Perchance to Dream (musical)
Encyclopedia
Perchance to Dream is a musical romance with book, lyrics and music by Ivor Novello
. It was the only musical for which Novello wrote lyrics. The title is a quotation from William Shakespeare
's play Hamlet. The plot, like many of Novello's plots, is a romantic adventure tale, telling the parallel stories of the fates of several different inhabitants of the same house through differing time periods. The stories interconnect and have unforeseen repercussions, one upon the other.
It opened on the London stage at the Hippodrome Theatre on 21 April 1945. The show starred Novello, Margaret Rutherford
, Olive Gilbert
, Roma Beaumont, Muriel Barron and Bobbie Andrews, and veteran actress Zena Dare
appeared in the piece as Charlotte Fayre. Sylvia Cecil
was a replacement during the run. It is one of Novello's most successful works and enjoyed an original run of 1,022 performances and many subsequent tours and revivals. A 2011 revival at the Finborough Theatre
, London, was the first professional production since the 1980s. The hit song of the show was "We'll Gather Lilacs".
During the Regency period, Sir Graham Rodney, an impoverished womaniser, is living off the largess of Lady Charlotte, his rich aunt. He is the owner of a magnificent old country house, called "Huntersmoon". Lydia, a Drury Lane actress, is Sir Graham's lover and lives with him, as does her friend, also an actress. Sir Graham's hated cousin William covets Huntersmoon and dogs Sir Graham's steps. Sir Graham disguises himself to become the notorious highwayman, "Frenchy", to pay his debts and add excitement to his life of leisure. He robs a coach and takes a necklace but finds that the coach contains Lady Fayre and her ward Melinda. They soon meet at Huntersmoon, and he falls in love with Melinda. He dies at the hands of the law, telling Melinda that they will find each other again in another life, and leaving Lydia pregnant. Huntersmoon devolves to William and some unhappy ghosts.
Act II
More than three decades later, in the Victorian era
, William's son, Valentine, owns Huntersmoon. He is a composer to Queen Victoria. He marries Veronica, the illegitimate daughter of the late Sir Graham and Lydia. They live amidst the ghosts of their predecessors. Valentine meets Melanie, Sir Graham's niece, and they fall in love, but Veronica is pregnant. Valentine loses Melanie, as this time she dies.
Act III
In 1945, Valentine's grandson Bay wins the hand of Melody, the girl who represents the love that he had lost in earlier generations. The romance finally lays the ghosts to rest.
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
. It was the only musical for which Novello wrote lyrics. The title is a quotation from William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play Hamlet. The plot, like many of Novello's plots, is a romantic adventure tale, telling the parallel stories of the fates of several different inhabitants of the same house through differing time periods. The stories interconnect and have unforeseen repercussions, one upon the other.
It opened on the London stage at the Hippodrome Theatre on 21 April 1945. The show starred Novello, Margaret Rutherford
Margaret Rutherford
Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford DBE was an English character actress, who first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest...
, Olive Gilbert
Olive Gilbert
Olive Sarah Gilbert was an operatic singer and actress, who performed in many of Ivor Novello's musicals.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Carmarthen, Wales....
, Roma Beaumont, Muriel Barron and Bobbie Andrews, and veteran actress Zena Dare
Zena Dare
Zena Dare was an English singer and actress who was famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre and comedic plays in the first half of the 20th century, and for her role as Mrs...
appeared in the piece as Charlotte Fayre. Sylvia Cecil
Sylvia Cecil
Sylvia Cecil was an English singer and actress. She began her career in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. She soon moved on to musical comedy, including the musicals of Ivor Novello and Noël Coward, as well as variety and radio. Her career spanned at least...
was a replacement during the run. It is one of Novello's most successful works and enjoyed an original run of 1,022 performances and many subsequent tours and revivals. A 2011 revival at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
, London, was the first professional production since the 1980s. The hit song of the show was "We'll Gather Lilacs".
Synopsis
Act IDuring the Regency period, Sir Graham Rodney, an impoverished womaniser, is living off the largess of Lady Charlotte, his rich aunt. He is the owner of a magnificent old country house, called "Huntersmoon". Lydia, a Drury Lane actress, is Sir Graham's lover and lives with him, as does her friend, also an actress. Sir Graham's hated cousin William covets Huntersmoon and dogs Sir Graham's steps. Sir Graham disguises himself to become the notorious highwayman, "Frenchy", to pay his debts and add excitement to his life of leisure. He robs a coach and takes a necklace but finds that the coach contains Lady Fayre and her ward Melinda. They soon meet at Huntersmoon, and he falls in love with Melinda. He dies at the hands of the law, telling Melinda that they will find each other again in another life, and leaving Lydia pregnant. Huntersmoon devolves to William and some unhappy ghosts.
Act II
More than three decades later, in the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, William's son, Valentine, owns Huntersmoon. He is a composer to Queen Victoria. He marries Veronica, the illegitimate daughter of the late Sir Graham and Lydia. They live amidst the ghosts of their predecessors. Valentine meets Melanie, Sir Graham's niece, and they fall in love, but Veronica is pregnant. Valentine loses Melanie, as this time she dies.
Act III
In 1945, Valentine's grandson Bay wins the hand of Melody, the girl who represents the love that he had lost in earlier generations. The romance finally lays the ghosts to rest.
Songs
- When the Gentlemen Get Together
- Love is My Reason
- The Meeting
- The Path My Lady Walks
- A Lady Went to Market Fair
- When I Curtsied to the King
- Highwayman Love
- The Triumph of Spring (Ballet)
- Autumn Lullaby
- A Woman's Heart
- We'll Gather Lilacs
- The Victorian Wedding
- The Glo-Glo
- The Elopement
- Ghost Finale