I Dreamed a Dream (musical)
| I Dreamed a Dream | |
|---|---|
| The Susan Boyle Musical | |
 |
|
| Music | Various Artists |
| Lyrics | Various Artists |
| Book |
Alan McHugh Elaine C. Smith |
| Basis | The life of Susan Boyle |
| Productions | 2012, United Kingdom tour |
I Dreamed a Dream is a jukebox musical with a book co-written by Alan McHugh and Elaine C. Smith and produced by Michael Harrison. It is based on the life of Susan Boyle and her 2010 autobiography, The Woman I Was Born to Be. The score features songs recorded by Boyle, hymns, traditional songs and popular songs, mostly from the 1960s to the 1980s.
The show premiered on 27 March 2012 at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle, directed by Ed Curtis and choreographed by Nick Winston. Smith stars as Susan Boyle, and Boyle herself sings two songs at the end of most performances. It has received generally favourable reviews. The production's tour of the UK and Ireland continued through much of 2012.
Susan muses to the audience about childhood dreams ("I Dreamed a Dream"). The adult Susan, as narrator, explains that she is a shy, sometimes awkward person who doesn't know what to say to others. But she means to tell her "fairy tale" story. It starts with the birth of a baby girl, in Scotland on 1 April 1961, an April Fool's Day baby. A doctor tells her parents, Bridie and Patrick Boyle, that the baby may suffer from brain damage due to deprivation of oxygen, telling them not to expect too much from her. Bridie and Pat are worried yet hopeful ("Joy is in the Child").
Couples celebrate Susan's first communion ("Welcome to My World"). Guests sing ("Paper Roses" and "The Wild Rover"), but everyone is looking forward to Patrick Boyle singing his signature song, "Scarlet Ribbons", which he dedicates to Susan. He is able to "stop a room" with his singing, and Susan hopes someday to do the same. Susan's singing talent is discovered at school by the music teacher. But she suffers bullying and a beating by classmates ("The Four Marys"). Her friend John drives away the bullies. Years later, parents in tow, Susan meets John again at a parish dance, where he invites an incredulous Susan, who has never had a boyfriend, to dance with him ("Beautiful Sunday", "Knock Three Times", "Una Paloma Blanca"). Their comic, awkward efforts eventually turn dreamily romantic ("Perfect Day").
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