Patti LuPone in SUNSET BOULEVARD (1993, London) 

Kevin Anderson was most definitely underrated in his performance. Have felt theres not been a Joe who's been on par, especially vocally. Very smooth, and sounds perfectly suited for the character

This video highlights the art of stage lighting design by making us realize how much we tend to take lighting in theatre for granted! Without color and especially the subtle nuances in changes of intensity, the fading in and out of light and how it is used in a cinematic style, we have a bland looking show. Without lighting, we see darkness. I know that's painfully obvious and basic but too many people don't even know there's an art to stage lighting and most perceive it as just random lights thrown on stage to illuminate it. Stage lighting is such a beautiful art that, in my opinion, becomes an integral part of a production. You tamper with an award winning lighting design and you've lost a huge part of what made it award winning. An example of that is the original lighting design for EVITA by David Hersey. The original production was brought back in 2017 and toured to Australia and some Asian countries and South Africa. It was billed as a carbon copy of what audiences in 1979 saw on Broadway and while the sets and costumes were identical, I felt advertising it as the original was misleading due to the lighting design having been significantly altered. To me, it was the original tainted and tarnished. Much of the show featured this annoyingly neon-like blue haze that looked so tacky and changed the look, feel, and texture of the original production in ways that simply ruined the experience of seeing the original. I consider lighting to be more important in reacreating a production than sets. Sets can be scaled down and even changed but if you reatin a semblance of the original designs and they basically set the same mood and atmosphere that's all you need if the lighting remains the same; the show will have much the same visual impact.

I don't suppose anyone has the full version please? Sunset was the first west end show I saw back in 1993 and has imprinted itself in my mind and heart ever since. I still get blown away from this production in particular the hydraulic house. Oh to have a time machine and go back to watch it all one more time. Stunning. Thank you for sharing this.

Such a shame it's not in colour so you can see what's happening more easily. But thanks for putting this up. Shame that Queen Lupone got screwed over. If they ever invited time travel, I'd go back to watch this live on stage.

Saw this version. It was fantastic. Patti was sensational. Seen it many times since.

How wonderful to see this again. Patti is my favourite, and in my opinion by far the best Norma. I saw her quite a few times in London and wrote to her and met her in her in Dressing Room. Amazing to hear her Live. Excellent.

As far as I know, there are two London videos of Patti and original cast at the Adelphi that have long been in circulation. The first is in color and is missing some sections; it was definitely shot at the third preview on June 30, 1993, although attached at the end is a bit of "As If..." from the first preview. Then there's the one you've excerpted here, in black-and-white from the house camera, and the complete show. The date I have for this one is July 29, 1993, after opening night, although I can't swear to that. And of course Patti and Kevin can also be seen in the high-quality pro-shot of the second Sydmonton version.

Wish I had seen lupone. Really at her peak. Saw every other Norma on broadway, but so disappointed I missed her in London.

Thank you for posting! So great to see again! I saw this production twice in London and it was so much better than the Broadway one with the changes they made. The Let’s Have Lunch number on Broadway was a mess with the company dancing behind and singing, under their breath... “Let’s Have Lunch” while Joe was having his meeting with Sheldrake. Patti didn’t over act the role and just breezed through the songs, in their original keys, effortlessly! Interesting that during the Lady’s Paying number Norma sings about not being a platinum blonde bitch. I’m 99% sure that line wasn’t in it when I saw it, but, put back in when it went to Broadway.

This “The Lady’s Paying” was fantastic!

Just finished watching Hollywood. This is fantastic

I saw this in London and got a pic of Patti at the Stage Door. She also autographed a photo and included a note on SB stationary for a friend of mine who wasn't able to go along to London and was a big Patti fan. The autographed photo and note arrived postal mail a week or so after I got back to the US. Saw the show a couple years later with Elaine Paige and she was awesome in the role ... even looked a bit like Gloria Swanson.

Wow! Thank you for uploading this. I'm living in the east side of the globe, unfortunately I do not have access to reliable sources to watch Sunset Boulevard. Been watching clips only. I'm enjoying this right now.

Wow. LuPone is fabulous.

Thanks for posting....I was in London during her run, got my ticket only to find out Patti was on vacation that week!!!! So nice to see this

How did I not know about this INCREDIBLE archive??!!! THANK YOU!!!

