Canadian Sunset Boulevard

[mattnyc2]

Posted: 11/18/06 at 9:57pm

I'm wondering if anybody saw the Canadian production of "Sunset Boulevard", which starred Diahann Carol as Norma. During the nineties I was obsessed with this show (which made me really popular in school) but thought the Canadian recording was pretty awful. Did anybody see it and care to comment?

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 1:33am

I'm sure FrontRowCentre2 did and will share his thoughts.

Akiva

[eppsdaman]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 1:46am

I actually saw the show twice in Toronto. The first time was with Marilyn Caskey, Diahann's understudy (who I believe is still in Phantom on Broadway as Madame Giry, right?), and the second time with Diahann right before the show closed and moved to Vancouver. The recording really doesn't do the show justice at all, especially with Rex Smith. It's been 11 years since I saw him play Joe Gillis, but it was one of the most dynamic performances I've ever seen. He completely inhabited the character and was believable every moment he was onstage.

Marilyn Caskey had an amazing voice and presence, and was very kind and sent me a lovely letter and signed picture when I mailed her after seeing her performance. Diahann Carroll was good, but not amazing. I felt that her acting was much better than her singing... the recording is pretty much how she sounded in the theater when I saw her, maybe even a little better. You could tell that she was working her butt off though, and the audience loved her. I also recall that her chemistry with Rex Smith was quite good.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 1:48am

i saw the canadian production.

carroll was perfection as norma. such emotion when she sung her songs. and her look sweet jesus so glam it wasn't even funny. still can't understand why she wasn't offered the role on broadway.

[mattnyc2]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 11:30am

Thanks for the reviews. I had a feeling that the recording didn't do the show justice.

[tourboi]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 3:11pm

I saw it in Toronto and loved it. Dianne was wonderful as Norma, though not my favorite (still Glen). Rex Smith was amazing as Joe. And I do love that theatre, and wish it were used more often.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 4:07pm

The CD perfectly captures the theatrical performances.

The produuction was an abomination. Carroll was miscast and knew it and by the end of the run was sleepwalking through it, not giving any effort at all. As if to compensate Rex Smith was chewing up the scenery. I am sure the performances were more evenly balanced earlier in the run but I saw it near the end when even with a heavily papered house it was only 2/3 full.

Even so, it is terrible musical adapation of a fantastic source material. ALW and his co-creators could have found mutiple layers to enrich and develop through music. That thay chose not to is unforgivable.