Sunset Boulevard

The Alhambra

“IS that Norma Desmond? Isn’t she something like a million years old?”

Once a great screen goddess, captivating audiences with just one look, Norma Desmond is middle-aged, washed-up, and tragically deluded. And, despite the jewels and heavy make-up, she’s practically invisible when she returns, after 20 years as a recluse, to a film set - lost in an industry which has changed beyond recognition since her silent movie glory days.

Based on Billy Wilder’s classic film, the first to expose casualties of Hollywood, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s powerful study of fame, delusion, obsession, loss and, ultimately, ageing sets the spotlight on a fading star who epitomises idols of the silent screen, cast aside when the talkies arrived.

In a faded glory mansion on Sunset Boulevard, Norma lives in a fantasy world, her fragile ego stroked by faithful butler Max. When debt-ridden writer Joe Gillis stumbles into her world - “Aren’t you Norma Desmond? Didn’t you used to be big?” - he’s seduced by her wealth, but struggles with being her prized possession. Norma uses his skills to try and revive her career. It’s a manipulative, uncomfortable relationship and, from the opening scene, we pretty much know how it’s going to end.

This dark, moving story is brought beautifully to life in Nikolai Foster’s compelling, haunting production. It’s larger than life and melodramatic, just as Norma is, and the cinematic lighting and dramatic film footage fuses the worlds of stage and screen. Frantic scenes of the movers, shakers and wannabes trying to make their mark in Hollywood contrast with the eerie stillness of Norma’s mansion, dominated by its grand staircase and flickering candelabras.

Ria Jones first sang Norma Desmond’s songs a quarter of a century ago, when she workshopped the show with Lloyd Webber. She was too young for the role back then. Now she finally gets to play Norma - and what a performance! Ria wowed London’s West End when she stepped into Sunset Boulevard in the shoes of Glenn Close, who missed some shows due to illness. And last night Ria’s beautifully layered performance, with a spine-tingling delivery of showstoppers With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye, earned her a standing ovation at the Alhambra. As Norma, she is hopelessly narcissistic, ruthlessly self-centred, but with a child-like vulnerability. It all leads to a mental breakdown, unravelling in a horrifying way in the final scene.

Danny Mac is terrific as Joe; narrating and driving the action in every scene. With the looks and charisma of a Hollywood star (women actually swooned when he appeared), he’s a gifted actor who makes Joe utterly believable. A powerful performance too from Adam Pearce as Max, whose self-awareness makes him perhaps more tragic than Norma.

Great performances too from Carl Sanderson as legendary film director Cecil B Demille and Molly Lynch as Hollywood hopeful Betty Schaefer.

This show is gothic, operatic, desperately sad and hugely entertaining. I loved it. Runs until Saturday.