JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (musical)
Booking until 12th January 2009
Audio-described performances 13th May 2008 at 7pm,
14th May 2008 at 3pm
Captioned performance 17th May 2008 at 3pm
Click here now to view video clips from this show. Eleven fratricidal brothers decide that their second-to-youngest
brother is worth more in cash than as a shepherd. His gaudy clothes (and
the fact he was voted into the family by TV viewers) may not have helped
either... (nor the fact that the brothers' own votes were not sufficient
to get them the brother they wanted.) Still, the one they did get does
OK in right-wing Egypt and ends up saving the lot of them...
This is another revival of the show 95% of all British
children have been in, seen or heard since its first twenty minute
version as a school concert piece in 1968. This time leading
man Lee Mead was picked by BBC television show "Any Dream Will Do" in Spring
2007. An interesting article by
British Theatre Guide writer Peter Lathan "The Enduring Appeal of Joseph"
considers why is Joseph still so popular
thirty years on?"
Lee Mead will not appear at any performances on or between 5th and 10th May 2008 inclusive.
Lewis Bradley is currently expected to replace him at
these performances.
Lee Mead will also not appear at any performances on or between 28th July and
5th August 2008 and 3rd until 11th November 2008. His replacement has not
been confirmed for these performances.
Casting holiday information is given for interest only and theatremonkey.com
take no responsibility for any changes that may occur, or any issue arising for
any ticket holder.
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This review is based on the original cast, some of whom have now left the
production.
Luckily, the monkey saw this at the performance before the one in which the
sheep suffered 'first-night-nerves' and jammed the revolve with emissions
(allegedly), stopping the show until the cleaners arrived. So, what to make of
Lloyd Webber's latest "cast by TV" attempt?Straight to the point: credit to the Lord for finding a means of bringing
un-noticed West End talent to the fore. There must be a huge number of "Lee
Meads" (and, indeed "Connie Fishers") either understudying or waiting tables
when they should be leading a West End show very well indeed. This show is
basically the same - with one additional song and a little scaling down - as the
triumphant 1991 Jason Donovan London Palladium version. The difference here is a
leading man who can really sing, and who has a charisma which causes women even
in the Upper Circle to lose solid shape with a single flash of pecs. Comfortable
and confident in his role, yet again the public get it right.
So the Jo is fine, what of the rest? Sadly, Narrator Preeya Kalidas (left
January 2008) is no
Linzi Hateley alas. Lacking the sass of her 1991 counterpart, and certainly the
huge-voice-in-tiny-frame, Kalidas tells the story with elegance but vocally
wobbles occasionally - sore throat perhaps (she is missing one show a week
during the run, so the monkey thinks so and allows for it). Luckily, Dean
Collinson as Pharaoh is on hand to give the supporting characters a boost and
deliver the first new song added to the show for many years too. The song itself
seems superfluous, but is at least an enjoyable change to the Jo line-up, even
if it does mean most children of the monkey's generation having to learn it so
as to keep intact their proud records of knowing the whole show.
On a smaller stage, the impact of the show on the "happiness" glands of the
audience is still spot on. This isn't an intellectual evening, and isn't
intended to be. What is does provide is two noisy hours of witty fun, headed by
a genuine new talent and it is just good to see it back. Thanks, Steven Pimlott,
for re-inventing the show in the last decade - as Wren's tomb states in St
Paul's, "if you seek his monument, look around you" at the Adelphi, the joy you
give is a fantastic legacy and this new crew do it proud.
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