Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s first masterpiece in musical theatre, has been revamped with a fresh new look for 2019 and a brand new UK tour.
With over 26 million audience members so far across the globe, Joseph continues to wow audiences as it arrives in Glasgow this week.
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The famous musical about a multi-coloured coat is renowned for bundles of family friendly fun embracing both children and adults with its bright, fast paced production.
Originally, the show started touring schools as a theatre in education production before it exploded onto the main stage, becoming a West End hit and touring the world for the best part of fifty years.
Joseph tells the biblical tale of Jacob and his twelve sons. Joseph is the favourite child and the apple of his father’s eye – much to the resentment and bitter jealousy of his other siblings. Joseph believes he has the gift to interpret visions and dreams, however he is relentlessly mocked by his brothers.
Jacob gifts his favourite son a beautiful coat of many colours which leaves the rest of the family furious at his golden child status. His brothers hatch a plan to sell him as a slave and tell Jacob that his favourite son has been tragically killed.
Joseph’s journey as a slave leads him to Egypt where he embarks on a colourful and emotional rollercoaster journey to freedom and to realise his true potential.
Former Union J boyband member Jaymi Hensley is the latest star to take the infamous lead role of Joseph as his first ever major musical role. Over the last 40 years, Joseph has seen many memorable incarnations from stars such as Phillip Schofield, Jason Donovan and more recently BBC’s Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead.
However Jaymi’s impressive vocal range and fresh portrayal of Joseph more than earns his stripes as a leading man worthy of the coat of many colours. His show-stopping performance makes the character his own and is clearly the driving success of the production.
Hensley is beautifully supported by the Narrator played by Alexandra Doar, who’s natural Mary Poppins-esque charm and personality shines through immediately warming her to the audience.
She is also starring in her first production and suitably showcases her star quality. Her beautiful vocal range and perfect diction is to be commended. Her performance is suitably reserved as she blends into the story, narrating between songs and guiding the audience through Joseph’s journey as she supports the main action on stage.
Andrew Geater delivers a fabulous performance as the Pharaoh. If you have not seen the show before, I won’t ruin the surprise but don’t be expecting any Egyptian tradition with this particular pharaoh. He may be the King… but not quite the King you are expecting.
The show stays true to the heart of the original show with much-loved classics such as Close Every Door, Any Dream Will Do and Go Go Go Joseph well received by the audience.
The fresh and dynamic choreography by Gary Lloyd gives the show a new facelift for 2019, including some impressive dance numbers peppered throughout the show. The clever lighting and colourful staging ensured that the wow factor was present throughout surrounding the stage with palm trees, Egyptian statues, pyramid like stair cases and an impressive starry backdrop.
Any 90s child will remember the nostalgia of children choirs across the UK performing songs from Joseph and this show was no different. The children’s choir were positioned on the stairs to add polished and professional harmonies and vocals to some of the main numbers which was a sweet addition. The children demonstrated their future stardom with a note perfect performance at the start of Act Two.
By the end of the show, the Joseph remix had the theatre on their feet singing those well-loved lyrics loud and proving that even after nearly 50 years, Joseph is still a main contender for the West End stage.
Show stopping vocals, explosions of colour and plenty of laughter and joy for all the family – Joseph is not to be missed. Go go go before the production closes on Saturday 7th September. Tickets here.