Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, Edinburgh Playhouse

Way, way back, what back feels like, many centuries ago, an all-singing, all-dancing revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, directed by Laurence Connor, opened at the London Palladium in the summer of 2019.

After gaining rave reviews and multiple award nominations, the show's producers made plans to bring back the show the following summer, however, that was delayed for obvious reasons. A touring version of the show is now playing to theatre audiences around the UK, and Joseph is currently enjoying a stop at the Edinburgh Playhouse.

This multi-hued mega musical began life as a humble commission for a school, based on the biblical tale of Joseph and his dreams of wheat. With a score comprising just about every musical genre you can think of, this show is popular with many theatergoers and has enjoyed many revivals and tours since its initial debut in 1968.

Alexandra Burke greets us on stage as the Narrator, guiding us through the story, with plenty of her signature pop riffs scattered throughout. She also jumps into the story in ways you may not have seen before - but there are no spoilers here!

Accompanied by a tiny troupe of talented youngsters (less of the usual herd seen in previous productions), the group follows the twelve sons of Jacob around the desert.

Jac Yarrow gives a stand-out performance as Joseph, playing the younger and older versions of his character with real commitment and vocal prowess. Jason Donovan milks every moment he has on stage as the Pharaoh and the ensemble delivers high-energy dance numbers choreographed by JoAnn M Hunter, plus "Those Canaan Days" is a particular highlight - what a wall of sound!

The inclusion of the odd additional skit with a modern prop such as a smartphone and a coffee cup feels slightly out of place but they were understandably added to try to engage the younger members of the audience.

It was also strange to hear some of the numbers transposed to much lower keys, meaning the impact of some of the more spectacular vocal moments in the show is lost.

Similarly, the streamlined orchestrations mean the booming brass section is reduced to a keyboard. That said, the high-octane mega mix finale had everyone on their feet bopping along to the band.

Morgan Large's set and costume design ensure the entire show is as colourful as Joseph's coat and Ben Cracknell's lighting design creates spectacle - and it's particularly satisfying watching the 29 colours listed during "Joseph's Coat" flooding the stage in real time.

Tim Rice knows how to write a witty lyric and has the audience chuckling away throughout. The decision to give some more lines to younger members of the cast goes down well with the crowd. It was good to see some minor tweaks have been made to the "Benjamin Calypso", however, more could have been done to ensure the casting fully represented the middle east, where the narrative is set.

This revival ticks all the boxes for a great night out for all ages. Don't just dream about going, get a ticket!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Edinburgh Playhouse until 29 October 2022 then continue on tour

Check out our interview with Jac Yarrow here!

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