The pared down, actor/musician production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard currently playing at the Comedy theatre has extended its London run. It is now booking to 27 June.
Directed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel-Horwood, the hit musical opened in December 2008 and was due to run until 18 April. Following four nominations at the recent Laurence Olivier Awards – Best Company Performance, Best Musical Revival, Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical – the production, originally a hit for the Watermill theatre, Newbury, lengthened its London engagement.
Based on Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning 1950 film, Lloyd Webber’s musical tells the story of faded silent movie star Norma Desmond. Desperate to revive her star status she latches onto young screenwriter Joe, but the relationship is destined to end in disaster.
Premiered in London in 1993, previous productions of Sunset Boulevard have starred Patti LuPone, Elaine Paige, Petula Clark and Glenn Close as Desmond, the lead role currently played by Kathryn Evans.
MA