the Musicals section at TCM.

Oh right. I think it started with Three Sailors and a Girl and then moved on to The Girl Most Likely, Jane's last musical. I've always thought she was one of the best movie sopranos because she had dance and comedy chops too and didn't have to just stand there and sing, like in this great number from Royal Wedding.

Yeah, this is a fantastic number, with a nice minimalist set. Jane’s facial expressions are priceless. Getting to star alongside Fred Astaire must have been a high point in her memorable career.

[Swithin]

Hi. Some of you knew me on the TCM boards as DougieB. I gave up trying to register here for quite a while, but this time it worked. So, hello all and I'm looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances, and new ones as well. The new name and avatar seemed appropriate to me because DougieB actually applied to me in real life only for a very brief time, but I promise I'm not a wolf in sheep's clothing and I promise to behave, relatively. See you around.

Dougie, so nice to see you here! I remember you well and the pleasure of reading your posts. Welcome!

[I Love Melvin]

Hi. Some of you knew me on the TCM boards as DougieB. I gave up trying to register here for quite a while, but this time it worked. So, hello all and I'm looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances, and new ones as well. The new name and avatar seemed appropriate to me because DougieB actually applied to me in real life only for a very brief time, but I promise I'm not a wolf in sheep's clothing and I promise to behave, relatively. See you around.

Dougie, so nice to see you here! I remember you well and the pleasure of reading your posts. Welcome!

Thank you. Back at ya. You name on a post back at TCM always meant for a good read and you were (are) our best source of news from London.

[Swithin]

Hi. Some of you knew me on the TCM boards as DougieB. I gave up trying to register here for quite a while, but this time it worked. So, hello all and I'm looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances, and new ones as well. The new name and avatar seemed appropriate to me because DougieB actually applied to me in real life only for a very brief time, but I promise I'm not a wolf in sheep's clothing and I promise to behave, relatively. See you around.

Dougie, so nice to see you here! I remember you well and the pleasure of reading your posts. Welcome!

Thank you. Back at ya. You name on a post back at TCM always meant for a good read and you were (are) our best source of news from London.

I'm off to London on Tuesday, so will provide some (hopefully interesting) news.

[BagelOnAPlate]

I'm off to London on Tuesday, so will provide some (hopefully interesting) news.

Do you have any plans to see Jamie Lloyd's revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd at the Savoy with Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond?

[Swithin]

I hope to see it. The first few days of my trip is work, but I have almost two weeks after that to see friends and go to the theater. It sounds like an interesting production, though I must confess I had never heard of Nicole Scherzinger.

I love Jamie Lloyd's work. I've seen The Hothouse, Richard III, The Ruling Class, The Homecoming, The Pride, and Betrayal.

I've only seen Sunset Blvd. on stage once, in London with Patti LuPone. It was the original London production, but Patti (who was great) had a row with ALW and was either fired or dropped out of the production.

[I Love Melvin]

I hope to see it. The first few days of my trip is work, but I have almost two weeks after that to see friends and go to the theater. It sounds like an interesting production, though I must confess I had never heard of Nicole Scherzinger.

I love Jamie Lloyd's work. I've seen The Hothouse, Richard III, The Ruling Class, The Homecoming, The Pride, and Betrayal.

I've only seen Sunset Blvd. on stage once, in London with Patti LuPone. It was the original London production, but Patti (who was great) had a row with ALW and was either fired or dropped out of the production.

Nicole sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but the only time I've seen her was in the PBS broadcast of A Capitol Fourth in which she also sang the national anthem and "If I Loved You" from Carousel. The thing which doesn't compute is that she spent some time as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls. Which of these things is not like the others? So make of that what you will, I guess.

[Swithin]

I'm off to London on Tuesday, so will provide some (hopefully interesting) news.

Do you have any plans to see Jamie Lloyd's revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd at the Savoy with Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond?

I saw Sunset Blvd. last night. What a show, though I have to collect my thoughts. I return home tomorrow and will post about it in a few days. Certainly a very different approach to the musical! Here's an image from the curtain call.

[Dargo]

I saw Sunset Blvd. last night. What a show, though I have to collect my thoughts. I return home tomorrow and will post about it in a few days. Certainly a very different approach to the musical! Here's an image from the curtain call.

So, HOW different, Swithin?

(...and 'cause just from the look of the two young people with the fake blood all over 'em here, I'm gettin' the impression that the key plot point of this might've been changed FROM the idea of what damage the obsession to be a success in Hollywood can do to some people, and TO the idea of what the possible consquences might be of jaywalking ACROSS Sunset Blvd during a Los Angeles rush hour!)

[BagelOnAPlate]

I'm off to London on Tuesday, so will provide some (hopefully interesting) news.

Do you have any plans to see Jamie Lloyd's revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Blvd at the Savoy with Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond?

I saw Sunset Blvd. last night. What a show, though I have to collect my thoughts. I return home tomorrow and will post about it in a few days. Certainly a very different approach to the musical! Here's an image from the curtain call.

I've heard great things about the Jamie Lloyd production from vloggers based in the United Kingdom who regularly create video commentaries about West End musicals. I hope this production comes to Broadway with the same principal cast!

