THE SUSAN Boyle musical I Dreamed A Dream is over as far as Australia is concerned – for now.
However, producer Michael Harrison revealed that Sydney's loss is Scotland's gain, and the show, starring Elaine C Smith in the lead role, is set to return to Scotland in the new year.
"The Australian tour didn't work out the way we'd hoped," said Mr Harrison, who is enjoying West End success with The Bodyguard.
"We were all set to play in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth for an 11-week run but theatre shows in Australia at the moment simply aren't selling.
"What we've decided to do is postpone the show. Then, when the time is right, we'll go back. We had sold 10,000 tickets, but we feel we can capitalise on that at a later time."
He added: "There are projects in development which we hope will develop the Susan Boyle brand."
It has been reported that the 51-year-old singer from Blackburn, West Lothian, is Hollywood bound and set to appear in a movie, The Christmas Candle, in which she plays the wife of a church warden involved in a magical Christmas where an angel visits a fictitious village every 25 years.
Elaine C Smith admits the news of the Australian cancellation left her with mixed feelings.
"I wanted to go to Australia for the experience of playing to new audiences," says the Rab C Nesbitt star. "Yet, when it was cancelled I was philosophical. I've already done 104 performances of I Dreamed A Dream and while it's been a fantastic experience it's been tiring."
And Smith believes spring 2014 is the ideal time to bring the show back.
"It's a demanding show to do, so when we come back we'll be fresh and ready to go."
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