Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: San Diego

Sunset Boulevard
Moonlight Stage Productions
Review by David Dixon | Season Schedule

Also see Bill's review of Hamlet and David's review of Kill Local


Robert J. Townsend and Valerie Perri
Photo by Ken Jacques
Throughout his career, Andrew Lloyd Webber has composed memorable music for his leading female characters. Many shows that feature his music, including Evita (currently being produced by the San Diego Repertory Theatre) and Cats, include strongly written women who are given standout songs. Sunset Boulevard, a Tony Award winner for Best Musical from Webber (music), Don Black (book and lyrics), and Christopher Hampton (book and lyrics), features a complicated and fascinating central lady. Faded silent movie actress Norma Desmond (Valerie Perri) remains an empathetic presence, despite losing her grip with reality. It's a role that's both sad and darkly amusing.

In the musical, adapted from the famous Billy Wilder film, a 1940s Los Angeles screenwriter named Joe Gillis (Robert J. Townsend) struggles with his profession. Jaded and broke, Joe gets in trouble after failing to give seedy debt collectors the money he owes them. After Joe and the collectors get into a car chase, the Paramount employee finds himself at the driveway of a decaying mansion on Sunset Boulevard. Soon, he meets Nora and her overwhelmingly loyal servant Max von Mayerling (Norman Large). For selfish reasons, Joe agrees to live in Norma's home and help her with a "return" to the big screen.

The Moonlight Stage Productions presentation has sequences of grandeur and quiet intimacy. At Vista's Moonlight Amphitheatre, director Larry Raben stages large ensemble scenes, as well as sequences with Joe, Norma, and Max that use uncomfortable silence and slow building tension. Jean-Yves Tessier's lighting, J. Branson's set, and Renetta Lloyd's extravagant costumes for Norma create an environment that feels visually extravagant with hints of pretension. Helping Raben and crew members with the atmosphere is the orchestra, led by conductor Kenneth Gammie. They know when to amp up the melodies (Jim Zadai's miking makes the musicians easy to listen to), and when to pull back for calmer songs like "The Greatest Star of All" and "Surrender." The score and script mesh well.

Jazz, old-fashioned party tunes, romantic duets, and dramatic solos are a few of the types of musical numbers used in the bleak story. Black and Hampton's lyrics (Amy Powers is credited for contributing to certain numbers) can have both comedy and pathos in some of Joe's songs such as "Let's Have Lunch" and a duet between him and a younger secretary, Betty Schaefer (Katie Sapper), "Too Much in Love to Care." Norma's "With One Look" and "As if We Never Said Goodbye" earnestly portray her hopes to be back in the spotlight. Although the writing and melodies are often strong, a few sequences are problematic. Norma's tune about a cinematic interpretation of "Salome" sounds distractingly similar to music used in The Phantom of the Opera, which premiered several years before. That's not the only parallel between those individual works from Webber. Shortly afterward, Max plays Norma's organ in a similar manner to the "Angel of Music." Also, there are a couple of times when Black and Hampton play up ironic situations too much. One example is when, during a New Year's Eve celebration, Joe finds out about a disturbing incident. Just as Joe hears the news, midnight strikes and partygoers sing "Auld Lang Syne." Having such an upbeat tune play could be seen to be in bad taste considering the horrific information that is shared with Joe. However, these situations are still entertaining to watch, because of the performers.

Perri deliberately depicts Norma with exaggerated hand gestures and unusual facial expressions. Her acting sadly shows how out of touch the former diva is with the world. Perri croons with a crystal clear voice that showcases Norma's pain and confidence. As the two most important men in Norma's life, Townsend and Large emphasize how differently Joe and Max treat Norma. Joe admires Norma, but also becomes irritated with her artificial life. On the other hand, Max is an enabler whose devotion to the leading lady feels unhealthy. Similar to Perri, they are able to infuse intelligence and intensity into a song. Supporting players such as Sapper, Johnny Fletcher, and Shayne Mims are witty and contribute to the few hopeful moments in the plot.

A tale about faded glory, Sunset Boulevard doesn't sugarcoat Norma's depressing existence. Keeping the black heart of the silver screen tragedy, Raben and company embrace many of the aspects that made the original a timeless classic.

Moonlight Stage Productions presents Sunset Boulevard through September 2, 2017. Performs Sundays through Saturdays at 1200 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista CA. Tickets start at $10.00 and can be purchased online at www.moonlightstage.com or by phone at 1-760-724-2110.