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| JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| NICOLE SCHERZINGER WILL STAR IN THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY'S NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S "SUNSET BOULEVARD" AT SAVOY THEATRE IN LONDON London, UK (May 19, 2023) – The Jamie Lloyd Company, the successful partnership between Ambassador Theatre Group and Artistic Director Jamie Lloyd, alongside Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, today announce that Nicole Scherzinger will star as Norma Desmond in a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard. With book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, based on the Billy Wilder film, this bold new vision of the musical, directed by Jamie Lloyd, will play for a strictly limited 16 week run at the Savoy Theatre in the West End. The production marks the first production presented by Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, the new joint venture by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Harrison. Opening 30 years after the original West End production, The Jamie Lloyd Company's production of Sunset Boulevard runs from September 2023. Dates to be announced. Tickets go on sale in June 2023 – for further details of on sale dates and to sign up for priority booking visit: sunsetboulevardwestend.com Jamie Lloyd said today, "After our reappraisal of Evita at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, I'm very excited to rediscover another iconic Lloyd Webber musical — and Sunset Boulevard is one of his most thrilling, complex and atmospheric scores. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to create a new production of this fascinating piece with the extraordinary Nicole Scherzinger." Andrew Lloyd Webber also commented, "Nicole is one of the finest singers I have worked with, and I can't wait to get started on this exciting show with her and the rest of this brilliant team." This year marks The Jamie Lloyd Company's 10th anniversary – Sunset Boulevard follows the company's Tony Award nominated production of A Doll's House starring Jessica Chastain and Arian Moayed, currently running at the Hudson Theatre through June 10; and the forthcoming National Theatre production of Lucy Prebble's The Effect starring Paapa Essiedu and Taylor Russell running in the Lyttleton theatre from August, 1 in association with The Jamie Lloyd Company. SUNSET BOULEVARD Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Book and Lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton Based on the Billy Wilder film Director: Jamie Lloyd Savoy Theatre From September 2023 Nicole Scherzinger stars as the immortal Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary Sunset Boulevard. This thrillingly atmospheric musical, which features an iconic score including the songs With One Look, The Perfect Year and As If We Never Said Goodbye, is reimagined by visionary director Jamie Lloyd for a new generation. Haunted by her memories and dreams, movie star Norma Desmond (Scherzinger) yearns to return to the big screen. A struggling screenwriter who can't sell his scripts to the Hollywood studios may be her only hope, until their dangerous and compelling relationship leads to disastrous circumstances. Drenched in champagne and cynicism, Sunset Boulevard scrutinizes the ambitions and frustrations of its characters and their intoxicating need for fame and adoration. The Jamie Lloyd Company production of Sunset Boulevard is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, Gavin Kalin Productions and Wessex Grove. Sunset Boulevard is produced by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd and is based on the original Paramount film by Billy Wilder. Instagram: @sunsetblvdmusical Twitter: @sunsetblvd Facebook: @SunsetBoulevardTheMusical Nicole Scherzinger plays Norma Desmond. She is a multiple award-winning, multi-platinum selling performer, singer, actress, dancer and television personality, selling over 37 million singles worldwide and 16 million records as a solo artist. Formerly a member of one of the world's best-selling music groups of all time, selling over 55 million record worldwide, she has graced the stages of London's West End, performed at Madison Square Garden, voiced the character Sina in Disney's animated blockbuster ‘Moana,' starred in ABC's remake of 'Dirty Dancing,' and most recently was the resident panellist on the runaway TV phenomenon, The Masked Singer on FOX. On May 7, 2023 Nicole Scherzinger performed at Windsor Castle for the official concert for the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. Accompanied on stage by esteemed pianist Lang Lang, the pair performed the Disney Mulan classic "Reflection." Don Black received two Tony Awards for Best Book and Lyrics of a Musical for his work (with Christopher Hampton) on Sunset Boulevard, which marked his third collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber. They first joined forces to write the song cycle ‘Tell Me On A Sunday,' which developed to form the basis of the stage show Song and Dance. They were reunited again for Aspects of Love. He also wrote the lyrics for the Andrew Lloyd Webber produced Bombay Dreams . Awards include an Oscar for his song ‘Born Free;' five Academy Award nominations; two Tony Awards and three Tony nominations; six Ivor Novello Awards; a Golden Globe, and many platinum and gold discs. He has written a quintet of James Bond theme songs: ‘Thunderball,' ‘Diamonds Are Forever,' ‘The Man With The Golden Gun,' ‘Surrender' from Tomorrow Never Dies and ‘The World Is Not Enough'. Among his many popular songs are two U.S. number ones - ‘Ben' for Michael Jackson and ‘To Sir With Love' for Lulu. