Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s big brazen biblical extravaganza returns once again for a national tour, and this heralds yet more audiences enthusiastically clapping and singing along to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’s iconic tunes up and down the country.
The tone and calibre are everything you have come to expect from Joseph at this point: family-friendly, bubbly, bright, cheesy and still able to get a song stuck in your head for days. I must confess this was my first time seeing it on stage and the production’s ability to galvanise a crowd is something utterly lost in the recorded version. It was interesting to see just how much the style of the original school version has been retained even now: there’s a degree to which the entire enterprise feels like a school musical with an exorbitant amount of money spent on it, which arguably is part of the innate charm.
There’s little I can say that was not better conveyed by the rabid applause of the audience at the close. Joseph remains a well-practiced and -executed production that understands and heavily leans into its appeal to audiences. It has a pop-mentality through and through – from its daft jukebox musical stylings and rousing ballads, to its unwavering feel-good mentality.
As you would come to expect, we have an array of powerful singers working their pipes. Jaymi Hensley returns as Joseph and his aptitude for the role – and for belting out showstoppers – is unabashed. Giving him a serious run for his money though is Alexandra Doar as the Narrator, who is well integrated into the scenes rather than providing remote lyrical accompaniment and proves another central pillar of the show.
There is a part of me that would like to see a musical of this story with some proper Old Testament blood, retribution and misery but I think that boat sailed in the late ‘60s with the original staging, never mind in 2019 when the popularity of Joseph is long established. Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat is a knowingly silly, shallow and entertaining escapade that would challenge even the most stony-faced attendant to not be won over.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat review:
The musical that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling.
With a crash of drums and flash of light, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
burst onto Everyman Theatre's stage for a spectacular show that did not disappoint.
A much-loved musical - If you could bottle Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I’m sure it would be the perfect blend of nostalgia, foot-stomping, sing-out-loud songs and a fair dose of cheesy cheeriness.
A musical that really has stood the test of time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was for me, very much a part of my childhood – piling in the car with my grandparents to sing, dance and laugh along to the much-loved musical always brings back fond memories.
So, when I was offered the chance to review it, I set the soundtrack on repeat and practised my best choir-singing voice for what turned out to be another stellar show at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre.
A colourful cast - Bursting onto the stage with a zeal and vibrance that had everyone leaving their worries at the door, the cast delighted an audience of all ages with the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Peppered with joyous jokes, larger-than-life characters and catchy songs, that you can’t help but sing along to, Joseph was played by former Union J singer, Jaymi Hensley, whose performance left behind his popstar past and provided an incredible vocal to the show that demanded you took him seriously.
The narrator, Alexandra Doar, made her professional debut with her stunning voice and those impressive key changes that we could only half attempt from our seats – some things are better left to the professionals!
Bringing the stage to life though, were the brothers whose powerful vocals, tireless dance routines and passionate personalities had us laughing out loud, clapping along and even dancing out of our seats for the finale.
A dazzling show - The charming thing about Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is that each show features a local choir. Cheltenham’s performance featured Cheltenham, Cirencester and Gloucester Stagecoach Performing Arts Schools with beautiful harmonies and smiling faces looking out for their parents in the audience.
For me, that’s the whole appeal of the musical. You forget what’s happening outside, laugh along with someone twice or even half your age and sing like you’re up there on the stage yourself.
Expect nothing short of a dazzling show, fantastic performances from a truly talented cast, and a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy as you dance and sing your way home out of the theatre like I did.
Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s first masterpiece in musical theatre, has been revamped with a fresh new look for 2019 and a brand new UK tour.
With over 26 million audience members so far across the globe, Joseph continues to wow audiences as it arrives in Glasgow this week.
The famous musical about a multi-coloured coat is renowned for bundles of family friendly fun embracing both children and adults with its bright, fast paced production.
Originally, the show started touring schools as a theatre in education production before it exploded onto the main stage, becoming a West End hit and touring the world for the best part of fifty years.
Joseph tells the biblical tale of Jacob and his twelve sons. Joseph is the favourite child and the apple of his father’s eye – much to the resentment and bitter jealousy of his other siblings. Joseph believes he has the gift to interpret visions and dreams, however he is relentlessly mocked by his brothers.
Jacob gifts his favourite son a beautiful coat of many colours which leaves the rest of the family furious at his golden child status. His brothers hatch a plan to sell him as a slave and tell Jacob that his favourite son has been tragically killed.
Joseph’s journey as a slave leads him to Egypt where he embarks on a colourful and emotional rollercoaster journey to freedom and to realise his true potential.
Originally, the show started touring schools as a theatre in education production before it exploded onto the main stage, becoming a West End hit and touring the world for the best part of fifty years.
