Sunset Boulevard

"We inspired new ways to dream", were the words that reverberated within the walls of the Grand Opera House - and St Patrick's Choral Society definitely inspired just that as they brought the bright lights and heartaches of Hollywood to the Belfast stage.

Everyone who made it to Sunset Boulevard last week experienced something quite spectacular, with every inch of this 'Irish Amateur Premiere' feeling like the carefully crafted masterpiece of professionals.

Based on Billy Wilder's 1950 film and with songs written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Joe Gillis - played by Mark McMullan - a struggling screenwriter who stumbles across the home of Norma Desmond, a forgotten star of the silent movie era, whilst being hotly pursued by two repossession agents. Faced with mounting debt and a disheartening lack of interest from the producers at Paramount Pictures, Joe is persuaded to work on a script that Norma - portrayed by Fiona Keegan - has written, in hopes she can use it to make a grand return to the silver screen.

Fiona Keegan is absolutely enchanting as Norma, her performance cloaked in both the magic of Norma's glory days and the tragedy of this forgotten and slowly shattering star. During our first acquaintance, Norma lulls us with the lyrics of Just One Look - painting Joe a picture of how well loved she was in the age of silent movies for her ability to communicate any emotion without the need of a script. Although decades his senior, the audience cannot blame Joe for succumbing to Norma's charms and eventually becoming a 'kept man', so mesmerising is her flamboyant manner and allure.

Meanwhile, Joe's friendship with a certain Miss Betty Schaefer - perfectly portrayed by Courtney Burns - starts to heat up as the two work together on a screenplay based on a story Joe penned a few years previously. Joe's relationship with the young and hopeful Betty provides us with refreshing interludes as Joe and Norma's affair grows increasingly tenuous within the confines of Norma's aged mansion. Courtney's vocals are matched by her charismatic stage presence and, when combined with the vibrant chorus numbers, the stage becomes a sea of seamlessly choreographed tune and colour.

The use of black and white projections has enabled the cast to overcome any elements of the show which could not easily be portrayed with simple props or set changes; for example, the film footage of a car chase and a carefully edited scene showing Norma and Joe's arrival at Paramount Pictures - shot in the style of a silent black and white film, to great effect - demonstrates the same attention to detail which has permeated the entire production. One further example is Norma's eventual return to the film studio, when she serenades a bedazzled audience with As If We Never Said Goodbye while the remainder of the onstage cast stand still - as though time were standing still for this performance. Once again, Fiona enchants us all entirely, her reminiscent ballad echoing the tragic but beautiful nostalgia embodied in Grizabella's Memory, another show tune penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber for Cats.

Sunset Boulevard never once loses momentum, each scene, song and character convincing us again and again of each and every emotion and dramatic twist that unfolds. Finely tuned choreography is coupled with transportive sets, pulling us into this golden age of 1950s Hollywood - and sweeping us along until the final curtain falls.
St Patrick's Choral Society are to be congratulated for this triumph - the proceeds of which they are donating to several charities - and we wait in great anticipation for their next offering. If you missed this show, you're going to want to keep an eye out for their next offering.

Zara Porter

Sunset Boulevard ran in the Grand Opera House from Wednesday 07 to Saturday 10 October. Check stpatrickschoralsociety.co.uk for news of other productions.