Synopsis The story takes place at a photo shoot just prior to Marilyn's untimely death. She is 36 years old and while she still is beautiful, she has lost some of the little girl charm that made her Hollywood's biggest star in the 20th Century Fox prime of her early twenties. Divorced for the third time and now living alone, frustrated by Hollywood and tired of the label a sex symbol, Marilyn longs to be respected for her talent and loved for who she really is rather than the character she has created for the silver screen. She wonders what it would be like to do it all over again...
The image of Marilyn Monroe is ubiquitous; it pervades the landscape of popular culture and it's become as familiar as an old friend. Forever Blonde is an affectionate homage to the ultimate leading lady, billed as ‘the Marilyn Monroe story in her own words and music’.
Forever Blonde is a one-woman show performed by Sunny Thompson, set on the day of Monroe’s last photo shoot. The star tells her life story to an unseen photographer (who appears only in the occasional corny voiceover) and takes us through her troubled childhood, rise to stardom and search for love.
Thompson does an uncanny impersonation, from the breathy voice to the famous wiggle. As the curtain opens she is posing for photographs, writhing and wrapped in white satin, and the initial resemblance is certainly striking. But no one can replicate the original’s mesmerising mixture of charisma and vulnerability. Although the story is ultimately tragic and Thompson evokes some very touching moments, her self-pitying portrayal of Monroe rings slightly hollow.
Writer Greg Thompson says that the play is his attempt to ‘humanize’ Monroe. I thought it pedestrianised her. Monroe’s sad story is hardly a secret - she herself talked about it often. She was a very modern celebrity, a prototype for the Cheryl Coles of today, whose fame and fan base depended not only, or even primarily, on glamour, beauty or talent, but a courageous vulnerability. Sunny Thompson is a talented actress - an adoring first night audience gave her a riotous standing ovation - but in truth she never quite captures this rare star quality.
This is the E! true Hollywood story of Marilyn Monroe, complete with voiceovers, violins and salacious gossip. It’s quite a thrill to catch glimpses of a lookalike in the flesh, but a true fan might be better off reading a biography and renting Some Like it Hot instead.
A very good performance although it dragged slightly towards the end. - sue
16 Nov 09
i thought the sunny was magical and played the role to perfection , the play was funny moving and very entertaining, infact i felt at the end that i had just spent an evening with marilyn monroe, sunny portrait many facets of Monroe and we got to see the very essence of what marilyn was like .I loved it and wish to thank the whole production team for giving us a night with mariln monroe - chris
15 Nov 09
Saw the show on Press Night, it was OK but not fully realised. The ending seemed draged out and the musical numbers were OK, but the spoken singing as part of the dialog got annoying, the only other thing I would add is that from where we were sitting you couldn't see her when ever she sat down, the rake at the theatre is very very poor. - Paul
26 Oct 09
Dear oh dear Georgia - what a shame you missed the magic of both the writing and the performance! - Stewart
Sept 2008 - After a £600,000, three-month renovation, the new multi-purpose complex now houses houses a 395-seat main stage and a permanent 90-seat studio, called The Basement, in addition to a digital screening facility, new seating, bars (including two, with 2am late licenses, in the main auditorium) and air-conditioning and expanded dressing rooms and backstage areas.
Whatsonstage.com - Discount London theatre tickets, theatre news and reviews, Theatre videos, Theatre discussion, National Theatre Listings. Covering London's West End, all of Theatreland and all UK theatre. The best
for London Theatre Ticket Discounts.
