Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
There was an enormous amount of buzz surrounding this production of Joseph and its lead performer, Joe McElderry. I had seen Joseph twice before; once locally when I was really young and then once again seven years ago in Brighton. Seeing the show once again was of interest to me, so I snatched up some of the last tickets available. When I entered the theatre, large signs were up announcing Joe McElderry would be absent. This was somewhat disappointing, but it was not a huge worry, as understudies are usually exceptional. Whilst I thought this production was a lot of fun and Rob Wilshaw's performance of Joseph was phenomenal, there seemed to be a number of faults in both the direction and design of the show.

The highlight of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is, without a doubt, the wonderful score composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The melodies that feature in the show are wonderful and highly memorable. These songs are absolutely timeless. My chosen highlights of the score would be "One More Angel in Heaven", "Close Every Door" and "Any Dream Will Do".

From what the front of house staff told me, Rob Wilshaw was informed less than an hour before the show began that he would be performing in the role of Joseph. Rob Wilshaw really perfects the role of Joseph; his performance was to a really high standard. Had I not known what Joe McElderry looked like, I would not have guessed Rob was an understudy. Rob has a marvellous voice that really suits the score. Trina Hall, as the Narrator, was also sublime. Even when not speaking, she was constantly reacting to her surroundings in a very natural way. In addition to that, her  singing voice was outstanding. Other cast members who stood out were Ben James-Ellis as Pharaoh and Joseph Peacock as Benjamin.

The design aspects of this production were somewhat 'hit and miss'. Some of the design aspects were great, however there were others that would greatly benefit from improvement. Whilst the set design was serviceable, I believe that they could have been far more ambitious with it. It was very plain, and the show may have been more effective with a larger set. The majority of the costumes were well designed, with Joseph and his brother's costumes standing out, however a few of the other costumes looked a little bit second-rate compared to the others. Whilst the lighting design did not particularly stand out, it still worked effectively. The only major problem with the different designs of the show was the sound design, which was poor. The sound was too amplified, which made certain parts of the show extremely difficult to hear. If the sound design was improved, I imagine that I would find the show a lot more enjoyable, as struggling to hear the actors is not particularly great. The only actor that I could hear without fault was Rob Wilshaw (Joseph).

The major problems that I had with this production arose from the direction, and therefore the staging. The biggest problem with the staging was the placing of the child choir sitting onstage in clear view of the audience throughout the entire show. The children's choir constantly looked bored, and a lot of them had to force smiles. If I had been the director of this production, I would have placed them offstage when they were not needed as it made the show look somewhat awkward. Having the children's choir offstage for parts of the show would also have given the actors more room on the stage.

On a more positive note, I thought that the orchestra were extraordinary. I was happy to be sat in the dress circle, as I was able to see into the orchestra pit in clear view at several points throughout the show.

In conclusion, whilst I didn't think this production was not perfect, there is nothing that can take away the fact that it is a fun show for all ages.

The featured star of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is, drum roll please... ROB WILSHAW!

Not seeing the title star may be a problem for some, but I can assure anyone seeing the show with Rob Wilshaw that you are not missing out on anything. Rob was a wonderful Joseph and excelled in every single part of the show. 

Now for my final verdict on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I give Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat...

This production was a decision between a two and a three star, however the wonderful score and brilliant performances in this show push it to a three star.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer