Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Bristol Hippodrome
Clapping in time to the music and getting up to dance and sing with the Joseph Megamix is something I would never usually do let alone admit to doing. But by the finale of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Bristol Hippodrome, 2,000 members of the audience were reliving their own school play glory days.
It’s strange to think a story some thousands of years old from the Old Testament, put to music well over forty years old can still pack theatres today.
Follow your dreams seems to be the slant of the musical rather than the glaringly obvious don’t put only one of your children on a pedestal – even if you do love one more than the other eleven.
It quite makes one want to wade on stage with a Mumsnet parenting manual and shout out ‘You are being unreasonable’ before the end of Joseph’s Coat.
Of course there have been many changes down the years with songs added or jigged about somewhat. It’s not tired yet, but this production could do with some snappy cuts here and there.
The second half seemed fresher with a better pace. Or perhaps this is more to do with the incredibly tall man sitting in front of me declining to return after the interval.
It quite makes one want to wade on stage with a Mumsnet parenting manual and shout out ‘You are being unreasonable’ before the end of Joseph’s Coat.
Ian ‘H’ Watkins as Joseph fits the coat nicely. He wrenches a surprising amount of emotion from the epic Close Every Door To Me. It would be picky to highlight occasional moments where his vocals didn’t quite pack the punch they should. As an overall package he was the perfect Joseph, just managing to remain genuinely nice rather than nauseating.
The scene where father and son are reunited at the end to Any Dream Will Do was incredibly touching and H ruled the finale Megamix with ease.
The Brothers were brilliant, with notable performances from Sackie Osakonor as Dan and Richard Hunt as Baker and Judah. Not Forgetting Benjamin Pomeroy of course, with his wide-eyed innocence making his professional debut as Benjamin.
Of course Pharoah is the King of Cool in this show and with an epic win on casting, Luke Jasztal brings an incredibly authentic Elvis to the role.
Jennifer Potts with an incredibly bright smile, delivers a warm performance as Narrator and is clearly much more vocally capable than the ditzy restrictions of the role allows.
With an epic win on casting, Luke Jasztal brings an incredibly authentic Elvis to the role.
Joseph is a show that has been done to death, revived, flat-lined before being resuscitated again. There are only so many times the show can be brought back to life before being declared medically dead. But, so far, this one has matured well into its middle age with a touch of dad dancing and light entertainment clapping.
8/10
Joseph and the Amazing Techicolor Dreamcoat is running at the Bristol Hippodrome – Tuesday 25th – Saturday 29th June 2013
Tickets from £10.00
