Click here to download this file Click here to download this file Click here to download this file Simon is currently working on his musical adaptation of J.M. Barrie's play, "Dear Brutus". The story concerns a group of people who get a second chance in life, courtesy of the delinquent old fairy, Lob - and an enchanted wood that appears magically every Midsummer's night. Photograph in poster by Jules Zysman. Orchestrations by David Lazar.



SYNOPSIS

The Might Have Beens. A new musical. Libretto, lyrics, and music by Simon Chan (2009). Based on the play Dear Brutus by J. M. Barrie (1929). Plot summary. In Act One, we meet a group of people invited to stay at a house in the English countryside on Midsummer's Eve. The women have found out that the butler, Matey, has stolen their rings, and threaten him with jail unless he tells them why their strange little host Lob has invited them all here. Matey begs for mercy (If I Had A Second Chance).

Most of the guests are unhappy in some way. Jack Purdie is having an affair with Joanna Trout (Jealousy), much to the chagrin of his wife, Mabel (The Time I Spent With You).William Dearth, a former artist, is now an alcoholic and rejected by his wife, Alice, who wishes she'd married better (What A Different Woman I’d Be). Lady Caroline Laney is a frustrated spinster. There is an older couple, Mr and Mrs Coade, who are not exactly unhappy, but Mr Coade wishes he'd done more with his life.

Their host, a strange little man called Lob, intimates that they are all there for the same reason - that they all want a second chance in life, and they can get it if they find an enchanted wood that appears once every Midsummer's Night*. Lob revealed as Puck, who has forgotten to die (The Fairies In The Wood). At first, everyone is skeptical about the magic wood, but suddenly the wood appears in the rose garden outside. One by one they step out into the night to receive their second chance, except Mrs Coade, who begs her husband to stay (Mrs Coade’s Prayer).

In Act Two, they are all magically translated in some way, and what they have wished for comes true. However, it is clear to the audience that although they have all received their second chance in life, they are essentially the same in character. Matey is still a thief, but a millionaire one, and happily married to Lady Caroline (Once In A While); Purdie is now having an affair with Mabel, and has spurned Joanna, who becomes his wife. Alice is now a vagrant, still with a chip on her shoulder (Unreal), and Mr Coade does nothing with his second chance. Dearth is the exception, whose gift of a daughter, Margaret, has radically transformed him into a better man (Have I Told You I Love You Today?; The Best Day Of Your Life).

In Act Three, they all return from the wood and wake up, and face the consequences of taking their second chance. At first, it is comic, with Purdie realising he has had an affair with his own wife (We’ve Only Ourselves To Blame); then farcical, with Lady Caroline realising she was hitched to Matey (We’re Delighted!); romantic, with Mr Coade meeting Mrs Coade at the door and proposing to her again (Only In My Dreams); and finally tragic, with Alice waking to realise she was better off with Dearth, and Dearth waking up to find he has no daughter (Something Close To Love).

The characters are philosophical about their experiences, and hold no grudges against Lob; and there is the suggestion of a reconciliation between Dearth and Alice.

* It is suggested that it is the same wood as in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

THE DEMO RECORDING IS NOW FREE TO DOWNLOAD!

Cast of demo recording:

Steve Beck - Will Dearth
Kaja Holzhiemer - Alice Dearth
Bernard Wheaton - Matey
Dominque Fegan - Lady Caroline
Mr Coade - Steven Tandy
Mrs Coade - Irene Horne
Jack Purdie - Ross Hobson
Joanna Trout - Meg Kiddle
Mabel Purdie - D'Arne Sleeman
Margaret Dearth - Adele King

and featuring Evelyn Hartogh as Lob.

Engineered by Peet Gardner
Orchestrated and conducted by David Lazar
Recorded at the QUT Recording Studios, Doggett Street, New Farm.
Many thanks to Will and Sean for their help.

DOWNLOAD:

1. If I Had A Second Chance Click here to download this file
(Bernard Wheaton, Irene Horne)

2. Jealousy Click here to download this file
(Ross Hobson, Meg Kiddle, D'Arne Sleeman)

3. The Time I Spent With You Click here to download this file
(D'Arne Sleeman)

4. What A Different Woman I'd Be Click here to download this file
(Kaja Holzheimer, Steve Beck)

5. Fairies (Part 1) Click here to download this file
(Evelyn Hartogh)

6. Mrs Coade's Prayer Click here to download this file
(Irene Horne)

7. Fairies (Part 2) Click here to download this file
Evelyn Hartogh)

8. Once In A While Click here to download this file
(Dominique Fegan, Bernard Wheaton)

9. Have I Told You I Love You Today? Click here to download this file
(Steve Beck, Adele King)

10. The Best Day Of Your Life Click here to download this file
(Steve Beck, Adele King)

11. Unreal Click here to download this file
(Kaja Holzheimer)

12. We've Only Ourselves To Blame Click here to download this file
D'Arne Sleeman, Meg Kiddle. Ross Hobson)

13. We're Delighted! Click here to download this file
(D'Arne Sleeman, Meg Kiddle, Ross Hobson)

14. Only In My Dreams Click here to download this file
(Steven Tandy, Irene Horne, Ross Hobson, Meg Kiddle, D'Arne Sleeman, Dominique Fegan)

15. Something Close To Love Click here to download this file
(Steve Beck, Kaja Holzheimer)