Academy Award nominee Glenn Close will make her West End debut next April when she reprises her Tony Award-winning role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard.
The US star will lead the semi-staged production at the London Coliseum, following in the footsteps of the Emma Thompson-led Sweeney Todd, which was similarly brought to the venue as part of the English National Opera’s partnership with the GradeLinnit Company.
The limited run will finally give London audiences the chance to not only see the Fatal Attraction star on the London stage, but also in the iconic role of faded silent movie star Norma Desmond; a part that won her numerous accolades following her triumphant appearance in the show’s Broadway premiere production more than two decades ago.
Commenting on Close’s return to the role, Lloyd Webber said: “I am thrilled that London audiences will at last get a chance to see Glenn’s performance in the role of Norma Desmond which was so hugely acclaimed in the USA.”
Sweeney Todd’s director Lonny Price will return to the venue to direct the musical, which will see the full ENO orchestra on stage alongside the cast to perform Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s numerous well known numbers including As If We Never Said Goodbye, New Year’s Eve and Every Movie’s A Circus.
Based on Billy Wilder’s 1950 classic film, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Close leads as the forgotten movie star Desmond who passes the time living in her fantasy world. When an impoverished screen writer stumbles into her life, he finds himself seduced by the intriguing star and her luxurious, but ultimately suffocating, world. When another woman comes into the picture, her attempts to break him free from Desmond’s hold lead to dramatic consequences.
While this role marks Close’s West End debut, the Damages star is no stranger to the stage, with her many Broadway credits including high-profile productions of The Real Thing, Death And The Maiden and A Streetcar Named Desire. After a break of more than 20 years, Close returned to the Great White Way last year to star in A Delicate Balance, leading the way for this London performance.
Sunset Boulevard will play at the London Coliseum for a limited season of 43 performances from 1 April to 7 May. Full casting is still to be announced.