One fantastic development is that the original key was returned to the end of "With One Look," restoring the high note sung by Patti LuPone in the world premiere production. The key was modulated down two or three steps to accommodate Glenn Close in the American premiere production. That's the production that transferred to Broadway so we've been stuck with that grating modulation ever since.

But . . .the version sung by Nicole Scherzinger in the revival is in the original key! She's amazing!

[Swithin]

So, here are random thoughts on the new production of ALW's Sunset Blvd., directed by Jamie Lloyd, at the Savoy Theatre in London.

It's a fabulous production. I've always admired and been moved by Jamie Lloyd's productions, and this is no exception. The only other production of Sunset Blvd. that I've seen is the original London production with Patti LuPone, which I loved as well, but the current production is totally different, almost a deconstruction. Norma Desmond is played by Nicole Scherzinger who has an incredible voice (as does LuPone).

The current production is more like a horror film than the original production of the musical. There are many video projections; (Lloyd may have been influenced by Ivo van Hove, who often uses them.) The set is almost all black, white, and gray, with little color. At times, it reminded by of a creepy old Universal horror, or even like Dreyer's Vampyr. Nicole actually reminded me of Vampira!

Musically, it's wonderful. Although the score is not my favorite ALW score, it does have one great song ("With One Look,") which brought down the house. Smoke and mist swirl around the stage. There is basically no set, but the ambience created by light and shadow is amazing. I was not that impressed by the choreography; the interactions between Norma and Joe are obviously the highlight. The actor playing Max was terrific; in fact, his character came across as more well rounded and sympathetic than I remember from the original production (which is a bit hazy in my mind). I did not think the scenes with Betty Schaefer were particularly compelling; in fact, she seemed to be to be almost as much of a stalker as Norma, but I am certain I am in the minority with that opinion.

The pre-show lighting in the house set the mood for the production. Lights were very low upon walk-in. The orchestra is a standout and gave the music its due. I think there will be a recording, and probably a Broadway production at some point. I'll add some further thoughts to this post as I think of them.

[Dargo]

So, here are random thoughts on the new production of ALW's Sunset Blvd., directed by Jamie Lloyd, at the Savoy Theatre in London.

It's a fabulous production. I've always admired and been moved by Jamie Lloyd's productions, and this is no exception. The only other production of Sunset Blvd. that I've seen is the original London production with Patti LuPone, which I loved as well, but the current production is totally different, almost a deconstruction. Norma Desmond is played by Nicole Scherzinger who has an incredible voice (as does LuPone).

The current production is more like a horror film than the original production of the musical. There are many video projections; (Lloyd may have been influenced by Ivo van Hove, who often uses them.) The set is almost all black, white, and gray, with little color. At times, it reminded by of a creepy old Universal horror, or even like Dreyer's Vampyr. Nicole actually reminded me of Vampira!

Musically, it's wonderful. Although the score is not my favorite ALW score, it does have one great song ("With One Look,") which brought down the house. Smoke and mist swirl around the stage. There is basically no set, but the ambience created by light and shadow is amazing. I was not that impressed by the choreography; the interactions between Norma and Joe are obviously the highlight. The actor playing Max was terrific; in fact, his character came across as more well rounded and sympathetic than I remember from the original production (which is a bit hazy in my mind). I did not think the scenes with Betty Schaefer were particularly compelling; in fact, she seemed to be to be almost as much of a stalker as Norma, but I am certain I am in the minority with that opinion.

The pre-show lighting in the house set the mood for the production. Lights were very low upon walk-in. The orchestra is a standout and gave the music its due. I think there will be a recording, and probably a Broadway production at some point. I'll add some further thoughts to this post as I think of them.

So Swithin, with your above mention of it giving you this "creepy old Universal horror" feeling, I get the impression that this version of the musical might feature something akin to the original but ultimately cut "deceased Joe Gillis in the morgue" opening of Wilder's film.

(...would I be correct in this assumption?)

[TikiSoo]

There are many video projections; (Lloyd may have been influenced by Ivo van Hove, who often uses them.) The set is almost all black, white, and gray, with little color.

Thanks for your "review"- always so informative.
I am so entirely sick of black/white/gray (& navy) since the "GAP" look took over around 2000, UGH. Especially on a stage.... I want to see color, costumes.

I completely understand someone having a different vision for a story. But when it is already perfection, you'd better have some really great idea to elevate it in comparison. Otherwise, it's just an attempt to ride the coattails of a previously successful story because you can't get anything original made. (a real problem in Hollywood)

[Swithin]

There are many video projections; (Lloyd may have been influenced by Ivo van Hove, who often uses them.) The set is almost all black, white, and gray, with little color.

Thanks for your "review"- always so informative.
I am so entirely sick of black/white/gray (& navy) since the "GAP" look took over around 2000, UGH. Especially on a stage.... I want to see color, costumes.

I completely understand someone having a different vision for a story. But when it is already perfection, you'd better have some really great idea to elevate it in comparison. Otherwise, it's just an attempt to ride the coattails of a previously successful story because you can't get anything original made. (a real problem in Hollywood)

I was in Bloomingdale's yesterday. Everyone on staff was wearing black! I hope at least that the store provided them with their outfits, which were not uniforms, simply black!

[CinemaInternational]

Welcome back to the fold!