Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Hey readers!

It's time for my review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the Biblical story of Genesis, which tells of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers. It features songs like 'Any Dream Will Do', 'Close Every Door' and 'Go, Go, Go Joseph'."

This production of Joseph marks the first West End revival of the hit musical in over 10 years, and the show is certainly making a triumphant return. The new production has made a fair few alterations to the original book, with a larger role for both the Narrator and the chorus of children. Often revivals rarely change the original book, so I greatly admired this bold decision. It was very creative, and it's apparent that director Laurence Connor had a clear vision in mind when working on the show. It's intriguing to see a new take on Joseph after all these years and, for the most part, the changes work very well. In particular, I enjoyed seeing the way in which this revised version has given the Narrator more material to work with, allowing for a more interesting character. The musical score, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is retained in its entirely, though it is still as delightful now as it when it was first written in 1968. The music is extremely upbeat, and the tunes are likely to stay with you long after you leave the London Palladium. The audience were up on their feet clapping along to the music at the very end, signalling just how popular the music actually is, even after all of this time. A few personal highlights from the musical score include 'Any Dream Will Do', 'Jacob and Sons', 'One More Angel in Heaven' and 'Go, Go, Go Joseph'. 

In the leading role of Joseph is Jac Yarrow, who received an Olivier Award nomination for this same role in 2019. Yarrow is perfect for the role, and there is not one flaw that can be found with his performance. He has a lovely singing voice, and his rendition of 'Any Dream Will Do' was outstanding. At the performance I attended, Yarrow was joined by Linzi Hately as the Narrator, who is currently sharing the role with Alexandra Burke. Hately first portrayed the Narraor in 1991 at the very same theatre, and has now returned to the role 30 years later. In spite of the time gap, it's as if Hately never even said goodbye to the character; she was well and truly astonishing in every sense. Hately had the audience in the palm of hands, and did well to engage throughout. She also had excellent comic timing, and successfully landed all of the Narrator's jokes. It was noticeable that Hately interacted well with the chorus of children on stage, and conveyed the necessary warmth to play the role effectively. Beyond that, she was also a skilled singer, showing that her talents are limitless. As well as the two leads, the children in the show were equally marvellous. In previous productions of Joseph, the children have only been needed to provide backing vocals, but here they are now required to perform multiple roles which are normally performed by adults. They really rose to the challenge though, and each and every one of them was exceptional. It seemed as if they were having a great time when onstage, which in turn made the whole production more enjoyable to watch.

This production is a real spectacle, and proves to be an extravaganza. It's a joy to think that big productions like this are now able to re-open their doors, and it marks a very welcome return. In relation to the creatives, the choreography, by Joann M. Hunter, was marvellous and proved to be an overall highlight. There are some big dance numbers throughout, and all of them were simply spectacular. The scenic design, by Morgan Large, was equally as wonderful. The sets were grand, and really helped to transport the audience to the world of Joseph. In particular, I was rather fond of the camel designs and felt these were very cleverly done. The costumes, also by Large, were also fantastic. They were extremely colourful, helping to add to the overall tone of the show.

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

I greatly admire the way in which director Laurence Connor has applied his vision to the show, and the changes largely work very well. It's a fantastic production, and is one for the whole family to enjoy.

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 Basic Theatre Reviewer