Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Presented by

Five Towns Theatre

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat aka Joseph, is a sung through musical, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible’s Book of Genesis, with lyrics by Tim Rice and Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. This was their first musical performed publicly, having its professional premiere as a thirty five minute musical at Edinburgh International Festival in 1972.

The show opens with our Narrator, a schoolteacher instructing her pupils. Leah Dowell, very much the leading lady, she led us through the story line, as if glancing at animated vignette scenes in a museum suddenly brought to life, interacting with characters from ancient times, with an utterly beautiful singing voice and effortless stage presence.

Joseph, played by Zak Marmont, the favourite son of Jacob sweetly voiced, filling the role to a ‘T’

Jacob, Jordan Harrison, looked like he was having ‘The’ best time in his dual roles as Jacob and the eponymous Pharoah, Egypt’s greatest Elvis impersonator. Always hits the mark.  

The stage set was truly impressive, bathed in sumptuous lighting, sound was crystal clear, The Narrator was slightly drowned out in her first number, this was soon corrected and was spot on thereafter. The costumes helping to clearly denoting the differing regions involved in the story.

As usual Keith Ragdale, doubling his roles as Director and Musical Director, brought polished performances from all involved, be they singers or musicians.

Choreographer/Producer Ed Costello, good throughout, again showing his versatility in crafting syncopated movement for the cast of seemingly thousands, well by my count around fifty four, with One More Angel in Heaven, an almost traditional hoedown being my favourite scene the cast really let themselves go.

My only gripe was how short a show it was, even with multiple refrains throughout, ending with the usual Joesph ‘Megamix’ scene, an almost complete rerun of all of the songs. This of course is how the show script is, and no reflection on Five Towns Theatre.

Joseph was a wonderfully vibrant, visually stimulating Lloyd Webber Rice classic West End show which was beautifully presented.

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