Leeds Grand Theatre – until 15th June 2019
Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood
4****
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been entertaining and captivating audiences since it opened in London’s West End in the 1970s. Since then the musical has gone from strength from strength with West End revivals and many international and national tours. Joseph has been reputed as a colourful and family friendly show.
Set to Rice’s lyrics and Lloyd Webber’s music, the musical is based on the biblical story of Joseph (Jaymi Hensley) and tied with the “coat of many colours”, a garment Joseph was given to by his father, Jacob (Henry Metcalfe). The musical retells the story of Joseph and his eleven brothers and how the plight of his coat and dreams leads him to slavery in Egypt and how his interpretation of dreams results in rank and fortune. Those events have an influential impact on his brothers whose jealous actions in the first place have initiated the predicaments.
The musical is predominately song based and the performance is sung through from beginning to end with the backing of a children’s choir who are assembled on stage throughout. The narrator (Trina Hill) begins sharing the story of Joseph with the children where she encourages them to dream like him. She subsequently interacts at key stages in the story and serves as a mediator/mentor to Joseph (Hensley) especially during his captivity.
Joseph over the years certainly keeps afresh with the times and with catchy familiar musical styles including Rock and Roll, Pop, Country, Calypso, Parisian and Cabaret forming the songs. Many know the infamous Any Dream Will Do and the emotive Close Every Door. The outstanding musical numbers must be from Andrew Geater’s portrayal of Elvis like Pharaoh with Song of the King and Judah (Mikey Jay-Heath) and the brothers’ Benjamin Calypso.
Outstanding are the excellent and captivating portrayals from Hill as the narrator and Hensley (a member of Union J, a London based boy band) as Joseph. The lead performers are supported by an incredible and a talented cast who entertains and engages the audience with song and dance and no doubt aspire many to dream like Joseph. The “Joseph Megamix Reprises” is certainly the showstopper highlight with a medley of musical numbers which the musical is well known and loved for and the finale certainly guarantees maximum interaction from the well receiving and appreciative audience.
The team of Sean Cavanagh, Nick Richings and Dan Samson have created modern, colourful and kaleidoscopic staging for this production which echoes the spirit of the story and in tuned with the modern times. Although the account of Joseph is ancient it is felt that the telling of this story, under the direction of Bill Kenwright, definitely fits nicely in the 21st Century.
A musical of many colours and a very enjoyable evening out!