St. James Theatre New York, NY
Contact: contact@broadwaygps.com
Players: Nicole Scherzinger; Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer
Nicole Scherzinger’s latest work is her finest hour to date. The Pussycat Dolls singer and X-Factor host has been a Broadway sensation for months now, thanks to her moving performance in the latest vision of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Blvd. Based on the classic Billy Wilder film, the Jamie Lloyd-directed musical shows Scherzinger reaching a whole new level of artistry as Norma Desmond.
It’s a bit ironic watching Scherzinger play a movie star of yesteryear when she’s giving the performance of a lifetime – comedically, emotionally, musically, you name it, she accomplishes it. As the famous story goes, a young and down-on-his-luck screenwriter, Joe Gillis, becomes entangled with silent film star Desmond, who refuses to release him once she falls for the schmuck. She wants back in the picture business. Even bigger than the pictures, she wants love again.
“Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” Norma once famously said. In the hands of Scherzinger, it’s one of the many iconic lines she makes feel new again. She brings Norma into a whole new light. Tragedy follows wherever the character goes. Even at her broadest and zaniest, Scherzinger crafts a Norma Desmond as a piece of strongly made glass audiences don’t want to see break.
Scherzinger is a commanding force of live talent, both as a singer and dramatist. She grew up dreaming of Broadway, performing in plays and musicals. It’s almost a shame she didn’t hit the stage sooner, but then again, Sunset Blvd. is the right time and place for her to flourish as she does. Norma Desmond is a big character, maybe one of the biggest of all-time, and Scherzinger’s undeniable star qualities are just right for it.
What makes her take on Norma so refreshing is the intense combination of power and vulnerability. Even when she sings “With One Look,” about her raw capability as an artist, there’s a sadness behind the rousing self-affirmation. Scherzinger never hits just one note in her dialogue and singing. The layers of her work are immensely satisfying as an audience member, revealing new depths with each scene, song, and yes, one look.
The audience goes wild for “With One Look,” to the point where applause clouds the final notes. Can’t fully blame them. Having seen the show twice now, it’s a beautiful moment you feel grateful to witness. It’s Scherzinger’s talents reaching their full potential and beyond, thanks to the perfect match of material and artist.
