Great Expectations
Original London Cast
Darren Day found initial attention appearing with Bob Monkhouse on Opportunity Knocks, before, after five years with a career that spanned being a Butlins redcoat, doing stand-up comedy, and singing with bands, Day made his breakthrough as a singer and dancer in London's West End theatre, starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He then developed his career as a television presenter on programmes such asYou Bet!, and Don't Try This at Home! He also appeared in the first series of the reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! He finished third. Since then Darren has appeared in many touring stage musicals, including Summer Holiday, Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, and Hellbreeder.
Great Expectations The Musical continued the creative partnership between Mike Read (music/lyrics), previously better known as a Radio One DJ and later TV presenter (Saturday Superstore / Pop Quiz), and Christopher G Sandford (Adaptation). Their previous work had included Read’s musical ‘Oscar’ about Oscar Wilde and ‘A Christmas Carol’, another Dickens adaptation. The musical debuted at Theatr Clwd, Mold, in Wales, before touring and received great acclaim, both for the writing and it’s young star Darren Day.
Great Expectations is a curio for collector’s of musical theatre, shows another side of the well known Mike Read’s talents and is an early example of Darren Day’s great potential as a show star. It is also arguably, a hidden gem of British Musical Theatre awaiting rediscovery.
A Digital Dolby Surround Sound Recording.
- Overture
Array - I Call Myself Pip
Darren Day - Watching the Days Go By
Stephen Osborne - All Little Boys Should Be Grateful
Melanie Stace, Michael Vaughn, Nick Cavaliere, Victoria Pritchard - The Best of Friends
Chris Corcoran, Darren Day - This Little Boy Should Be Grateful
Michael Vaughn, Victoria Pritchard - Break His Heart
Darren Day, Elizabeth Renehan, Tamara Ustinov - Questions and Answers
John Summerfield, Mark Faith, Michael Vaughn, Victoria Pritchard - Cobwebs and Cake
Tamara Ustinov - I Call Myself Pip (Reprise)
Darren Day - Estella
Darren Day - It's Wonderful
Caroline Fitzgerald - The Loneliest Night In the World
Caroline Fitzgerald, Chris Corcoran, Company, Darren Day - Great Expectations
Company, Darren Day - Jaggers
Company, Nigel Williams - Handel
Alistair Petrie - To Be a Gentleman
Alistair Petrie, Darren Day, John Summerfield, Nick Cavaliere - Behind the Mask
Darren Day - Heart of Stone
Elizabeth Renehan - Jaggers (Reprise)
Company, Michael Vaughn - A Theoretical Case
Michael Vaughn, Nigel Williams - The Loneliest Night In the World (Reprise)
Darren Day - It's Wonderful (Reprise)
Caroline Fitzgerald - We Are Each Other
Darren Day, Elizabeth Renehan - We Are Each Other (Pop Version)
Darren Day, Elizabeth Renehan