Sunset Boulevard

Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical interpretation of the Billy Wilder film 'Sunset Boulevard' is one of Lloyd Webber's lesser successes. The Wilder film is arguably one of Hollywood's classics with its vaguely eerie storyline of the forgotten silent screen star, stuck in her past, latching onto the younger screenwriter in need of money. The musical sticks fairly closely to the movie to the point of drawing on much of its memorable dialogue but fails on its own account with its repetitive, at times uninspiring score. There are several tunes to provide some highlight but not sufficient it seems for mass appeal.

The Australian professional premiere of the musical was in Melbourne in 1996 where it failed to live up to expectations and did not subsequently transfer to Sydney as would have been expected. I did see a full concert version staged in Sydney a few years back which thrilled the loyal followers but this staging by the Willoughby Theatre Company is the first ever in the state as a full production.

The WTC is a respected not for profit company which has a strong following for its annual season of musical productions. As far as I am aware they are largely if not entirely amateur performers and crew. Their production standards are ambitious and staging their productions in the relatively new surrounds of the impressive boutique Concourse Theatre, a community facility, lends a further air of professionalism to their output.

I thought they did a pretty good job with Sunset Boulevard. My companion, Cs, with a history of professional and semi professional theatre work of his own, was pretty critical of their efforts in the first act - unreasonably so in my view - but he did concede they finished on a high with the second act.

★★★