"Dynamic," "thrilling," "cutting-edge" and "explosive" are words I could not have imagined being associated with any production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation of the Billy Wilder film "Sunset Boulevard." I saw the 1993 US premiere of this musical in Los Angeles and was largely bored by the lumbering show, which was redeemed only by a levitating stage, a good dramatic (not vocal) performance by Glenn Close, and two hummable songs.
Nevertheless, the above quoted words are those I would use to describe the "Sunset Boulevard" revival now playing on Broadway. Director Jamie Lloyd uses his theatrical stage magic to deconstruct, then fluidly and stylistically reconstruct the show from start to finish. Lloyd uses unparalleled sound, lighting and video effects to highlight the skills of his talented cast, which is led by a career defining performance by Nichole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond. This is a high concept approach that smartly heightens the melodrama and the production stays committed to Lloyd's concept from start to finish. It is hard to imagine that any musical this season will come close to this stunning work of art.
While off-Broadway plays tackling serious themes are getting harder to find these days, I am happy to report that Dominque Morisseau has premiered her excellent new drama "Bad Kreyól" at Signature Theatre. The play focuses on a Haitian-American visiting her cousin in Haiti who has a long serving gay male helper. The relationships between these three primary characters parallel the larger socio-political relationships that the play explores as it progresses. Impeccably acted (with notable standout performances by Pascale Armand and Jude Tibeau) and directed (by Tiffany Nichole Greene), the play is beautifully structured, intricately layered and thoughtful. If you are in New York before "Bad Kreyól" closes on December 1, I highly recommend seeing it.
Also well worth seeing is Jez Butterworth's British import "The Hills of California," which again has Butterworth teaming with director Sam Mendes. While beautifully rendered, the play itself is largely a standard tale on well worn themes and fails to reach the heights of his last Broadway outing "The Ferryman." But like his last play, this production features an outstanding performance by the playwright's partner Laura Donnelly, and her dual role performance here is alone worth the price of admisssion.
I had mixed feelings about two other shows I saw on a recent NYC trip. The new musical "Maybe Happy Ending" was a pleasant enough experience with inventive stage design, but was too slight and twee for my tastes. I thought Michael R. Jackson's (of "Starnge Loop" fame) "Teeth" started off well but became too unfocused and repetitive as it progressed.
I did not have mixed feelings about the new Elton John/Jake Shears/James Graham musical "Tammy Faye" which reopened the raised and finely restored Palace Theatre- it was just plain awful. Watching this one with my mouth often agape, I could not help but notice that the most of the actors on stage appeared uncomfortable and awkward. As an audience member at this fiasco, I could definitely relate.
