Nicole Scherzinger to star in West End Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy- Page 2

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 10:44am

Interestingly, Nicole is actually a year older than Patti was when she played Norma. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 10:51am

Maybe Nicole will get some dance breaks in some of the numbers, just like in "SongBird" :)

[binau]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 10:55am

TaffyDavenport said: "Interestingly, Nicole is actually a year older than Patti was when she played Norma."

Patti’s youthfulness was a key criticism in Frank Rich’s NYtimes review. And Nicole isn’t just relatively younger she is hot too (sorry Patti) so it goes completely against type - cf. say Staunton type casting would be the more obvious choice. 
 

I’m really wondering how the scenes will read for example when Norma is a bit of a predator. Glenn Close, as much as I was also disappointed in THAT casting because of her voice, really nailed the acting of those scenes so well. 
 

In any case, I’m not precious enough over the material to really be bothered. I do kind of enjoy these moments though where we wait eagerly to see how non-typical casting goes as it it’s always most exciting when it all seems to click and we get it (eg Ashford in Sweeney). 

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 10:59am

I think the only way to become a better actor is to act and Jamie Lloyd is the kind of director that can help you expand as a performer since the acting seems to be his focus more than any other aspect. So for Nicole at least, this is a win. As for his fascination with her she's an incredibly attractive young woman with a soprano voice. Andrew's kryptonite.

I did giggle when someone on theatreboard said Jamie Lloyd meant she'd be stepping out of a chair instead of descending a staircase.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:09am

I think there is a way to approach this that can emphasize how even Norma still being relatively young and beautiful, she is discarded by the system. Does the actual text support that? I don’t really think so, but it’s not exactly a masterpiece. Willing to seeing someone crack it open. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:11am

I honestly don't know how I feel about this. I wish this was running this summer while I am in London. I admire Jamie Lloyd and his directorial interpretations, but I just cannot see this as a bare-stage show (if that's where he's going with this). Also, I really wished they recruited SJB to make her long-awaited West End debut. Who knows, maybe we will get her if it transfers to NYC. 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:40am

I could see this being more of Norma being a faded Hollywood star, not a "silent film star"

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:52am

Nicole is certainly beautiful, but I don't think she reads any younger than she is. A Norma between 45 and 50 feels right on target (and is on target based on the libretto), especially considering many female actors were, and continue to be, seen as past their prime in Hollywood by the time they reach their mid to late forties; add to that the fact that Norma is meant to be a silent film star that failed to make the transition into talkies like so many others at the time- there is no reason to think that Nicole, in her mid-forties, can't play the role based on her age. She'll be around a year older than Patti when she opened the show in London and about two years younger than Close when she opened in LA. Looking the part won't be the problem. Whether or not she can act the role remains to be seen; it is certainly a bigger challenge than Grizabella.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:56am

If Nicole is actively taking roles previously performed by Betty Buckley, maybe we’ll get her in “Carrie” soon. 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 11:56am

What's bizarre to me is that this is a role without any dancing. And Scherzinger's dancing is sublime!

I'm hoping that her acting rises to the occasion. I wouldnt say she's bad by any means, but what I've seen of her previously doesnt really go to far past the surface. If someone can at least get her to reign in her pop sensibilities with the vocals, then this could be very interesting (Her riffs and belts in Annie Live held "We Got Annie" back from being true perfection. Her dancing and intention was wonderful, but she sang so much of it like a pop song. She has the pipes to sing with the best of them, she just needs to not push so hard when in a musical in order to fit the style).

Lloyd for this...I just hope he's gotten his minimalism out of his system and is ready for something grand. Not interested in seeing this show done with just two chairs. Even the Glenn revival had a partial set and the grandeur or the full orchestra on stage. The show calls for SOMETHING beyond just a bare stage 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 12:12pm

I think the point of Norma is narcissism and mental illness in the face of Hollywood’s obsession with youth. At least these are what I expect Jamie Lloyd will focus the production on. Nobody in the script- except perhaps Norma herself- calls her unattractive or an old hag. I suspect it will be a minimalistic production and though the text won’t change, Lloyd will use his stripped down approach to comment on our current youth obsessed culture- if this Norma recalls/ resembles a Kim Kardashian or well, a Nicole  Scherzinger, it will be intentional. 

