Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

In the prologue of this classic production from the pens of Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice the narrator sings  “All that I say can be told another way”, and this was certainly true as the story was interpreted in a modern manner.  From the familiar strains of the prologue music we saw the narrators ‘on stage audience’ rapt in attention to her words, so much so that they ‘became’ the characters from the Old Testament stories she told them.  Jacob and his sons looked suspiciously like farmers straight from the Emmerdale set as they tended their flock of sheep.

Each ‘brother’ had an individual character, and collectively looked, acted and sang with confidence, particularly in my two favourite choral pieces “Those Canaan Days” and “Benjamin Calypso” led by Peter Lynn and Bradley Milburn respectively. Their ‘wives’ and other chorus members helped the brothers provide stage movement and dance throughout which was slick, bright, and lively, and credit is due to the choreographers for making such a youthful cast a cohesive force.

‘Jacob’ played by David Robson looked the sensitive, gullible father that doted on ‘Joseph’.  Another highlight of the production always is the appearance of ‘Pharaoh’ dressed and singing like Elvis, and Alex Smith didn’t disappoint with his raunchy interpretation which demanded and received an encore.  Other principals playing the Butler, Baker and Mr & Mrs Potiphar each contributed to this rich production.
Sound quality and lighting were very good, and the music provided by a quintet of musicians, led expertly by MD Chinami Smith, was tuneful and not overpowering to the cast voices.

The production, however, rests very heavily on the two main characters of ‘Joseph’ and the ‘Narrator’, and in Joseph Coulson and Michaela Crawley the show was in very safe hands.  Joseph played the confident, dream-interpreting son of ‘Jacob’ with great sensitivity and fine vocals, particularly in “Close Every Door” as he pragmatically but reluctantly accepted his fate.  Meanwhile Michaela sang the ‘narrator’ role with ease, using her extremely fine vocals whilst engaging with  her ‘on stage’ as well as her ‘off stage’ audience.  Her charismatic performance belied her youth as she formed an on-stage chemistry with ‘Joseph’ that had the audience clapping along during the finale mega-mix, and standing to applaud.  Well done to CLS Theatre Group Juniors for a superb interpretation of this classic production, and to the three members of the cast, David Robson, Becky Howarth and Michaela Crawley who graduate from the group this year.

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