NORMA’S READY FOR HER CLOSE-UP

LEICESTER’S Curve Theatre has been made to look like a Hollywood Golden Age studio for Nikolai Foster’s dreamy revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard.

It’s the one based on the 1950 film noir about a down-on-hisluck screenwriter who falls under the spell of a fallen idol of the silent screen, Norma Desmond.

Ria Jones is genuinely away with the fairies as Norma, who lives in a world of gothic self-aggrandisement. Dressed in turban and flouncing fabrics, augmented with feathers and a galaxy of sequins and diamonds, she’s the Christmas tree of Tinseltown, waving her jewel-encrusted fingers as though conducting hordes of imaginary fans.

Not many actors would be willing, or able, to serve Norma with that much ham. But Jones goes for it with gusto — and is ably assisted by Adam Pearce, who turns her butler Max into a barrel-shaped, Slavic Bond villain, with a voice that booms like a 45-gallon Oldsmobile.

But it’s Danny Mac who steals the show, as the scoffing screenwriter-gigolo Joe Gillis. He may look like a pin-up boy, but he’s more than just a pretty face. With his fine singing voice, he delivers a sharp study in roguish charm, with a hint of hard-boiled snarl.

Lloyd Webber’s velvety tunes and syrupy strings flow nicely, though I’ve always found the story a little slight for the extravagant score. Still, most folks won’t mind, as there’s plenty to occupy the eyeballs, in the form of the handsome Mr Mac.

AvAilAble to stream online, £20 for a household ticket, curveonline.co.uk, until January 9.