Last week, Year 9 and 10 Performing Arts pupils travelled to the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry to watch the professional touring version of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’.
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. Released as a concept album in 1969, this multi award winning show has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international tours and productions in over 80 countries!
The original Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice collaboration, the show continues to delight huge audiences annually, performed by amateur and schools groups and professionally in concert halls, arenas and theatres around the world.
Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, the show follows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into slavery by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife.
While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.
Exerpt from www.josephthemusical.com
Pupils learned about the musical during lessons and Year 10 students are studying Andrew Lloyd Webber as part of their BTEC work.
I thought that this version of Joseph was a very strong performance. Being a ‘sung-through’ musical, it is very important to have super vocalists and dancers and that was definitely the case here. Joseph was played by BGT 2019 finalist Mark McMullan, who was brilliant in this role. The narrator was played by Charlotte Kate Warren, who was an understudy but nobody could tell as she was so professional and note perfect. The set, lighting, stage design and live orchestra all helped to make the show brilliant to watch. There was an encore at the end with an opportunity to join in, and some of the audience even gave a standing ovation.
I would really recommend Joseph for anyone who enjoys musical theatre. It’s so good to see a live performance rather than a filmed one because of the live music and set it really comes to life.
Amy E, Year 10
