Synopsis
Surrounded by poverty and despair, one young
man overcomes great odds and achieves what many only dream of - freedom from
oppression and success in life and love. Nonetheless, he cannot stop pursuing
glory and a never-ending quest deprives him of joy and leads to his undoing.
Act I
In a medieval land, the murder of his father by an evil prince motivates a young
man to lead a rebellion. Rallying the people with dreams of a better life, he uses
cunning and stealth to overthrow the king. Assuming the throne, he quickly begins to
improve the kingdom and is taken by the beauty of the ex-king’s stepdaughter.
Disappointed when she spurns his advances, he soon becomes frustrated by the politics
of court. When word comes that a dark knight is terrorizing the realm, he decides
that putting an end to such evil must be his true calling. Meanwhile, won over
by the young king’s compassion and conviction, the lady’s heart softens. On the eve
of his departure, they proclaim their love for each other and are wed, but when the dark knight
attacks again the pursuit begins.
Act II
Fifteen years later, returning from another battle, the king and his men
are welcomed home. While they rest, the dark knight lurks nearby and lays out
his plan to entrap the king. When the the time comes to leave again,
the king's wife begs him not to go and the people sense that their idyllic kingdom is slipping
away. One night, on a distant battlefield with his troops near exhaustion, the
king acknowledges the error of his ways and resolves that this campaign will be
his last. The next morning, the battle rages until the dark knight is finally
captured. But moments later, the tide turns and as the remaining men head
home, the king reminisces for all that he had and lost.
Much more than a simple tale of desire, revenge, love and glory;
"The Golden Dream" is truly a parable
for our modern times. The dreams are ones that we all share and the land of Cockaygne could be as close as
any modern city today.
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