Christine Sherrill Stuns in Drury Lane’s 'Sunset Boulevard'

By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 4, 2013 5:30PM

Will Ray as Joe Gillis and Christine Sherrill as Norma Desmond in Drury Lane's production of Sunset Boulevard. Photo courtesy Drury Lane.

One of the greatest scenes in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard — valiantly offered as the first production in Drury Lane’s 2013 line-up — comes blessedly early in the show. The great silent-film actress Norma Desmond is recalling her glory days as a reigning member of Hollywood royalty, and in just one song, we see a glimpse of her former glamour and star power. A show like this hinges on the performance of the actress playing Norma — notably played in London and New York by stage legends Patti LuPone and Betty Buckley. Lucky for us, Chicago-based actress Christine Sherrill’s mix of obsessive sentimentality and warped sense of appeal is certain to be one of the strongest performances of this year.

Closely following Billy Wilder’s beloved film of the same name, Sunset Boulevard has been mired with problems since its West End debut in 1993. Lawsuits and expensive production costs meant a less-than-profitable show. And it ran for just a couple years on Broadway — practically a flop in the eyes of investors, who are used to the decades-long runs of Lloyd Webber’s more successful shows. (Cats and The Phantom of the Opera are two of the longest-running shows on Broadway.) But despite the backstage drama, the show has seen several national tours and regional productions.

Smartly, Drury Lane’s production keeps the focus on the iconic main character. Considered a relic from the golden age of movies, Desmond is still convinced she has a loyal fan base that would welcome her bold return to the silver screen. In her 20-year absence from film, she’s been pent-up in her crumbling mansion on Sunset Boulevard, penning a screenplay based on the biblical story of Salome. (In her deluded sense of self-adoration, she will of course star as the teenaged seductress.) Set designer Scott Davis ensures scenes flow smoothly from 1940s movie studio to Desmond’s opulent living room, in which Desmond treats each day as if she’ll be rediscovered all over again. Costume designer Theresa Hamm keeps her clothed in lavish outfits just as melodramatic as the star herself.

She hires desperate screenwriter Joe Gillis to edit the manuscript after he literally stumbles onto her property fleeing from repo men. The work takes months. He moves in to avoid the distraction of the Hollywood rat race (and the debt collectors), and soon, Desmond forms a manipulative, jealousy-fueled dependency on Gillis. But Gillis, in turn, finds himself taking advantage of Desmond’s hospitality and extravagant gifts. It’s no less disturbing when the two become lovers, entrapped in the mansion on Sunset and unable to end their mutual dependency.

Will Ray gives a solid performance as Gillis. During the title song, it’s clear he wears his despondent self-loathing like a hat — his weakness is clearly the reason he so easily gives in to Desmond’s charms. Outside the mansion, a host of supporting characters makes up the Hollywood set. Dara Cameron plays the guileless young writer Betty Schaeffer and gives some much-needed spark to her duet with Willis, “Too Much in Love to Care.”

Don Richard, as Desmond’s faithful manservant Max, gives a chilling performance during “Greatest Star of All,” despite the fact that his presence in Desmond’s life isn’t as fully explored as it should be. Keeping with the theme of the show itself, he’s there purely to add a little more melodrama. But in the eyes of the characters inhabiting (whether voluntary or not) the mansion on Sunset Boulevard, being steeped in melodrama is the only way to live.