Theatre of Dreams

"Theatre of Dreams" is a Reebok commercial advertising the Sidewinder boot in 1998. It showcases a story about Ryan Giggs scoring in football gleefully being recounted vicariously by 20 British celebrities.

Wallace and Gromit are amongst the stars featured, Gromit reading a newspaper whilst Wallace use a pillow to describe bamboozling the oncoming defender. He then kicks it and hits Warren Mitchell in a rare moment of interaction between claymation and live-action, causing the two to show concern.

Cast (in order of appearance)

• Warren Mitchell
• Dave Stewart
• Steven Berkoff
• Sting
• Tom Jones
• David Mellor (with some children)
• Angus Loughran (with his puppet)
• Quentin Crisp
• Jose Carreras
• Chris Eubank
• Vic Reeves
• Bob Mortimer
• Richard Attenborough
• Robbie Williams
• Anna Friel
• Jarvis Cocker
• Peter Sallis as Wallace
• Gromit
• George Best
• Jimmy Hill

Production

The ad was directed by Tony Kaye, written by Derek Apps and art directed by Vince Squibb at Lowes. Its production involved music company Air-Edel and score by Anne Dudley. Allegedly, makeup was done by Vanessa Evelyn. It took 18 months to make as a logistical nightmare and cost £3,000,000. Celebrities volunteered their time for a nominal fee and a donation was made on their behalf to the Barnados charity.

Trivia

• This is the potentially the first Wallace & Gromit commercial with unique animation that wasn't an ident, depending on if the Glico advertisement came first.
• Wallace and Gromit would later appear alongside live-action celebrities in the M&S Christmas advertisements and "I get by with a little help from my friends", the latter also with a puppet character.