Sunset Boulevard (West End) London Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (114)
See it if You want inventive and epic storytelling with a cinematic score by ALW
Don't see it if Jamie Lloyd Productions
See it if you want to be caught off guard in a good way by this stunning reimagining of a classic.
Don't see it if you expect to see Norma in a turban
See it if director Lloyd's b&w,spare,modern,video-heavy production & force-of-nature Scherzinger's performance breathe new life into this Webber work.
Don't see it if you don't like minimalist productions, expect traditional costumes & sets. This is groundbreaking and bold Theater that's not for everyone. Read more
See it if You don’t want to miss a spectacular production with a magnificent star performance. The huge orchestra and cinematic style are captivating.
Don't see it if Averse to video elements or a few anachronisms (brief valley girl accent, nose ring, etc.). But see it anyway.
See it if Scherzinger delivers a vocal performance for the ages in a stripped down production that makes Sunset feel better than it ever was.
Don't see it if Not one for purists, this is a slick, contemporary staging that eschews realism in favor of mood and emotion.
See it if you want the drama and the intensity that Sunset Boulevard deserves
Don't see it if you hate athleisure and think it has no business being in this show (you'd be right)
See it if you're a fan of Nicole Scherzinger or previous versions of Sunset Boulevard. The score is still in tact, but the staging is changed.
Don't see it if you're a traditionalist that likes their musical lavish. This is not that. But you will enjoy this if you're open to other interpretations
See it if different aspects of theatre like lighting and camera work are your thing as this is more clever than other productions
Don't see it if your expecting big sets snd costumes
Critic Reviews (14)
“Nicole Scherzinger absolutely bloody smashes it as Hollywood diva Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1993 musical, dazzlingly reborn by director Jamie Lloyd. She brings not only an operatically powerful voice but shrewd comedy, harrowing pathos and a dancer’s physical precision to the washed-up silent star, besotted with young screenwriter Joe. It’s a physically and emotionally exposing performance”
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“As a piece of live theatre this is truly awesome stuff. Jamie Lloyd has been one of our best directors for a long time now, but for me this feels like a landmark for him, a perfect synthesis between the gleeful, gory showmanship of his earlier work and the more challenging artiness of his recent stuff. The pictures may have gotten small, but theatre has rarely felt so alive with possibility.”
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“The show has a stupendous sense of reinvention, with an end scene so arresting that it surprises even those who know what’s coming...it is sure to incite strong reactions. For some, it may be the show of the year. For me it was emotionally empty. Either way, few people will walk out indifferent.”
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“The unrelentingly stark evening has its longueurs, but it’s hard not to salute Scherzinger’s unmistakable triumph or fall in love with Lloyd Webber’s satisfyingly sinister opus once again.”
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“This audacious production from the enfant terrible Jamie Lloyd will no doubt pull in audiences purely on the strength of Scherzinger’s name. She looks fantastic, although that isn’t necessarily an advantage when you are portraying a star whose best days are far behind her. But in the end this is a show that exposes her limitations as an actress and a singer.”
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“Her voice is a wonder, both seductive and subtle, but big enough to raise the roof. It’s an extraordinary performance in a beautiful rethinking of one of Lloyd Webber’s greatest shows. A ‘Sunset Boulevard’ like no other, revealing its dark heart and deep grandeur.”
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“Throughout, Lloyd walks a wavering tightrope between postmodern wit, in concert with the snarky, satirical book, and visceral emotion that makes Lloyd Webber’s gorgeous score, with modified orchestrations, soar afresh. This is a ‘Sunset Boulevard’ for a new generation.”
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“This is an unsparing depiction of a world in which everyone uses everyone, nothing is quite what it seems and no one is completely sure who they are. It is Joe and Norma’s world, and it’s also ours. ”
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