Grazi, Follies! Along with Ms. Spiderwoman, you continue to provide vital Thespian history. i'm grateful! Peace be with you...Lukerdog

What a perfect team patti and Kevin made. No other actress seems to have done the Charlie Chapilin impersonation. I saw patti on her last performance. Talk about a monumental moment in theater! Lloyd webber threw away a true actress and singer for a Hollywood name! Talk about art copy life. Patti you will always be NORMA to me xx

Wow! Thanks for the upload. Never seen this before and really enjoyed it.

You can argue about whether the changes made for LA/NYC were universally better but the show was never more thrilling as it was in this first production. And those keys she sang in........ WOW

Patti marvelous as ever! So now we know that they did bring down the score for the Broadway company. That last note in one look, holy moly that must have been hard to start a show like that 6 days a week.

Having seen Glenn Close’s performance in Los Angeles before it went to Broadway Patti should have been the one to take it to Broadway!!!

Poor Patti, the show really wasn't ready or finished, even when officially opened. The changes came in after a temporary closure following the full Close/Lupone debacle. They imported the changes from the LA production, which tightened up the show no end, but still never worked 100%. Poor Patti got the blame of course. A sorry chapter.

Can’t wait to see the full production

This is definitely a preview...Surrender was played on the bend in main staircase by opening night and the Chaplin routine was cut during previews too

Wonderful! Was hoping to see the levitating mansion! ;-)

These “critiques” of the performance are based on a hand me down black & white video (never intended to be shared with the public) where we cannot even see the actors acting. For those of you actually saw this performance - be my guest. For the rest - admit that your opinion is based on a sound board feed of a preview with video taken from a tech staff monitor.

UGH THE LUSCIOUS SET ! 😍

I’m in this! I’ve never seen this

So weird that aside from the house, there's no entrance applause. Kind of refreshing given the hooting and hollering we get on Broadway when a star appears, and now more and more in the West End.

sunset blvd is my favorite movie. of course patti did it justice!!! i love her in everything.

I actually like the black and white Version, it fit so well to the original movie. Any chance to see the complete show somewhere?

Does anyone ever notice this glorious orchestration?

As per LuPone: "I gave the performance my director wanted." All the blame falls on the director and the writers. They intentionally tired to make Norma more "normal", and not a drag queen-type character. That's how LuPone played her, and if it didn't work, that's the director's issue. Subsequent Normas played her more in the arm-waving, raving lunatic style - which maybe the character/musical needs.

Fab set for normas house on sunset bvld

I like the broadway intro for with one look more. Gives more of an impact. "Once upon a time not long ago the head of any studio ......."

love parts of the show and love Patti...Saw it several times with Betty Buckley, also Glenn Close.

You can hate me but her singing is empty for me. I dont feel any emotions but what a voice!!

Way better Joe Gillis than in the Broadway version.

No matter who she portrays, Patti is always Patti. Take it or leave it. Webber wisely chose to leave it.

i’d forgotten what a good number The Lady’s Paying is

I saw this production in London and I came out wistling the scenery as they say ..you can tell here when the big set gets a hand of applause..the show itself has always mostly left me cold...a great big larger than life diva show with all the fun sucked out...kept nodding off during the second act..give me Hello Dolly any day over this....

Gosh, what a gorgeous set! Why did they settle for the black background?😥 And THEY HAVE A CHARLIE CHAPLIN SEQUENCE??? Now I'm depressed. Why did they remove the good bits???😭 At least we have this preserved gem.💖 Hopefully, they'll bring some of this back if they finally make the film.

Intensity! Passion!That's what is absent from Patti's performance. And that's exactly what Glenn Close brought to the role In abundance. The same goes for Max in this performance versus George Hearn on Broadway.

This is so weird to look at, it's like all of the lights are turned on at 100% full plastic, because at the beginning the place looks so bright

Do you have the levitating mansion to share? Thanks!

You can hear a lot of Evita in Pattis version. I think she would have been fantastic. I mean she’s belting in the original key.

