Singing in the bilingual productionAny Dream Will Do – My Pad met Lloyd Webber, well-known singer André Schwartz explores his relationship with all that is Andrew Lloyd Webber.
This love started when André encountered composer work for the first time at the age of 12 years, upon seeing Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He utilises this connection with Webber, as well as further interactions as a platform from which to tell his own life story: stripped, raw, and vulnerable.
Schwartz’ mother, who had a substantial influence on his life, is quoted as saying: “Weave your coat and create a tapestry of colours; let it shine as brightly as you want it to, dream whatever you want, even if dreams and reality become indistinguishable. You decide your own truth, but always remember your way home.”
Home is where the truth lies for André.
Varying between moments when his coat shone vividly when becoming the first “Phantom” in South Africa with Webber’s seal of approval, to moments where every hint of colour faded from his coat, upon receiving a diagnosis of motor neuron disease (MND).
The narrative as well as songs such as “Any Dream will Do”, “You must love Me”, “Music of the Night”, “No Matter What”, “Memory” and “Send in the Clowns” weave together, forming a unit that places this piece firmly in the genre of pure theatre. If you are expecting a “lounge music” version of any of these favourites, then you are coming to the wrong show.
Humour is omnipresent and razor-sharp – very often self-demeaning.
Packed houses, standing ovations, rave reviews, and theatre nominations around the country are testament to the success of this production.
Any Dream will Do forms part of the Vrystaat Arts Festival on 2 July at 19:00 and 3 July at 14:00 in the Kopanong Auditorium.
Tickets cost R170 per person and are available on webtickets.co.za.
