Scherzinger in SUNSET BLVD. Previews- Page 13

[Mellony]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 12:37pm

Norma is groomed by a man who is essentially her boss from the time she’s 16 (and maybe statutorily raped depending when her relationship with Max started). And now that man lives with her and has spent years gaslighting her into thinking she’s still famous. And who knows how else she’s been abused by the industry, you can read plenty of horror stories. And the industry responded by kicking her out as soon as she became too difficult and too old. So, maybe “emotional investment” is too strong a term, but I certainly feel empathy for her and how she became who she is.

Hell, even Joe is a young starving artist at the end of his rope. Yes, he goes in with the intention to manipulate Norma (out of desperation). But he is quickly moved out of his apartment against his will, loses his means of transportation, and Norma and Max refuse to give him his own money to further trap him. When he almost escapes he’s guilted into staying due to Norma attempting suicide. And when he finally does the right thing by scaring away Betty and cutting off Norma, he gets killed for it.

Yes, these characters are unlikeable, but I have no issue empathizing with them and even relating with them on some level. Maybe the divide here is just between people who like the musical and people who don’t. I don’t see the point spending over 2 hours hearing characters belt about their wants and desires if the production doesn’t want me to care about them on some level. 

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 12:41pm

TaffyDavenport said: "The deep discourse about this show is sucking the life out of me. In my opinion, it's a melodramatic camp-fest that doesn't merit this much scrutiny.I feel like Kristen Johnston before she fell out of a window on Sex and the City..."Whatever happened to fun?""

“I’m so bored, I could die.”

Between this and The Substance, I couldn’t agree more. If you want deeper meaning in your art, by all means, dig for it. If you’re just trying to vibrate with a particularly potent piece of art and not question the holes in its logic, vibe away. But trying to dissect Sunset Boulevard, of all things, feels like a waste of brain activity. The reading of it as a “cautionary tale with a freak show quality to it” is exactly what it feels like to me as well.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 12:43pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "TaffyDavenport said: "The deep discourse about this show is sucking the life out of me. In my opinion, it's a melodramatic camp-fest that doesn't merit this much scrutiny.I feel like Kristen Johnston before she fell out of a window onSex and the City..."Whatever happened to fun?""

“I’m so bored, I could die.”

Between this and The Substance, I couldn’t agree more. If you want deeper meaning in your art, by all means, dig for it. If you’re just trying to vibrate with a particularly potent piece of art and not question the holes in its logic, vibe away. But trying to dissect Sunset Boulevard, of all things, feels like a waste of brain activity. The reading of it as a “cautionary tale with a freak show quality to it” is exactly what it feels like to me as well."

Paragraph after paragraph after paragraph. I don't get it.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 2:00pm

Kind of a weird take to say people shouldn't discuss things...on a discussion board.  I totally understand if you're just looking for fun in this production but for some of us the fun is also in dissecting the production and choices made sooo let us have that too, you can always just ignore the paragraphs after all

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 3:43pm

JFC, I merely give my opinion about it. Y'all can say and "have" whatever you want, but I find it overkill, and, believe me, I do ignore all of it. 

Updated On: 10/10/24 at 03:43 PM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 3:50pm

Perhaps as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares Jamie Lloyd could resurrect the turntable from A Doll's House, and while it turns, sit silently for the typical length of a Sunset performance, and let those displeased with this production shout out their feelings from their seats. Pay for a premium seat and you get one minute of solo shouting. Updated On: 10/10/24 at 03:50 PM

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 4:13pm

It is, after all, called the BroadwayWorld Message Board, not the BroadwayConversationWithYourself Message Board. 

[greensgreens]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 4:22pm

I love all this dissection of Sunset! So many interesting theories and ideas and I love that JL has “reactivated” this piece for us to examine. I truly never thought I’d see commercialized Webber works reimagined in the vein of classics with so much thoughtful discourse. Don’t stop please!

If it’s not your thing, please move on and find a discussion you approve of!

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 4:39pm

This is why I normally just stick to giving people discount codes and whatnot. You give a (barely) critical opinion of anything, and people go apesh*t. Why would anybody stop having this discussion simply because I think it's exhausting?

As far as this Sunset is concerned, I laughed my ass off for the majority of act one, so, clearly, I'm not the intended audience for this kind of deep analysis. 

Updated On: 10/10/24 at 04:39 PM

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 5:27pm

TaffyDavenport said: "JFC, I merely give my opinionabout it. Y'all can say and "have" whatever you want, but I find it overkill, and, believe me, I do ignoreall of it."

You're doing a heck of a job ignoring this conversation, chief! 

[inception]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 5:46pm

Hollywood Reporter Nicole Scherzinger Signs With CAA

[CreatureKitchen]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 5:50pm

I wonder if some of this disconnect is coming from Jamie Lloyd’s auteur status. The radical design, the experimental use of video, the actors not being allowed to smile during curtain call, the credits that emphasize Jamie Lloyd’s name, the interviews he’s given where he says ge uses minimalism to focus on the characters and performances. It all seems like it’s meant to be taken very seriously, which doesn’t jibe with everyone saying “it’s just camp, it’s not meant to make sense, stop thinking about it so much!”

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 6:54pm

Question: Was anyone else here reminded of Ivo Van Hove's (sadly) short-lived West Side Story revival that never returned after the pandemic while watching Jamie Lloyd's Sunset Boulevard? I know I was! I think that Ivo's approach to WSS was a tad more successful than what Lloyd has done with Sunset (granted WSS is a much better show than Sunset in general), but both productions are in the same vein.

