502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Jan 6, 2024 23:41:37 GMT
It's so awesome reading all of these posts and kind of reliving the excitement of 1993/1994 - when Sunset opened in Los Angeles with much better reviews and then speculation began building that Glenn Close would come to NY instead of Patti, only to be announced in March, when tickets went on sale - for a November 1994 debut. Deja vu all over again... 30 years later, this acclaimed production has people on this side of the pond already excited and waiting.
Just hope for a cast recording in the meantime
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Jan 6, 2024 5:28:37 GMT
It's sad that there hasn't been a really satisfying revival of Evita (nor successful one since the original production). I do love the score -although I do agree with some of the criticisms people have offered here. A few months ago as I was getting lost in you tube algorithms and such I stumbled on this which I found fascinating and shows the impact a director and their vision can bring. The clips I've found from this production seem fresh and innovative:
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Jan 5, 2024 18:58:59 GMT
Brilliant Insta/Facebook post by Christina Bianco on auditions for the Broadway alternate! 🤣 I just can’t work out how to save it and post it on here. But very clever! www.instagram.com/reel/C1umG82NwL8/OK I'm not the biggest theatre fan who follows all of those actresses and nuances carefully and closely as I suspect many others do but that was friggin brilliant and I couldn't believe how spot on they were (and that I actually caught the subtleties)
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Jan 5, 2024 3:21:46 GMT
I have to admit, I was shocked by the difference in how much to mount in London ($2.5 million) as opposed to Broadway ($17 million) If that's accurate, no wonder ALW was saying what he was about the costs on Broadway when Phantom closed
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 30, 2023 0:44:12 GMT
Given that NS was given the role over a British actor, isn’t there a chance that a reciprocal arrangement could be made to get Tom over to Broadway? Tom is going with this- him and NS only. I was really hoping David would come too... The clips I've seen sound amazing and him being such a fan of the show himself... Any word on a cast recording?
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 27, 2023 18:21:50 GMT
This is a brilliant show that totally deserves the massive success that it's received, but honestly I find the upward dynamic pricing in the last weeks to be really disappointing and wholly non inclusive. The pricing structure seems to be generally praised on here as the show is so successful, but really who is this benefitting? The already wealthy producers? Multi millionaires ALW and Nicole Scherzinger? I work in the same industry and only found out that I had some time off over christmas last week, and was gutted when I seen that the show was sold out as I had hoped to see it before it closes, now that I have the time. I was hoping that I could get a last minute return ticket which is usually totally possible for any show, but every day I've noticed that they release back a few on the day for a crazy £295 regardless of the section - that is really ridiculous and I can guarantee that anyone in their 20s or even just those with bills to pay could not afford this for one night at the theatre. For context, I seen the show in row G of the dress circle with a £40 ticket early on in the run. I know this is cheap, but to be honest I felt it was fairly priced as I felt very far back from the stage at the Savoy. I had a look this morning and they had released two tickets in the same area for £295! Sorry if this sounds like a bit of a rant, but I feel that this kind of pricing totally reinforces the feeling that theatre is an elitist world that only the wealthy can benefit from, and I'm just so disappointed that I won't be able to see the show again before it closes because I simply can't afford it. I get what you're saying and feel badly for you personally... but I doubt seriously the producers are making a lot of money on this. The way costs are these days, particularly in theatre (at least here in the US) if they're breaking even its a success. While theres not a massive amount in terms of costumes and sets for this, I'd imagine the camera work and video stuff costs are pretty up there, not to mention 18 piece orchestra and full cast (with NS and Rachel Tucker having to been paid pretty well too) And they were pretty generous with those discounted seats for a long time there. That they're trying to close on a high note and make back some of those costs these last performances, I can't blame them
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 26, 2023 19:10:44 GMT
Christine Daae having a bisexual awakening does actually sound sort of compelling. The revival actually made Piangi quite overtly gay, so perhaps it’s possible! I should add context to this - and it’s incidental to the plot so I don’t think it merits spoilering - he has lots of new “business” where he flirts with the chorus boys in “Hannibal”, etc. Back to this show; what do we think the chances of a tour are? It’d be very cheap to run with a trimmed down band, and they might do well off the buzz this production received? I guess the star would be one issue. If I had to guess, that would be slim to none... there's no way they're going to want a cheap tour of this to take away from the buzz of this production with a Broadway announcement imminent... and Olivier awards only a few months away. Much better for it to maybe get some noms and awards, do well in the NY and then consider tours and such
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 26, 2023 16:22:09 GMT
