I think that the cushiest job on the stage must be the part of the Pharaoh in this musical. You can spend the first half in the Green Room with your feet up and then pop on to do your feature number, have another cup of tea slip on for a couple of cameos and come back for the big finish. On the other hand, the most demanding role in a musical must be the Narrator in the same show, as they have to sing, dance, act and be funny, the whole way through. I would love to see the pay point for the actors concerned.
In this production, the former character was played by Joe McElderry, 2009 winner of The X Factor, victor in Popstar to Operastar and The Jump. He has released several albums and regularly appeared on stage. I am telling you this as I have to admit, that not being a reality show watcher, I had never come across the name before but he is probably a household name in your particular gaff.
Narrator was played by the amazingly talented Christina Bianco, who looked as fresh at the end of her two-hour stint as she did at the beginning. She has done a lot of work in the USA and Canada as well as having a phenomenally successful YouTube presence.
Adam Filipe, who plays the third of the triumvirate of leads, Joseph, is also a successful stage actor and singer. His share of the heavy lifting falling on the Narrator side of the scale.
Press nights are normally on Tuesday but this one was a day later, meaning that I needed to be a bit quicker in getting it posted. As I have reviewed a previous incarnation, starring Jason Donovan, whose cv I didn’t need to include, I have taken the liberty of copying and pasting the synopsis, which hasn’t changed over the thousands of years since the story took place.
It is based on the biblical story about Joseph, obviously, who is given a multi-coloured coat by his father, Jacob, as a sign that he was his favourite son. This didn’t go down well with his ten brothers, who sell him as a slave in Egypt, telling Jacob that he has been killed and, as proof, they show him the coat which has been ripped up and covered in goat’s blood. There was no DNA testing in those days.
Joseph works hard for his new master and is asked to run the household, but his owner’s wife fancies him and, although spurning her advances, he gets thrown in jail. Two of the Pharoah’s ex-servants are put in his cell – what are the chances – and he interprets their dreams. His predictions come true and when the Pharaoh begins having odd dreams – Behave! – his butler, one of the prisoners who has now been released, tells him about Joseph’s powers. Pharaoh asks for a consultation with Joseph, who says his dreams indicate seven bountiful years followed by seven years of famine. The Pharaoh promotes him to be his deputy.
When his brothers come to Egypt to beg for goods, having fallen on hard times during the years of famine, they meet Joseph but don’t recognise him. He hatches a plot to give them sacks of grain, but plants a golden cup in one and accuses them of theft. It is in the grain given to his full brother, Benjamin, the others being only half-brothers. They plead with him to release Benjamin and take them instead. When he sees that they have changed from their greedy ways he reveals his identity and summons his father to join them. The coat is repaired, dry cleaned, and given back to Joseph. Cue big finish.
As I said in my earlier review, the whole point of this Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is fun. Although set in Egypt and Canaan, the music is oddly international. The sale of Joseph as a slave is done by a group of cowboys, in more ways than one, who have a ho-down to celebrate their deal, including a line dance. Yee-haw!
A little later the stage turns into a Parisian club, complete with Edith Piaf impersonator – Narrator Christina Bianco – brilliant, and moving on to a Can Can by the Ensemble, until they are told that they were supposed to be in Canaan, not Can Can. There was also a Caribbean touch with a Calypso and later a team of Cheerleaders doing their thing. Go Jo!
In short, I wouldn’t use this as source material should you be studying Theology for your Masters Degree.
There were lots of children involved, some bearded at times, who were a little stilted in their delivery but obviously needed as backing singers for Any Dream Will Do. Actually the acting wasn’t that important as there was precious little of it, the show being a series of song and dance set pieces.
Joseph and Narrator were brilliant and multi-talented but I was disappointed in Pharaoh who only had one song, and that as an Elvis impersonator in Egyptian garb. His voice couldn’t handle the key and he had to keep changing register to cope. I was also disappointed at his portrayal as he was the exact opposite of Mr Donovan, of whom I wrote that he was self-deprecating. Mr McElderry, on the other hand, seemed to take the view that everyone liked him, and I am sure that those who know him do, but he is nowhere near as famous as his predecessor. His dancing was a bit wooden as well. Other than that he was great! The Ensemble and Swing were superb, as was the orchestra, Directed by John Rigby, assisted by Francesca Warren.
The lighting by Craig Stephens and the set were spectacular. The sound took three people, Ian Penrose, Maddy Frost and Adam Koczan, all of whom had obviously taken as their role models Spinal Tap, as it was turned up to 11 all night.
So, should you fancy a fun night out, then this is for you. It even ends with all of the songs being reprised by the full cast to give us an opportunity to get on our feet and strut our funky stuff, of which some of us have more than others.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is at Leeds Grand Theatre until 29th March. For further details and to book, please go to https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/joseph-2025/
For other shows at Heritage Theatres, Leeds it’s https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/
Feature image from Leeds Heritage Theatres. Photographs by Tristram Kenton
Tyke It To The Limit 