If you, like me, grew up watching the Donny Osmond production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, then you are in for a treat. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical dazzles at the London Palladium. Vibrant costumes, exceptional dance numbers and much loved songs, come together to generate an evening of guaranteed entertainment, writes Hannah Kelly.
It was wonderful to see Alexandra Burke as the narrator. She steals the show with her impressive vocal range as she moved between characters, never a note or foot out of place. The additional appearance of Jason Donovan as Pharoah was another crowd pleaser. Though not as strong vocally, the comedic value of his character and the energy of his appearance brought to life the camp, Elvis like ruler.
A wonderful surprise was the quality of performance that came from the school age chorus. Ethan Sokontwe, as both Potiphar and Benjamin, stood out among his peers, bringing the audience to a standing ovation. The set is simple, but effective, with the focus placed on the chorus instead of the scenery. This worked to the advantage of the production as it created a space for the dance numbers to shine in place of an overly technical background.
It is an impressive feat to take a show that has been done so many times and make something that feels fresh and exciting, especially in the midst of the current climate for theatre. This production has honed in on the essential ingredients of big chorus numbers, vibrancy and a wholly camp aesthetic, to bring to life a musical about hope in the face of adversity.
It was wonderful to see so many people in one place, clearly having such a good time. Whether people were life long fans, or entirely new to the production there was something for everyone. The night ended with the entire audience on their feet dancing. As I looked around it was obvious that it is shows like these that create spaces for something more than distraction; they are places of joy.
London Palladium, Argyle Street, W1F 7TF. Admission: £20 – £155
https://www.josephthemusical.com/ticket-information/