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008. In The Queen's Honours List, he received the Order of the British Empire. Earlier this year he was awarded an Olivier award for his outstanding services to theatre. Most recently he wrote his critically acclaimed memoir ‘The Sanest Guy In The Room,' which featured in the Sunday Times Bestsellers list. His musical of Bonnie and Clyde had a successful West End run at the Garrick Theatre and his next project which he wrote with Christopher Hampton and George Fenton is a musical version of the classic film The Third Man. Christopher Hampton became involved in theatre while studying French and German at Oxford University and wrote a play in his first year. The Royal Court's subsequent production was so successful that it transferred to the Comedy Theatre while he was still a student, making him the youngest writer ever to have a play performed in the West End - a record which still stands. He said at the time that he also hoped to become the oldest writer to have a play in the West End, an ambition he has yet to achieve. His plays, musicals and translations have so far garnered four Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards and the New York Theatre Critics; Circle Award; prizes for his film and television work include two Oscars, three BAFTAs, a Writer's Guild of America Award, the Prix Italia, a Special Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood Screenwriter of the Year, and The Collateral Award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Literary Adaptation. His musicals include Sunset Boulevard, Dracula: The Musical, Stephen Ward and most recently, The Third Man, all with Don Black. Many translations include the German musical based on Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, opening September 2023. Hampton's screenplays include The Son, The Father, Perfect Mothers, A Dangerous Method, Chéri, Atonement, Imagining Argentina (which he also directed), The Quiet American, The Secret Agent (which he also directed), Mary Reilly, Total Eclipse and Carrington (the first film he also directed). Jamie Lloyd directs. His credits for the company include A Doll's House (Hudson Theatre, New York - – nominated for six 2023 Tony Awards including Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play), The Seagull (Harold Pinter Theatre), Cyrano de Bergerac (Playhouse Theatre/Harold Pinter Theatre/Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York – Olivier Award for Best Revival), Betrayal (Pinter at the Pinter, Harold Pinter Theatre/ Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – nominated for four 2021 Tony Awards including Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play), Pinter One, Two, Three, Six and Seven (Pinter at the Pinter, Harold Pinter Theatre), The Maids, The Homecoming, The Ruling Class, Richard III, The Pride, The Hothouse, Macbeth (Trafalgar Studios). |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: seenenuf 09:28 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| Dear Lord, please let this turkey of a musical just fade away. It will never be good. And it will never get better. |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: sf 12:31 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| "...bold new vision..." = cheaper production values, and I very much doubt we'll get the full original orchestrations. Ms. Scherzinger has a spectacular voice, and reads too young for it (yes, she's the same age Patti LuPone was when the original production opened in 1993, more or less, but Ms. LuPone also seemed a bit too young for it - and Ms. Scherzinger now looks younger than Ms. LuPone did back then.) And having said all that, I'm sure I'll see it. |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 05:07 pm EDT 05/21/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - sf 12:31 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| The character is what, 45-50 years old tops? | |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Last Edit: EvFoDr 06:04 pm EDT 05/21/23 | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 06:04 pm EDT 05/21/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - KingSpeed 05:07 pm EDT 05/21/23 | |
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| I think it's important to remember in these discussion that 45-50 in 1950 is not the same as 45-50 today. A 45-50 year old woman today can be glamorous, youthful, in her prime whereas back then she may have been seen as faded and over the hill. Even to get more scientic, the life expectancy in 1950 was 65 years old, so at 45-50 you are pretty near death (lol, that sounds ominous). Today it's 80, so at 45-50 you have a lot of life still in front of you. I think the better way to look at these things is to cast someone who is believably a faded star, knowing that actors type as they read on stage can vary greatly from their actual real life ages. It is one of my least favorite things (not directed at the poster here) when people go and google an actor's age then