PC: Um . . . A little! (laughing) Yes, frankly. I think that it was probably more intimidating for our director because Andrew had already seen me play it before.
The show survives [the changes] very well. In fact, I think the show is better. That is my personal feeling about it. I think we see the show better; we understand it better. The original production was very beautiful, but in a way, it detracted from what the play is about. This isn't a play about a set and costumes, it's about people. I feel that in this production we are able to grasp the story much better; we are able to feel more for the characters because the characters are able to get across better. I'm not quite sure where that begins and ends, but . . .
HS: Susan Schulman's new direction has pulled a total 180 with it and made it so it isn't about the sets or costumes.
PC: Well, the costumes are exactly the costumes I was wearing in England. None of that's changed. The jewelry, the turbans, the whole tra-la-la, all of that, because that is Norma. Her set is very, very beautiful; her environment has to be beautiful and slightly over-the-top. It's beautiful [now] in a different way. It's not the hydraulics; it's more theatrics. You see the set actually happening there in front of your eyes. It's not like this giant spaceship thing that comes down out of the ceiling. I worked on that set, on the hydraulic set, so I know what it was like. It was fun and all the rest of it, but it was technically very complicated and used to break down quite a lot! (laughing) This set is much easier, but it is no less beautiful.
HS: Is this the first time you've been touring the United States since Blood Brothers?
PC: Yes, it is.
HS: How's it been treating you so far?
PC: Oh, great! I enjoy touring. It is more difficult in some ways, but the time goes so fast. A week in one place is nothing. By the time you're settled in, you're off again.
HS: And the shows are so different. Is it harder walking out of the theatre, fresh off Norma Desmond and all of her . . .
PC: Madness? (laughing)
HS: . . . madness (laughing), instead of Blood Brothers, where you played a more down-to-earth woman?
PC: Yes. The last few scenes in this show are pretty dramatic. It takes me a little while to wind down. Usually, by the time I've gotten out of my trappings of mics, and I can see my own hair again, that usually helps. I'm starting to look a little more like me and therefore feel a little more like me. But the makeup is important in this show. I hardly wore any makeup in Blood Brothers, my own hair, etc. But in this, the preparation usually takes me about two hours to get ready. It's almost like a kind of ceremony, a ritual. It's part of getting ready to be someone else. As soon as I walk onto the stage, I have an American accent. I don't even think about putting on my American accent, I just have it as soon as I step on stage. I'm another person. It's quite curious, really.
HS: Have you been thinking about how long you are going to stay with the new tour?
PC: They asked me originally to sign for two years. After they picked me up off the floor, I said, "How about six months?" and they said, "How about a year?" So, I signed for a year, but they have recently come back and asked if I wound stay on an extra six months.
HS: Do you have any plans so far for anything after Sunset?
PC: Yes, if I had not been doing this now, I would have been doing my own one-woman show. Its a sort of autobiographical, well not "sort of," as it would go back to childhood, things I did way back . . . the movies, the shows, the 60's stuff, my French career. I'm working with one of the artistic directors from Cirque du Soleil, who will be directing it.
HS: That will be interesting. They really do do quite a breathtaking job.
PC: Yes, I agree. I think that they are some of the most talented people in this business. And I've already worked with them up in Montreal. So, while I'm on tour, I'm going to be working on that. I'm virtually writing it myself. The director said, "Well, you know, there's only one person who can write this. It's got to be your view of it, not somebody else's idea of what it was like.
HS: I can't thank you enough for making this a wonderful interview. I really can't wait to see the show.
PC: It was a pleasure!
At this point, Petula had one more interview before dashing to the Carr Performing Arts Center for her 8:00 curtain, so we bid a final adieu, and she was off to another call. Truly a woman of varied yet equally marvelous talents, Petula Clark has succeeded not only in breathing life into a show whose sun had otherwise set, but she has also managed to mold one of the theatre's most challenging roles into her own, unique creation. With her future looking bright and Sunset burning up the stage once again, 1999 may just be Petula's perfect year.
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, starring Petula Clark, will run Tuesday, May 18 through Sunday, May 23 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE.
Evening showtimes are 8:00PM Tuesday through Satuday, 7:30PM Sunday, with matineess at 2:00PM on Saturday and Sunday.
For tickets, visit TicketMaster or call (404) 249-6400.
This is a Mastercard Broadway Series of Atlanta presentation. Call (800) 278-4447 to subcribe to the 99'-00' season.
[ © 1999 Talkin' Broadway! | Produced by miner miracles ]