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Lyrics - Don Black and Christopher Hampton
Opened - 1993
Main Characters - Norma Desmond, Joe, Betty, Max
Plot - It's 1949, Hollywood. Joe Gillis is a hard-up writer. While escaping taxmen in his car
he ends up at a huge house on Sunset Boulevard. It belongs to Norma Desmond, who used to be a
huge star in silent movies but she has been virtually forgotten. She has written a script and
gets Joe to stay at the house and edit it. Meanwhile he gives one of his old stories to a woman
called Betty Schaefer for her to work on. Norma falls in love with Joe as he works on the script.
On new years eve Norma tells Joe her feelings and he leaves her to go to a friends party, only to
find out at midnight that she's cut her wrists.
In the new year there are calls from Paramount studios and Norma goes there. Max, Normas
servant finds out that there was a mix up and the calls were for Normas car, not about the script.
But noone tells Norma, shes too fragile, and she prepares to go back to work. Meanwhile Joe and
Betty realise that they are in love. Norma tries to interfere and Joe asks Betty to come round.
He tells Betty that it won't work, then when shes gone tells Norma he's leaving. Norma shoots
Joe. The next morning when the police come to take her away she believes that she is actually coming
out infront of the camera....the lights go down.
Songs (With marks out of 10) -
1.Overture (10)
2.I guess it was 5am (8)
3.Lets have lunch (9)
4.Every movies a circus (9)
5.Surrender (9)
6.With One Look (10)
7.Salome (9)
8.The greatest star of all (9)
9.Girl meets Boy (9)
10.New ways to dream (9)
11.The ladies paying (8)
12.The perfect year (10)
13.This time next year (10)
14.Sunset Boulevard (10)
15.As if we never said goodbye (10)
16.Too much in love to care (10)
Favourite song - With One Look
Favourite character - Betty
Favourite quotes -
"LA's changed a lot over the years since those brave gold rush pioneers came in their
creaky covered wagons. Far as they could go, end of the line. Their dreams were yours their
dreams were mine, but in those dreams were hidden dragons."
- Joe, singing about the boulevard, 'Sunset Boulevard'
"The whispered conversations, in over-crowded hallways: the atmosphere is thrilling here
as always! There's a world to rediscover, but I'm not in any hurry, and I need a moment...."
- Norma, returning to the Paramount studios, 'As if we never said goodbye'
Comment - This is ALW's most sophisticated musical yet, and, as with all the best musicals, gives a real sense of being in Hollywood in this era. You can feel the hustle and bustle of the studios at the start, the grandeur of Sunset Boulevard, and the magical atmosphere of film sets at Paramount. There are so many different emotions in this musical, and that is what makes it I think the most realistic musical I know. Another masterpiece of ALW.