Seems kind of silly... I'm not a producer or have any creative contribution to Sunset in any way, but seeing this production completely sold out for the last remaining performances is made me, I don't know if proud is the word but definitely in that family. I remember feeling that way when it opened on Broadway in 1994 and was sold out for weeks - but it never closed (original or revival) productions on those types of high notes. I was at the Closing night on broadway with Elaine Paige in 1997 which was quite an event, but it really felt like a let down and somewhat of a failure at that point. And even in 2017, as great as the revival did in NY, it didn't have this type of hype and public demand for it like this new revival. Cannot wait for it to arrive "by this time next year" here in NY... only hope a recording comes out in the interim
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 20, 2023 2:42:00 GMT
Nicole did a new interview with Take That and when Gary Barlow asked what's next for her, she said "we'll see what's on the horizon for sunset boulevard". Gary replied "so, no news?" and she said "there's some news, things are cooking..." Gary then said "I think big things are coming... in the big appl- big places" and they all laughed. Its pretty much confirmed at this point, now I just need the cast recording with the London cast. Seeing how there's a handful of seats available per performance left, I suppose they want to end on a high note. My guess if a recording is coming they're doing it right after the run ends on Jan 6th? (Kind of like they did with Sunday in the Park with George with Jake Gyllenhal) As for NY - while I'm eager to see it, kind of surprised that people want to rush it in this season
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 19, 2023 0:43:25 GMT
For the first time in my life I have sold some theatre tickets. Was booked for Sunset this coming Thursday, but having been so impressed by Rachel Tucker 2 weeks ago I just could not face Scherzinger again. I can’t buy her as Norma Desmond at all, and all the twerking and finger snapping is cheap and classless. Relieved I won’t have to hear her impression of a foghorn again during AIWNSG. Steve - unless I missed it, did you give a full review after seeing it with Rachel? Did it make the production work any better for you than your original visit?
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 15, 2023 19:16:26 GMT
Veering off topic (or back on topic? 😂), I wonder if they are still tweaking the mechanics of how the Act 2 opener is shot. I was at the show last night and noticed that the camera frame rate seemed to increase around when Tom walked through the doors of the foyer. It gave a motion smoothing sort of effect and made the camera movement feel much faster, especially as they headed down the stairs. I noticed it at my last visit a couple of weeks ago too. I certainly don’t recall the camera movements feeling quite so fast in earlier visits but I’m far from an expert on these things and am not sure if I’m imagining it! Obviously it’s not a major change either way but I’m just so impressed with that whole sequence and am intrigued by the behind-the-scenes work that goes into it. Have to say that whenever I've seen things multiple times (mostly Sunset on broadway ) I've always been impressed by cast and crew who continue to tweak things as the run continues, even when the end of the run is imminent. I suppose that's what makes it such a dynamic art form and collaborative between the creatives, director and cast too. Wasn't it Elaine Paige when she filled in for Betty Bucklet in London (after the emergency appendicitis) who first held the "HOME" on AIWNSG that made it kind of standard moving forward? Its cool to see that even other aspects like life-to-screen filming is being experimented with only 3 weeks left to this production.
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 15, 2023 2:17:34 GMT
Few days late but Nicole spoke about the cast recording and the transfer www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001svqp (It starts at 01:04:07) She also praised Rachel Tucker and the rest of the cast. Thanks for sharing this - I really enjoyed hearing the interview in full. Really want a definitive yes (and when) the cast recording will be coming and when this is coming to NY It's amazing too, closing out the interview with the BS version of With One Look. It was the only album of hers I've ever purchased (Back to Broadway) which was released on the day Sunset was originally having its world premiere June 29th (which got pushed back till July 12 because of the set problems) Back in 1993 that was my first hearing of anything from Sunset and I must've listened to those two tracks hundreds of times waiting for the score
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 14, 2023 18:10:25 GMT
I want to go back for a second watch but it's just too expensive. Got a great deal the first time round and couldn't bear spending £200 on a seat that's worse. I'm just completely jealous of everyone who seems to have been 6-10 times over the run! Like BVM I had a hunch about this one and got in early with three prebookings and bought the rest ad-hoc in the first eight weeks. At current prices, I'm out - it's a lot, even for a great show. The 2017 revival for me (of the ENO production) I saw 4 (or 5) times because I knew that having a symphonic orchestra on stage and Glenn Close reprising her role would never be seen again. Heck, I had no idea when the original closed decades earlier that it would be that long for a revival to make it to NY, and it was more nostalgia and the thrill of the live music and experience that made it so unique and special. Just reading through the 90+ pages on here is reminding me of the excitement that theatre can bring. The debates and critiques and varied opinions, reports of different experiences at various performances. And that it's over a work that I've felt is one of (if not the) finest of ALW (which nothing that he's written since has come close for me) is exciting as we here in the States wait word of a broadway transfer (and for crying out loud, a cast recording). The snippets of video and audio clips have only piqued my interest. If/when it arrives, I'll be there the first week for sure - and no doubt, several more times as the budget can allow