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 7:27pm

CreatureKitchen said: "I wonder if some of this disconnect is coming from Jamie Lloyd’s auteur status. The radical design, the experimental use of video, the actors not being allowed to smile during curtain call, the credits that emphasize Jamie Lloyd’s name, theinterviews he’s given wherehe says ge uses minimalism to focus on the characters and performances. It all seems like it’s meant to be taken very seriously, which doesn’t jibe with everyone saying “it’s just camp, it’s not meant to make sense, stop thinking about it so much!”"

Finding something ridiculous that is meant to be taken very seriously is the definition of Camp.

 

Updated On: 10/10/24 at 07:27 PM

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 7:46pm

The Joe Gillis understudy is on tonight.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 7:56pm

theatregoer3 said: "The Joe Gillis understudy is on tonight."

Diego or Jimin?

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 8:01pm

theatregoer3 said: "The Joe Gillis understudy is on tonight."

That was fast. Yikes. 

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 9:23pm

Robbie2 said: "theatregoer3 said: "The Joe Gillis understudy is on tonight."

Diego or Jimin?"

Jimin. Started shaky but he’s doing great. What a champ. They didn’t let the audience into the theater until fifteen till eight so it was clear they were still rehearsing. His vibe is younger and more modern which actually works well. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 9:30pm

Jimin! Loved him in Lempicka — hope he kills it as Joe!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 9:52pm

One thing we've all gotten used to since the post-quarantine re-opening of Broadway; the last minute substitution of a cover. The positive: it's placed these heroic but too often marginalized theater artists front and center. That first year back, I saw so many (Jennifer Blood on for Mare Winningham, Christopher Innvar on for the poor never-appearing Greg Kinnear - but those two - brilliant, both - are just off the top of my head). I found it a new adventure. The negative: audiences fear stars won't be in attendance, more than ever before. Maybe I'm wrong, but in t he post-COVID world of commercial theater, we accommodate the standbys and under-rehearsed understudies more readily, at least those of us who go regularly, (thanks to discounts) and now see the extraordinary pool of talent as the ultimate stars of New York theater. 

[bwayfan07]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 9:59pm

There are a few rows now for sale in the back of the balcony for opening night incase anyone wanted to go. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 10:58pm

bwayfan07 said: "There are a few rows now for sale in the back of the balcony for opening night incase anyone wanted to go."

The last 2 rows of the balcony are $99

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 11:41pm

theatregoer3 said: "Robbie2 said: "theatregoer3 said: "The Joe Gillis understudy is on tonight."

Diego or Jimin?"

Jimin. Started shaky but he’s doing great. What a champ. They didn’t let the audience into the theater until fifteen till eight so it was clear they were still rehearsing. His vibe is younger and more modern which actually works well."

 

How did Jimin do with the Act 2 opener Sunset and overall his 1st time as Joe?

How's his acting and singing?

His stage presence in Lempicka really stood out and he's an amazing dancer.

[TBFL]

Posted: 10/10/24 at 11:48pm

Someone previously mentioned JL's Evita at the open air. I hated it. I thought it was pretentious, didn't get alot of what was going on, I felt bad for Che laying out there in the cold with barely anything on and soaking wet, I thought Samantha Pauly didn't have the chops for Eva, why were they all bare foot?? So many questions... I went to Sunset with serious trepidation.

Here was Jamie Lloyds, doing the same tricks he was doing in Evita, the bare feet, the slip dress, no set, etc etc and it was one of the most exhilarating things i have seen in years. Not even sure why one worked and one didn't - though Sunset is helped massively by Scherzinger and the other leads. Hmm... Nicole in Jamie Lloyds Evita? I'd definitely go back to see that with her in,

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 10/11/24 at 12:29am

I was there this evening. First and foremost: you can't help but admire a show that had two mid-show standing ovations juxtaposed with multiple audience members leaving in a huff throughout. God, I love theatre.

I'll start off by saying that Tom Francis was out and I unfortunately was disappointed by his understudy, Jimin Moon's, performance. His vocals were shaky, and his acting amateurish. The Act 2 opener wasn’t as impactful as Tom Francis’ seems to be based on what I've read and the clips I've seen from his Olivier performance. Curious to hear what others thought of his performance if you were there.

Onto everything else: I loved this show. Echoing another poster's sentiments: it was ridiculous AND amazing. It's camp AND it's art. If you are the type of person who can suspend disbelief and accept that this is a 1949 when Macbooks and iPads exist, then you'll do just fine. I often roll my eyes when I read phrases like, "[director name]'s reimagining of [classic property]" but this truly was fully reimagined and although it's divisive, I think people have to at least give credit to Jamie Lloyd for trying something so drastically different. While there were parts of the show that dragged and didn't fully work for me, I remained fully captivated. Nicole's take on Norma is fresh and zany and terrifying and I loved it. I have tickets to see it again in November and hopefully will get to see Francis perform then.

To rapid fire address some key issues I have seen pop up throughout this thread: the theatre temperature felt fine to me, if anything I was a bit chilly; it is slightly hazy when you enter (at first I thought my glasses were dirty), but nothing ridiculous; the lights come on as soon as the end credits begin to roll; no audio issues where I was in front of rear mezz; Shubert Alley is a privately owned public space, and the production has the appropriate permits despite what That One Guy in the YouTube Comments says; The title number scene is incredible and I would kindly request that all the people who are saying that it's inappropriate/rude/selfish/unfair to have an actor walk through the street singing and acting his face off shut their computers and go outside and touch some grass.

Updated On: 10/11/24 at 12:29 AM