She's no Ria Jones, but not horrible. Check RU-vid for, "That-Voice!" of Ria Jones. She performed the original workshop at 19 years old. She was the youngest "Evita" ever as well. She completed the UK tour of this phenomenal musical last year. Now the world is finally catching on to what some of us already knew. Ria Jones is a triple threat! 🤩😍😘

I saw Elaine Paige do Evita (London 78) and Patti in NYC in 79. They were both wonderful, but I preferred Paige. I heard about the Sunset controversy. This particular video seems to show us a subdued Lupone. Close in '94 seemed to offer a bigger presence on stage and a bigger if not better vocal production. I did not see either of their performances live - this is only an observation from seeing this performance by Patti and considerable footage of Glenn Close's.

Joe's Sunset Boulevard was totaly emotionless and bland, and then I heard Norma with "As if we never say goodbye"... So beautiful and impressive! There is such a difference in performance quality, sad...

I love LuPone's voice but this role is not for her. She just sings it note by note... no personalizing. No borrowed time.

...tive o privilegio de ver Sunset Boulevard no Adelphi Theatre em Londres com Patti LuPone. Antes de se criticar positivamente ou negativamente este musical temos de ter em atenção alguns factores. O musical é um sucedâneo do lírico e nestas modalidades a representação é dada através da parte vocal do artista conforme a partitura. Depois há que analisar o perfil psicológico do personagem que deve ser extraído do filme que é um clássico do cinema americano com uma interpretação antológica de Gloria Swanson. Postos estes principais items que permite uma critica isenta, passo à analise do musical que vi em Londres e mais tarde com Glenn Close que parece ter uma legião de fans que defende a sua dama. Close é de facto uma grande actriz de cinema mas não é um cantora. A sua voz é de falsete sem notas musicais e de tremidinhos. Pode ajudar saber cantarolar num momento pontual mas nunca suportando um musical desta dimensão. Está overacting, exgerada e até patética. A descida final na escadaria é no mínimo confrangedora e patética, lembrando uma cena de masturbação. Norma não era louca mas sim demente e Close dá uma loucura de um exagero tal que roça o ridiculo no modo como afaga o corrimão. Aliás, Close nesta actuação mais parece uma velhinha do Texas aterrorizada ao ser assaltada numa carruagem no velho Oeste. Close em palco mais parece um animal que estava em cativero e se abre a porta saindo desaustinadamente sem norte correndo para a esquerda e para a direita completamente perdida. Respeito as opiniões, mas elas não devem ser baseadas no facto de se gostar ou não da artista. No confronto que insistem, a senhora Lupone é de longe a melhor Norma no seu desempenho. Fria, calculista , altiva, desdenhosa e não a efusiva e exagerada personagem que nos é dado pela senhora Close.

Do you have the whole recording?

I saw her four times in the role. She was cheated out of doing it in the US. It's bad the video is so bright you can't see anyone.

I never got to see Patti's Norma, but I still infinitely prefer her interpretation on CD over any of the others. She sings it better than most - certainly better than Glen Close and Betty Buckley and Petula Clark - and she also captures something of the larger-than-life, crazed essence of Swanson's original. I was completely unmoved by Buckley's Norma in London, and, while I'm a fan of her recordings, her Norma was vocally unimpressive and often unattractive.

This is and always will be the role for Glen Close. Patti's great, but.... I just don't feel the gravitas of an old time movie star with Patti. She's just singing.... she's not.... Norma!

Incomparable!

Saw this during previews in London, loved it, hated Patti. Her performance was bland. When i saw Close and Buckley perform it on Broadway I was blown away.

Not as exciting as the house rising from the floor I guess.

I Adore Patti Lupone. but this is cringy. She has none of the sadness, conviction or dellusion in her voice. Maybe its the key, or Tempo or the way she rushes through certain parts not giving the jokes a chance to land ( the entire cast seems guilty of this) but whatever it is, Hearing Glenn Close Breaks the heart. Patti sounds like she's in a studio. there is none of the heaviness none of the weight weight in the deli ery the material deserves. my sentiment extends to the cast. there is a ton missing here.

Not a patch on Ria Jones' Norma Desmond

Sorry but after Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita all of Andrew Lloyd Webbers musicals sound the same, derivative, bombastic and predictable.

Wow Patti is terrible

Patti LuPone is awful.

She is magnificent!