I Dreamed a Dream

Synopsis

Charting Susan's climb from humble beginnings in a working class town in Scotland, to a standing ovation at her audition for 'Britain's Got Talent', through to her global super stardom, I Dreamed A Dream © features many of the hit songs from Susan's multi-platinum selling albums. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you dare to dream... but most of all prove that dreams really do come true.

Our Review:

John Dixon - 27 March 2012

The stage show I Dreamed A Dream is yet another twist in the real life fairy story of Susan Boyle, the Scottish songbird who shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2009.

While the anticipation of Boyle's appearance certainly adds another dimension to the production, that should take nothing away from the rest of the show, which is funny, entertaining, tear-jerking and reveals parts of her life that have, until now, remained a mystery.

Elaine C Smith not only makes the role of Susan Boyle her own but is also a co-author of the show. In fact, it is hard to believe anyone else could play the part of Boyle so well, not least due to the physical similarities.

The story is told from Boyle’s perspective, looking back over her life so far at periods that are both sad and painful to watch, but always riveting.

While Act One deals with life before Britain’s Got Tale...

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Latest User Review

Joan Gibson - 7 April 2012:

A ‘sell out’ show – but it didn’t impress me, I’m sad to say. To begin with, I should make it clear that I admire Susan Boyle. I appreciate that she struggled against the odds to achieve her dream, and I am delighted that she has been successful. She has an engaging personality and a wonderful voice, and her success as a recording artiste is well-deserved. However, this review is about the show itself – the world premiere of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal. I don’t like to be negative, and have thought hard before posting this – especially in the light of all the rave reviews. However, as a musical, I have to admit that I found it disappointing. ‘Low-budget’ and ‘padded-out’ are the adjectives that best describe this show – in my clearly ‘minority’ opinion. If you are expecting a musical of similar caliber to Les Miserables, Billy Elliot, Phantom, Jersey Boys, Blood Brothers etc, you will probably be disappointed. The fact that tickets for all of these musicals are very similar in price might lead you to expect that this is a similarly wonderful production. In my opinion, it doesn’t come anywhere close! The whole show seemed ‘amateurish’ to me, I’m sad to say. Apart from Elaine C Smith, there are only eleven in the cast – and, in my opinion, none of them stand out as memorable singers, dancers or actors. I thought the script banal, the choreography uninspired, and the acting wooden. The set never changes (it’s little more than a bare stage with a backdrop of tv screens) and the songs are all re-workings of hymns or hits made famous by other people. You leave the theatre with ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ in your head – but this signature song is from another show!! All a bit of a cheat really, when you think about it – especially considering the price of the tickets! All in all, I feel this is a very flimsy attempt at a musical. It has little substance and can surely only appeal to audiences caught up in the national emotional hysteria of Susan Boyle’s story. I honestly expected a better production for the price of my £39-ish ticket! To end on a positive note, Elaine C Smith is excellent as Susan, and it was nice to see Susan herself singing two songs at the end of the show. ...

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