The all-new 2016 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat arrived in Leeds Grand Theatre this week to delight audiences of all ages. I must confess, with a mix of celebrity casting, repeats of existing work and a show which feels worn out by countless school productions, the show had a recipe which gave me low expectations. Its highly infectious and delightful harmonies, however, alongside the relentless energy of its ensemble, turned Joseph into an impressive new production which had audience members cheering with a standing ovation throughout several encores.
The story of Joseph is well known – a brother is the subject of jealousy by his other 11 siblings and finds himself sold as a slave. However, his talent of predicting fate through his dreams finds Joseph at the end of many lucky situations, ending up as Pharaoh’s second-in-command before finding an opportunity to teach his brothers a lesson. The brothers are forgiven, Joseph is reunited with his Father and the story rounds off nicely with the production’s highlight, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Mega-mix.
The story ended around twenty minutes before the actual production to allow time for an extended curtain call and seemingly limitless performances of more well-known songs such as Go! Go! Joseph, Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door. This was entertaining for the audience’s younger members, and cemented the production’s role as purely for entertainment purposes – a night to leave your brain in the auditorium and enjoy a few hours of light musical cheesiness and colourful sets. This isn’t a reason not to see the show, however, and actually reminds viewers to not take things so seriously all the time.
The X Factor‘s Joe McElderry took on the role of Joseph. Despite the recent craze of celebrity casting, and its somewhat mixed results, McElderry did a fine job portraying the protagonist. His vocals were impressive and followers from his reality show origins couldn’t help but scream as he was seen on stage for the first time. McElderry’s confidence boomed throughout, showing that his skills in acting and dance have improved, rendering him more than a mere one-trick pony. Lucy Kaye was also brilliant as The Narrator, yet sometimes felt overlooked: whether her role is seen as secondary, as it only narrates the story, or whether fans of McElderry were cheering as though they were watching The X Factor for the first time, Kaye should be commended for her flawless soprano vocals and cheery disposition as she gleefully narrated the rather short story.
The costume change which saw Kaye remove a dressing gown to show she was wearing all black with astronomical designs was almost as inspired as the overture that left audiences to stare at backdrop for almost 4 minutes. I’m not sure why I approached this production with some trepidation: perhaps, having watched too many epic opening nights at the Grand in the past (from the likes of Dirty Dancing or The Girls), I felt that Joseph would be unable to reach these lofty heights; or maybe I was worried that the family-orientated show felt as though it needn’t try too hard. Needless to say, my fears were misplaced: this all-new production of Joseph was entertaining to watch, and has helped to wash away some of my fear of celebrity casting in theatrical productions.
Now where can I buy that Mega-mix?
Mark McDougall
Images courtesy of Mark Yeoman