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 11, 2023 21:14:03 GMT
No chance of this extending even without Nicole? Well definitely not at the Savoy as I think something with Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker is going in there in January. Its sounding more and more like a Broadway transfer is happening. I'd love to see Sunset extend or continue on the West End. It's awesome seeing a favorite of mine being such a hot-ticket, selling out like it has
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 10, 2023 16:01:47 GMT
It's not going this season. ATG didn't want to put sunset and cabaret against each other as they're producing both. It's going next. Yeah that's what I've been thinking all along. Not to mention that Merrily has become this massive hit on Broadway at the moment and the Sondheim sympathy vote coupled with already bias towards Sondheim I would think Sunset would get overlooked because of that alone in getting awards in NY
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 10, 2023 1:02:33 GMT
Don’t wish to be greedy, but I’m praying that if this cast recording does happen, then it’s complete and not just the fabled highlights. SECOND TO THIS
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 3, 2023 17:09:17 GMT
Michael Ball just talking to Nicole on his R2 show, asked her if there's going to be a cast recording. Her (hesitant) reply was "I think so" No mention of Broadway though, just going home to Hawaii. I know there's been wide spread almost confirmation on this thread that Broadway is happening, but after ALW's comments about broadway last week basically asking people to support arts in the West End rather than Broadway because it's impossible financially to recoup and that Broadway productions are basically becoming "vanity projects" I thought maybe this isn't coming to Broadway after all? Maybe as others said, it will have another limited run next year (with the cast recording coming out in between)
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 3, 2023 17:07:08 GMT
Michael Ball just talking to Nicole on his R2 show, asked her if there's going to be a cast recording. Her (hesitant) reply was "I think so" I'm cautiously optimistic... That's better than her saying "I haven't heard anything." or "No"
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 2, 2023 2:39:17 GMT
It’s not likely.. it’s happening. They have a NYC theatre and it’s going there early 2024 can you make them record the damn thing
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Dec 1, 2023 21:41:46 GMT
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 25, 2023 21:32:33 GMT
I was watching a bootleg of this sequence the other day and the guy who has filmed it must have been so annoying to be sat next to. Every time there was a reference he put on a really false loud laugh and virtually shouted out each one.. "ooh turban HAHAHA...ooh chimp HAHAHA" Thank you for saying it Was losing my mind and getting further enraged that there's no news of a cast recording
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 24, 2023 15:48:54 GMT
...in other news, it looks like tickets are really selling now for West End. It's had multiple sell outs in the last week. Could that be the Evening Standard award bump or just the reality that there's only 6-7 weeks left
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 24, 2023 15:46:18 GMT
Around the 2017 revival the chatter about the movie version had really piqued again, with supposedly a fantastic script and director attached, with Glenn giving updates. COVID was one of the main excuses for it getting derailed again and I haven't seen or heard a word from Glenn in a long time.
If they did attempt a film, I think Jamie Lloyd has just shown that there's more to the story than just recycling the original with music from ALW. Leaning into the fame/popularity aspects of things and some further reworking of the lyrics can make this even more something a bit more original "based" on the Billy Wilder film.
Whether Paramount has the vision and desire for such - no idea. The feline mess of Cats I'm sure is still lingering for many a movie exec
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 20, 2023 21:30:29 GMT
I'll take any rumors like this at this point, if nothing else to keep pressure up for this to actually happen
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 17, 2023 0:25:58 GMT
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 17, 2023 0:06:49 GMT
If I were making a bet, I'd predict that it will be next season on Broadway that this transfers. The producers are going to want to give it a chance for some awards, and this Tony Season is looking quite crowded with some heavy competition. Without announcing anything right away, seeing how things go with the Oliviers and if it gets some nominations/awards, that could start building buzz for a Spring 2025 opening and have it running in time for the Tony Awards (I'm thinking like the 2017 revival, Feb 2025, announce a limited run, extend it on the Broadway opening till the end of June)
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 15, 2023 13:04:47 GMT
I quite agree about Young Norma... and the choreography for her still baffles me. But impressive core strength by any measure. Also just thought is this production an apotheosis for the Jamie Lloyd style? Is this peak stripped down? Where does he go from here with it? If Jamie Lloyd is as visionary as has been described, I would think he'd need to do something a bit different in subsequent productions to show he's not "type-cast" in his style. On another note, As Sunset has now re-entered my consciousness far more with reading about it every day I found myself watching on YouTube the "Sunset Blvd The Palace of Dreams" special that they did pre-Australian opening with Debra Byrne and a then very new-young Hugh Jackman. It was interesting to see and hear Trevor Nunn and Bob Appian talking about how they created and approached things and compare to what we hear and see with this new production.