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 12:17pm

"I'm still big...it's the T&A gyrating that got small."

In all seriousness, though, I think the dirty little secret about playing Norma is that it really isn't that rangy of a role, emotion-wise.  When I saw SB it was with Petulia Clark--never anyone's idea of a Great Actress--she knocked it clean out of the park. 

Updated On: 5/19/23 at 12:17 PM

[binau]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 12:52pm

I would love Jamie Lloyd to do a hyper abstract version set in modern times where the vibe is more faded Hollywood actress and also the entire show is cut to 90 minutes (I’m 100% serious I think it could improve on the material. Some of my favourite ALW songs ever but there is too much filler). 

[Tag]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 1:08pm

For a 16 week run, you're not getting grand.
This is why Lloyd is directing. 
When Hog-eye turns that spotlight, he won't have trouble finding her.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 2:01pm

I just hope they use the full orchestrations.

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 2:09pm

I have to be in Ireland end of September I think I might head to London for a few days after to see this. I'm very curious to see how this will be staged.

Updated On: 5/19/23 at 02:09 PM

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 2:50pm

I have to say, as a pop music fan, there is something of Norma Desmond in Nicole's career. She spent years after PCD ended trying to carve out a solo career that went nowhere. She's spent close to a decade on the periphery of stardom. It's kind of sadder than Norma, to be honest. Enough people remember Nicole, enough people know how talented she is, people have just never cared enough to make her a solo pop star which is what she's always wanted to be. So despite being an younger woman with decades of a career ahead, I think she understands certain aspects of the character better than people think.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 2:52pm

I think I have to book a flight to the UK.

I stripped down Sunset sounds thrilling. 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 2:57pm

Ke3 said: "I have to say, as a pop music fan, there is something of Norma Desmond in Nicole's career. She spent years after PCD ended trying to carve out a solo career that went nowhere. She's spent close to a decade on the periphery of stardom. It's kind of sadder than Norma, to be honest. Enough people remember Nicole, enough people know how talented she is, people have just never cared enough to make her a solo pop star which is what she's always wanted to be. So despite being a younger woman with decades of a career ahead, I think she understands certain aspects of the character better than people think."

I’m sure she’d love to hear her career has been “sadder” than Norma Desmond’s. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 3:03pm

I agree Ke3. And everything on Nicole's IG seems desperate to project beauty, sexuality and agelessness.  She should have no trouble tapping into Norma's obsessions. "Nothing wrong with being 40, unless you're acting 20" is something I imagine she has heard before.

Updated On: 5/19/23 at 03:03 PM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 3:05pm

Double Post

Updated On: 5/19/23 at 03:05 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 3:05pm

There’s been half a dozen productions of Sunset that were ‘stripped/scaled down’ and as a huge fan of the show, it’s not interesting or new. I hope there is something exciting being done outside of Nicole - I’m very interested in seeing her Norma, but give me something other than the leading woman. 

For years I’ve thought that the show could use some big cuts (my ideas were mainly the ensemble scenes/numbers outside of the main 4) but I recently went through the score and realized you can’t really cut much. You could trim some bits down but it mostly is all necessary to the plot. You can’t cut Artie because it diminishes Betty’s stakes, can’t really cut the somewhat dull ensemble numbers because they keep you grounded in the reality Joe is in outside the mansion, etc. Interested to hear what your cuts would be, binau!

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 4:03pm

They’ll need to get a really young Joe to balance out and provide some drama to his embarrassment and implied revulsion at being “kept” by an older woman. Does Jacob Tremblay sing? (MOSTLY kidding.)

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 4:18pm

I think she could be great. 
 

And they hired Lloyd for a reason. We will be getting a turntable and minimal sets. They’re trying to turn a profit. Sad. But I’ll hold judgement until it opens. It could be striking. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 4:34pm

RippedMan said:  

And they hired Lloyd for a reason. We will be getting a turntable and minimal sets. They’re trying to turn a profit. Sad. 

Wait...you mean (shudder) a commercial theatre producer wants to (gulp) turn a PROFIT?

Someone please fetch me my smelling salts as I faint ...