The Exchange 1856 North Shields – until 28th July 2024
Reviewed by Sandra Little
4****
This current offering from Astravaganza Entertainment, produced by Liam Glendinning and directed by David Ducasse, is an absolute joy to watch! The musical is billed as an amateur production however the show has an extremely professional feel from start to finish. On this opening night there was a full house and everyone seemed to love every minute of this high energy production.
As most people will know, this musical is based on the Old Testament story of jealousy between Joseph( played by Chris Perry) and his many brothers. This jealousy is fuelled by the gift of a coat of many colours given to Joseph by his father, Jacob ( played by John Cowell). Joseph’s brothers are also angered by Joseph’s dreams which seem to indicate that he will eventually rule over them. The brothers decide to hatch a plot to get rid of Joseph and he eventually becomes a slave to Potiphar ( played by Daniel Shilling) who is a wealthy Egyptian. Meanwhile Jacob is led to believe that Joseph is dead! Despite these dark themes, this uplifting musical does have a happy ending! Thanks to the genius of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber the whole performance relies solely on great songs and a playful and amusing interpretation of this biblical message.
Stage sets for this show mainly use clever computer graphics and creative lighting which provides a perfect backdrop for some fantastic costumes and singing. Apart from the spectacular coat of many colours we have cowboy outfits, a 1920’s style fan dance a 1960’s dance routine complete with Mary Quant style shift dresses with PVC hats and boots, and a Vegas style Elvis costume for the Pharaoh.
Whilst the cast seemed to be giving their all, and having a fun time, there are some performers who deserve a special mention. The narrator (Gina Faed) has a lovely clear and powerful voice and Joseph (Chris Perry) was able to switch mood effectively from the lighthearted to more serious and intense moments. Despite great performances from the adults, a special mention must also be given to the children taking part. They were so professional and enthusiastic! It’s great to think that local children are being given such a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of the performing arts.
Colourful costumes, great singing and an enthusiastic cast, was a perfect combination for a great night of entertainment at Exchange. Pharaoh (Gareth Lilley) with his guards using spears as air guitars was such fun and the disco themed finale complete with a glitter ball ended the evening perfectly.