Sunset Boulevard

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Sunset Boulevard: A Hollywood Tragedy on the West End

Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, is a lush, haunting musical adaptation of Billy Wilder’s 1950 film. It premiered in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre on July 12, 1993, starring Patti LuPone as the reclusive silent film star Norma Desmond. Directed by Trevor Nunn, the show ran until April 5, 1997, for 1,530 performances, earning seven Olivier Awards. A 2023 revival at the Savoy Theatre, led by Nicole Scherzinger, reimagined the tale with stark staging, cementing its status as a West End titan of glamour and despair.

Origins and West End Debut

The musical began as a workshop in 1989, with Lloyd Webber drawn to Wilder’s tale of faded glory. After a rocky Broadway preview with Glenn Close in 1994, it debuted in London with Patti LuPone, whose powerhouse Norma dazzled audiences. Kevin Anderson played Joe Gillis, with Meredith Braun as Betty Schaefer and Daniel Benzali as Max von Mayerling. Produced by the Really Useful Group, its lavish Adelphi run featuring a grand staircase set by John Napier won Oliviers for Best Musical and Best Actress, though LuPone’s exit amid legal drama with Lloyd Webber stirred headlines.

The Plot: Dreams and Delusions

Set in 1949 Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard follows Joe Gillis, a struggling screenwriter who stumbles into the orbit of Norma Desmond, a forgotten silent film diva plotting a comeback with her unproduced Salome script. Living in her decaying mansion under the watchful eye of her butler Max, Joe becomes her kept man and reluctant collaborator. As Norma’s delusions deepen, Joe’s romance with young Betty Schaefer offers escape until jealousy and desperation spiral into murder. The story, narrated by Joe’s corpse, is a dark elegy to fame’s cruel fade, wrapped in operatic splendor.

Performances and Staging Evolution

Patti LuPone’s 1993 Norma was a vocal and emotional juggernaut, while Glenn Close’s 2016 semi-staged London return at the Coliseum added gravitas. The 2023 Savoy revival saw Nicole Scherzinger redefine the role with raw intensity, earning raves alongside Tom Francis’ Joe and David Thaxton’s Max. Trevor Nunn’s original opulence gave way to Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist 2023 vision live video, blood-smeared choreography by Fabian Aloise, and a stripped-down set shifting focus to psychological depth. Both incarnations showcased Lloyd Webber’s knack for spectacle, whether grand or gritty.

Musical Score and Reception

Lloyd Webber’s score soars with cinematic sweep, from the bombastic “With One Look” to the tender “As If We Never Said Goodbye.” “Sunset Boulevard” and “The Perfect Year” blend romance with foreboding, while Black and Hampton’s lyrics sharpen Norma’s pathos. Critics lauded the 1993 production’s “musical magnificence” (*The Guardian*), though some found it overblown. The 2023 revival split opinion praised as “radical” (*Variety*) yet “divisive” (*The Times*) but Scherzinger’s vocal fireworks and the score’s emotional heft kept it a West End talking point.

Legacy and Revivals

The original run’s 1,530 performances made it a 1990s cornerstone, spawning a 1994 Broadway hit and global tours. Glenn Close’s 2016 ENO stint, with a 40-piece orchestra, and her 2017 Broadway return kept it alive, while the 2023 Savoy production running September 2023 to January 6, 2024 brought fresh buzz, transferring to Broadway in September 2024 with seven Tonys, including Best Revival and Best Actress. Its cast recordings (1993, 2016) and enduring songs ensure its place in Lloyd Webber’s canon, a testament to its staying power.

Why Sunset Boulevard Endures

Sunset Boulevard captivates with its timeless clash of dreams and reality, elevated by Lloyd Webber’s richest score and Norma’s tragic allure. From LuPone’s regal debut to Scherzinger’s visceral reinvention, it mirrors Hollywood’s own obsession with reinvention. Its West End runs whether lavish or lean tap into universal fears of obsolescence, wrapped in a theatricality that’s both nostalgic and cutting-edge. A story of “stars that burn out,” it remains a luminous fixture, proving the boulevard’s shadows still cast a spell over London’s stage.