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 14, 2023 20:17:40 GMT
So with this run now over half way through, have increasingly found myself wondering what, if anything, it's legacy will be. I think it's safe ish to say it's been a pretty big success and possibly an unexpected one. Certainly based on this non scientific thread we have 85% at 4/5 stars which I think is a higher level of enthusiasm that the early pages of the thread would have predicted. Also appreciated by critics and a definite buzz from the public. Many of my vaguely-but-not-specifically-into-theatre friends have either seen it and loved it or have booked to see it. And for ALW after the chaos of Cinderella/Bad Cinderella, Aspects of Love failing to set the world alight and some hit and miss concerts, it's been easily his best selling and acclaimed show this side of the coronavirus. First I wonder if there could be a future life for this production in the UK. Seems certain it won't be extending, likely it won't be transferring and highly likely there can't be another run here with Nicole if she is taking it to Broadway. I would love for a further run to be announced hot of the heels of this one but I do wonder if they could do it without Nicole. No criticism at all of the alternate, but you need only look at the relative sales to see how much of a draw Scherzinger is. I kind of think there must be someone else like her that could take this forward, but I can't actually name one! But then I am neither Jamie Lloyd nor a casting director. Does anyone think it could have a future life in the UK? The second thing I wondered is if there are any other post Phantom ALW musicals that could have such an extreme reworking into such a breathtaking, hitherto unimagined production. Are there any that could have the Jamie Lloyd treatment? I've been through them all in my head and sadly am not sure there are. In fact I think it's testimony to what an insanely good musical Sunset Boulevard is that it has worked so well in a version so radically different from the original. And in fact as a result really of this production I think Sunset (already high in my estimation) has risen a long way above all the other post Phantom stuff. Be interested to hear if anyone thinks there is anything that could be revitalised in this way? Pre Phantom I'd love to see Lloyd's Evita return. And I think he could definitely do Phantom itself but while the original is still there that's not really going to be on the table. I know it's not Jamie Lloyd, but after Starlight Express, I do think a new radical take on Cats would be interesting. As like Starlight and Phantom, the original production is so welded to the piece - be good to see something new. I mean it has been tried before but never on a huge West End scale. Be that Lloyd or a different director. So I guess in summary as a huge ALW fan I do hope this may pave the way for some more epic revivals. I must confess my hunch though is that there isn't much that could generate this kind of buzz. That said I have high hopes for the new Starlight production and as for the rest, time will tell. (Oh and in the meantime, have I mentioned I am desperate for a new Sunset cast recording.....?!) So on this side of the Atlantic and only being able to live vicariously through so many of you wonderful people out their in the dark... oops, Sorry - so many of your wonderful reviews and explanations of this production, BVM brings up some interesting points. For ALW I don't ever remember a revival of his ever having this kind of buzz and this re-imagination. Partially because his shows usually ran for so long that it was hard to think of them not being done the same way (The chandelier to the Phantom; the staircase to Sunset?) Partially because we know ALW is a bit of a control freak and has become more so in recent years. As for Sunset - I had hoped and it sounds like this "re-invention" could have legs for it. I'm thinking that when it transfers to Broadway they're going to be thinking long-er run and perhaps further casting to keep it running post-Nicole. Because Jamie Lloyd seems to have made the story more accessible tapping into the tragedy of Narcissism that is common in celebrity and those who crave it in our social media age. How there's a human being there who longs to be seen, known and loved and having succumbed to the applause and seen it disappear is lost. So his approach could in a sense become the new "standard" for approaching Sunset as subsequent productions kept trying to adhere to Trevor Nunn's approach on a much more frugal budget. Oh and a trailer is coming NOW? I mean, I'm all for it - and hope that means there's further announcements coming (cast recording, transfer, etc) because otherwise, with only less than 8 weeks to go, they really don't need it
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 13, 2023 17:57:58 GMT
For those who (like me) don't have the brochure check out sunsetboulevardwestend.com as they have updated the homepage with a new pic of Nicole with "Must End January 6th" listed
Man there better be "Broadway in 2024" "Cast Recording Available Soon" popping up there too
|
|
502 posts
|
Post by chernjam on Nov 11, 2023 21:17:20 GMT
Maybe post the link or email here? Make it very easy for people to ask for it? Here's the link to Really Useful: www.reallyuseful.com/contact/Here's the link to ALW's site (which I think is the same as RUG) www.andrewlloydwebber.com/contact/I agree with Burly - nicely ask on social media on the Jamie Lloyd socials, as well as the official ALW and Sunset socials Let's make this happen people
|
|