Content Warning: Spoilers ahead
Jamie Lloyd’s “Sunset Boulevard” is based on the 1950 movie of the same name, directed by Billy Wilder. Set in the golden age of Hollywood, a young screenwriter named Joe Gillis agrees to write a screenplay for a former silent film actress, Norma Desmond, who refuses to come to terms with her fading stardom. The relationship between the two begins to spiral as jealousy, love and hatred take over their lives.
Jamie Lloyd also directed the West End reprisal of “Romeo and Juliet” starring Tom Holland last summer. Unlike most stage adaptations of this classic tale, often featuring elaborate costumes and sets matching the story’s time period, Lloyd took a different route. The stage was empty, and the actors were dressed in black and white activewear. Having seen the original “Sunset Boulevard” movie, which was filled with old Hollywood glitz and glamour, I was interested to see how the story would be adapted onto the stage, especially in Lloyd’s contemporary style.
I admit that it took me a while to get into the musical due to the limited set design and monotonous costumes. I am so used to seeing musicals with grand sets and costumes that I felt like the show was missing something. However, soon enough, I began to appreciate the minimalist approach as it encouraged me to use my imagination to visualize the characters’ surroundings and allowed me to focus on the dialogue and lyrics.
One of my favorite parts of the musical was the use of cameras and a 20-foot screen at the back of the stage. At certain points of the show, a camera operator would come on the stage, filming the actors and presenting the footage live in black and white on the screen behind them. It allowed audiences to see the actors’ facial expressions up close – which was very helpful for me, sitting in the last row of the mezzanine. Presenting it in black and white helped pay homage to the original movie, which was also in black and white.
But what set this show apart from any other is the opening of Act 2 — major spoilers ahead. After the intermission, the on-stage screen is utilized once again. The audience gets a behind-the-scenes look as a camera follows the actor who plays Joe as he walks backstage, exits the theater and heads down 44th Street, before returning to the theater and walking down the aisle onto the stage — all while singing live. Having little prior knowledge of this musical, this was a huge surprise to me. So much so that I decided to go to Manhattan a few days later to see it performed live from Shubert Alley. Despite having to wait in the cold for nearly half an hour, watching this stunt live was worth it and I’m grateful I got the opportunity to see both the theater and street point-of-view.
Jamie Lloyd, along with the entire cast and creative team, did a brilliant job of capturing the grim reality of Hollywood. Whether you’ve been to countless Broadway shows, just a few or none, going into this show with an open mind is key. Though vastly different from most Broadway musicals, ”Sunset Boulevard” was one of the most unique and captivating shows I’ve ever seen.