I Dreamed A Dream, back after a successful run at last year's Watford Fringe, is a musical theatre revue where nine or so singers, ranging from passionate to professional, pick songs connected to their dream shows and casting, and deliver them with an eagerness and heart that captivates.
The cast were brilliantly varied in both their choices and their voices, ranging from the strident clarity of Lucy Sweeting to the bubbly soprano of Jasmine Boussateha, who also did a wonderful job hosting the event. She gave some interesting insights into the challenges of trying to make it as a professional performer today, including a startling anecdote about queuing outside for 11 hours for an open call audition for Cats, where she ultimately got 30 seconds in front of the casting director! A sharp reminder of how competitive the industry is, and how resilient its adherents must be to succeed.
Sweeting and Boussateha performed the duet For Good from Wicked together, and their voices were a perfect counterbalance. They delivered perfect harmonies, totally connecting with one another and with the audience.
As a musical theatre fan, it was delightful to hear songs that were completely new to me, namely Lost in the Brass from Band Geeks performed with great comic timing and a ringing belt by Hannah Moriarty, and I Love Betsy from Honeymoon in Vegas, delivered with suave sophistication and ironic twerking (yes, two words I never thought I'd be typing either) by square-jawed matinee idol Ben Farrar.
As the title implies, these off the beaten track choices were balanced by the usual Les Mis medley, but two stand out songs for me were Dear Bill from Operation Mincemeat performed by Graham Smith and She Used To Be Mine from Waitress, performed by Hannah Sass. The former was a masterclass in how to tell a story through song, and the latter was a powerhouse vocal which had me in goosebumps from first note to last. Overall, musical theatre delivered with wholesome and sincere passion. A joyful show.
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