Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre 2023/24

Gemma Collins

The only way I could see Nicole making a "RETURN" with this to the West End would be if it takes off and does as well with the Tony Awards as it did with the Olivier's.  Because right now the focus is on NY (with even Nicole doing a shout out to coming for Broadway  in her beautiful speech... which btw - you Brits are so awesome in actually letting people speak and perform and have their moment unlike here in the US where 30 seconds in the orchestra starts to shoo you off)

It's really tricky because if (and hopefully it will) be the critical and financial hit here that it was in the UK, there's going to be a temptation to take the money and run and end on a high note. Particularly with broadway economics being so awful.  I was one who imagined POTO when it regained top-grossing production every week for its last year was going to rip up the closing and go back to open-end or at least extend again.  But the financials are so awful here right now.  I think Jamie Lloyd and team are more about doing something that's buzzy and makes their money back.  But the days of "now and forever" runs are becoming less and less a thing.

All that being said, let me ask- how do you all think Hannah Waddingham would do as Norma in this production?

Stick her in the turban and some fabulous costumes please but I'm game for Wadders Norma

I thought she came over really well. Funny, self deprecating, generous to the creatives and cast and very glamorous.
I hope she finds more amazing parts in MT after SB on Broadway. With that voice she could be an absolute force.

I saw it twice. I feel incredibly lucky to have it as a memory, but I wouldn’t want them to flog it to death.

I suspected they needed a bigger theatre just because Broadway is more expensive than the West End in terms of running costs plus ATG/Jujamcyn's other Broadway theatres are all booked. 

It’s doing an extended run in New York too and with the huge St. James to fill and a fairly recent production of Sunset in NY, I imagine tickets may be a little easier to come by over there, especially in the winter months. Broadway ticket buying habits have moved to very last minute with tickets for even Cabaret/Merrily readily available up until the day of the performance and with dynamic pricing.

I'm sure it will return one day but I'll be very surprised if it's with Tom and Nicole..

Joe will be easy enough to recast I think but since Norma was basically created around Nicole, they'll have to reimagine the characterisation around the next inspired star casting, as I still think it didn't quite work as well with Rachel doing the exact mannerisms and choreo (kept wishing Rachel had been allowed her 'own' Norma so to speak!)

Trying to think of examples where something was genuinely only ever intended for a discreet limited run, it massively exceeded expectations, won loads of awards, and then came back (to London)!

Am slightly stumped. There must be examples though?

True! Though I don't know what the original intentions were for that!

(And of course the return had a different set and design).

Marie Osmond! I only just discovered what a singer she is; why hasn't she been more high profile over the years? Perhaps she is in the USA.
Could be a great Norma. Perhaps not for Jamie Lloyd's version, and younger people wouldn't know her I guess.

Didn't realise she's taken a very personal ownership of ALW's 'Unexpected Song' which she sings in tribute to fans. It can join that special category of songs like 'Wind Beneath My Wings' and 'Everything's As If We Never Said Goodbye' (in the way Streisand claimed it) that seems a humble thank you to the quiet supporters, but also says 'it's so great you turn out for ME, in fact let's talk some more about ME' lol
Start 2'10" if the copied timestamp doesn't work.