Joseph tells the biblical tale of Jacob and his twelve sons. Joseph is the favourite child and the apple of his father’s eye – much to the resentment and bitter jealousy of his other siblings. Joseph believes he has the gift to interpret visions and dreams, however he is relentlessly mocked by his brothers.
Jacob gifts his favourite son a beautiful coat of many colours which leaves the rest of the family furious at his golden child status. His brothers hatch a plan to sell him as a slave and tell Jacob that his favourite son has been tragically killed.
Joseph’s journey as a slave leads him to Egypt where he embarks on a colourful and emotional rollercoaster journey to freedom and to realise his true potential.
Former Union J boyband member Jaymi Hensley is the latest star to take the infamous lead role of Joseph as his first ever major musical role. Over the last 40 years, Joseph has seen many memorable incarnations from stars such as Phillip Schofield, Jason Donovan and more recently BBC’s Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead.
However Jaymi’s impressive vocal range and fresh portrayal of Joseph more than earns his stripes as a leading man worthy of the coat of many colours. His show-stopping performance makes the character his own and is clearly the driving success of the production.
Hensley is beautifully supported by the Narrator played by Alexandra Doar, who’s natural Mary Poppins-esque charm and personality shines through immediately warming her to the audience.
She is also starring in her first production and suitably showcases her star quality. Her beautiful vocal range and perfect diction is to be commended. Her performance is suitably reserved as she blends into the story, narrating between songs and guiding the audience through Joseph’s journey as she supports the main action on stage.
Andrew Geater delivers a fabulous performance as the Pharaoh. If you have not seen the show before, I won’t ruin the surprise but don’t be expecting any Egyptian tradition with this particular pharaoh. He may be the King… but not quite the King you are expecting.
The show stays true to the heart of the original show with much-loved classics such as Close Every Door, Any Dream Will Do and Go Go Go Joseph well received by the audience.
The fresh and dynamic choreography by Gary Lloyd gives the show a new facelift for 2019, including some impressive dance numbers peppered throughout the show. The clever lighting and colourful staging ensured that the wow factor was present throughout surrounding the stage with palm trees, Egyptian statues, pyramid like stair cases and an impressive starry backdrop.
Any 90s child will remember the nostalgia of children choirs across the UK performing songs from Joseph and this show was no different. The children’s choir were positioned on the stairs to add polished and professional harmonies and vocals to some of the main numbers which was a sweet addition. The children demonstrated their future stardom with a note perfect performance at the start of Act Two.
By the end of the show, the Joseph remix had the theatre on their feet singing those well-loved lyrics loud and proving that even after nearly 50 years, Joseph is still a main contender for the West End stage.
Show stopping vocals, explosions of colour and plenty of laughter and joy for all the family – Joseph is not to be missed. Go go go before the production closes on Saturday 7th September.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was the first musical I saw in the 1990’s which started a lifelong love of musical theatre, so I was excited to take my children along to experience Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow last night.
The fast-moving, energetic and colourful show is a great introduction to theatre for children and the narrator fills in the gaps so they understand exactly what is happening in the story. My girls age 7 and 10 years old were an ideal age and captivated throughout.
Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Bill Kenwright, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the Book of Genesis and follows the Bible story fairly closely, with only a little artistic licence!
Joseph is one of Jacob’s twelve sons, but he is disliked by his brother’s as his father clearly makes him his favourite and has a coat of many colours made for him. His brothers take the opportunity to stage his death and sell him as a slave to Egypt. After working his way up as a servant in Potiphar’s household he then is banished to prison after being tricked by Potiphar’s wife. His fellow inmates, a butler and baker have strange dreams which Joseph deciphers correctly as one is pardoned and the other executed. Years later the butler remembers about Joseph and his talent when the Pharaoh has a number of strange dreams. Joseph was taken to the Pharaoh to explain his dreams where he realises that Egypt will experience 7 years of feast then 7 years of famine. Joseph is appointed to oversee the storage of food to get the country through the famine. When hard times hit, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to ask for food, although he recognises them, the brothers do not recognise Joseph. To ensure they have changed their ways Joseph tests them before revealing himself and being reunited with his father.
Joseph is played by Jaymi Hensley of Union J and a previous X Factor finalist who showed his vocal talent in the many emotive musical numbers such as Close Every Door, Any Dream Will Do and Pharaoh’s Dream Explained. Alexandra Doar took on the role of the Narrator in her professional debut.
The show incorporates many different styles of music with the French feel of Those Canaan Days, an Elvis styled Pharaoh with the rock and roll Song of the King and Benjamin Calypso.
