Half a century has passed since the ‘finished’ version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was first staged, and it’s very nearly 6 decades since the very young duo of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the embryonic form of their ‘Pop Cantata’.
The rest, as they say, is history, and a seemingly endless succession of revivals have kept it on stage almost constantly in the UK and across the world, and the number of amateur and school productions that have been mounted runs well into five figures.
This latest UK tour is based on the most recent London Palladium production, and it scores a hit for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it feels as though it returns to those ‘Pop Cantata’ roots, albeit in a supercharged form. The sense of a piece of traditional storytelling really comes through, with tremendous narrative clarity – this is definitely ticking all the boxes as a family show, that both engages and entertains, while director Laurence Connor keeps the pace moving unfalteringly.
Secondly, the production makes excellent use of a large children’s cast, all of whom are outstanding. They play several key roles, including Potiphar and various of Joseph’s siblings, as well as fleshing out the ensemble scenes.
The biggest success however is the excellent casting (a shout out here to casting director David Grindrod). The ensemble bring immense energy and great humour to company numbers such as Jacob and Sons, One More Angel in Heaven, Those Canaan Days, and Benjamin Calypso, and Christina Bianco, who Liverpool audiences saw in the 2022 tour of Little Voice, uses a very big voice for her lively, and almost Bonnie Langford-esque portrayal of the Narrator.
Joe McElderry, who filled the shoes and coat of Joseph in another tour a decade ago, puts in an appearance as Pharaoh in the majority of performances through this tour, including Liverpool (and all the remaining dates). He is channelling Elvis in a big way in a high camp performance that packs both a vocal and physical punch. The enthusiasm of the audience reaction confirms his marquee value and star quality.
But the true star of this show is, without doubt, Adam Filipe as Joseph. I saw him play an impressive supporting role as Jean-Michel in Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella 3 years ago, but here he gets to show the full extent of his talent. He oozes charm and likeability and has tremendous stage presence, which he matches with flawless vocals and an energetic physical performance. At the end of the show the loudest cheers might just possibly come from fans of McElderry, and there is a lot of love for Bianco and the lineup of adult and junior ensemble cast members, but the ovation belongs to Filipe.
The nine-strong orchestra are conducted by assistant musical director Francesca Warren, and John Cameron’s orchestrations are given full-throttle delivery. There is substantial volume in this production, both instrumentally and vocally, but Gareth Owen’s sound design keeps everything balanced well ensuring that we get the full benefit of all the vocals.
Add to this set and costume designs from Morgan Large that are every bit as Technicolor as the titular coat, and you have two solid hours of pure family entertainment that rattles along with real flair from the overture to the closing Joseph Megamix.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat plays at Liverpool Empire until 20th July, before continuing its tour with dates in Cardiff, Glasgow and Milton Keynes.
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The company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Picture by Tristram Kenton
Star rating: 4½ stars
This review was originally written for publication by Good News Liverpool
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