proclaim they aren't right for a certain part because of that number. LOL. This is true at the other end of the spectrum as well. I mean Taylor Trensch can still play a teenager and he's maybe 34. |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: JohnPopa 02:32 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - sf 12:31 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| I shouldn't be lusting after Norma Desmond. Any Joe Gillis that doesn't go for that is a moron, even if she is murderous and insane. A small price to pay! |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: AnObserver 10:41 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| sunset BOOO-levard, sunset BOOO-levard | |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Posted by: MockingbirdGirl 11:08 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - AnObserver 10:41 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| I can't even look at the title of the show without thinking of the Forbidden Broadway version. | |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 10:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| There won't be a set. There will be only dim light on the stage. It will be modern dress. The actors will never look at each other. There will be no props. Probably cast of 8. And Norma Desmond will just revolve and revolve and revolve. I for one am well over Lloyd, von Hve, and Icke. |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun | |
| Posted by: schlepper 04:49 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun - NewtonUK 10:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| Newt, you may want to check out some online clips (easily google-able) of the musicals he's done -- most notably EVITA at Regents Open Air . They're hardly "minimalist". But then I'm sure you already know that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEr8qyQUwig |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 06:58 am EDT 05/21/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun - schlepper 04:49 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| I do. Still recovering from A DOLLS HOUSE and CYRANO. Lloyd did another CYRANO in 2012 for Roundabout, starring Douglas Hodge and Clemence Poesy in Ranjot Bolt's translation - it bore a striking resemblance to the play that Rostand wrote! | |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun | |
| Last Edit: singleticket 01:00 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| Posted by: singleticket 12:44 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON: This will be fun - NewtonUK 10:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| I like Icke. I think he works from the text. Performances and design are usually in communication with it. I haven't loved everything he's done but his production have always had some kind richness and complexity. | |
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| re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 10:32 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 10:27 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Official_Press_Release 09:37 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| Lloyd is the creative that makes this compelling. The star, a 44-year-old who reads at least a half a decade younger, seems an ... unusual choice. A role defined by the trauma of ageing in a misogynistic industry will be played by a woman visibly in her prime. Characterized in the text as a contemporary iteration of Miss Havisham, re-imagined as a luminous beauty, crippled by her own agoraphobia? Maybe it's what will make this "bold." The show has always worked best spotlighting a female actor well past the ingenue demographic who brings her A-game to the character, the vocals in service of the interpretation rather than the reverse (the infamous, forever unsettled debate about very first 2 Normas, not necessary to revisit). This star is a formidable singer, not necessarily known for acting chops. Again, if Lloyd has a new vision, he's a gifted, imagery-specific theater storyteller, and perhaps that's the event here. | |
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| The problem remains... | |
| Posted by: peter3053 10:25 pm EDT 05/19/23 | |
| In reply to: re: JAMIE LLOYD WILL DIRECT A NEW PRODUCTION OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S “SUNSET BOULEVARD” IN LONDON - Delvino 10:27 am EDT 05/19/23 | |
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| ...that too many of the songs are stage-waits, adding nothing that the movie dialogue doesn't already establish and faster. There's a big difference between a long song, say, from something like Carousel that goes "My Boy Bill will be tall and as tough as a tree.... What if she's a girl? ... I'll go out and make it or steal it or take it or die!" and one that goes "With One Look...With One Look...With One Look...." or "Sunset Boulevard...Sunset Boulevard...Sunset Boulevard...". Remember when Hammerstein advised Sondheim to take something that was good and make it better through music? And, by extension, discern when something can't be bettered that way. Sunset Boulevard the movie is tight as a drum. The songs of the musical don't progress character or situation, with the possible exception of "Too Much In Love" sung by Joe and the girl near the end. |
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