The Impossible Dream
By David Artiss, Acting Member of BMTG since 2001
The Impossible Dream, or The Quest, is the song accompanying the current Honda TV/cinema ad. The ad shows a Honda test-driver stepping out of a trailer and lip-syncing the song (in actual fact, sung by Andy Williams). He gets on a Honda Monkey bike that morphs into other Honda vehicles, including the 1965 Formula 1 Grand Prix-winning car, the new Honda Racing automobile, a powerboat and finally one of the firm's hot air balloons. A voiceover states, "I couldn't have put it better myself."
The song in question is from the musical Man of La Mancha and was last performed by Beeston Musical Theatre Group during their 2002 concert season. It's never been performed as a show by the society, possibly due to the high number of males required.
So, what's the story of Man of La Mancha? In the sixteenth century, Miguel de Cervantes, poet, playwright, and part-time actor, has been arrested, together with his manservant, by the Spanish Inquisition. They are accused of presenting an entertainment offensive to the Inquisition. Inside the huge dungeon into which they have been cast, the other prisoners gang up on Cervantes and his manservant, and begin a mock trial, with the intention of stealing or burning his possessions. Cervantes wishes to desperately save a manuscript he carries with him and stages, with costumes, makeup, and the participation of the other prisoners, an unusual defense -the story of Don Quixote.
The show initially played for 2,328 performances in New York and on Broadway, starring Richard Kiley and Joan Diener. Kiley and Diener repeated the success in 1972, and the show has since been revived on Broadway several times, most recently in 2002 for 304 performances. The show has also played for 253 performances in London at the Piccadilly Theatre.
Famous stars of the show have included Raúl Juliá, Sheena Easton, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Plácido Domingo and Jack Jones.
An unsuccessful film version (although it was nominated for an Oscar) of the show was made in 1972, starring Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren.
Hear an extended excerpt of BMTG singing The Impossible Dream.
Beeston Musical Theatre Group perform a concert season, usually, every year around Easter time. Some performances are public, with others being privately booked. With 6 months of rehearsals just for these concerts, songs are to a polished, high standard. Look out for news of our next series of concerts...
