 |
|
|
BBC KENT
Sunset Boulevard:
Reviewed
by Lisa Fiddimore
From the moment Faith Brown glided down the elegant staircase that dominated the set of
Sunset Boulevard, you knew she'd captured the essence of mad, sad Norma Desmond.
And it just got better as each song and scene panned out from her big opening number With
One Look to the final chilling close when, in a complete state of madness, Norma declared
she was ready for her close-up.
And what was so good about Brown was her ability to play out the scenes in between the
songs. Many Norma Desmond's before her (and I've seen three including Elaine Page) have
had trouble making the drama of the spoken scenes as moving as it should be.
No problem here for Faith Brown. Watch out for the New Year scene just before the
interval. Amazing.
But it wasn't just Ms Brown who contributed to a very enjoyable production. Joe Gillis
(played by Jeremy Finch) was very believable as the small-time writer and toyboy. Apart
from a slightly over-jaunty stage walk, he delivered his lines and songs with gusto -
especially of course, the title number Sunset Boulevard..
Unfortunately Betty Schaeffer (played by Ceri Ann Gregory) was not quite up to the same
standard. In fact one of her songs was definitely delivered off key in places, enough for
me to notice anyway.
Michael Bauer, as Norma's faithful companion Max Von Mayerling, was fantastic. He appeared
in the West End production and was quite obviously very comfortable in the role.
The creation of both Norma's pad and the studios of Paramount was brilliantly achieved on
a fairly small stage. Quick changes in mood and scenery from the hustle and bustle of the
film set to the melancholy of 10086 Sunset Boulevard were expertly achieved with the
minimum of rumbling scenery.
Norma's fantastic costumes were elegantly modelled by Faith Brown and outfit changes were
achieved in break-neck speeds at times. Poor lass had to walk up and down those blasted
stairs so many times, I really felt for her!
It really was a very professional production and many people were up on their feet at the
end to show their appreciation. You could do a whole lot worse than spend the evening at
10086 Sunset Boulevard. Four stars!
Highlights:
Joe Gillis' car chase scene - very cleverly done with headlamps on trolleys.
Norma's scene with Joe on New Year's Eve.
The staircase in Norma's palazzo
The Lady's Paying number - brilliant, always one of my favourites!
Lowlights:
Norma's feeble slap (come on... you can do better than that!)
A couple of Betty Schaeffer's numbers.
|