Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Review, New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Wednesday 4th August 2022
In April 2020, Drew and I finally sat down and launched It’s A Musical! Podcast. It was something we had talked about for a number of months and we had suddenly found ourselves with a lot of extra time on our hands. The first show we covered was the 1999 movie adaptation of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and it’s fair to say that if that had not gone down as well as it did, the podcast might have ended before it really started. Since that time, I’ve been excited at the prospect of seeing Joseph live, hoping it would build on the solid foundation the film had established. Finally that day has come, but was Joseph all I dreamed it would be?
I had seen Jac Yarrow perform Any Dream Will Do on BBC’s Musicals: The Greatest Show back in 2021, and was captivated by his voice and poise, and was delighted to see he would be reprising the role following his stint at the London Palladium, the production which is now touring the UK. It is for good reason that he continues to bring Joseph to the stage. Not only has he got a wonderful voice for the role - from the lows of Close Every Door and the authority of Who’s The Thief? to the highs of Go, Go, Go Joseph and triumph of Any Dream Will Do, Yarrow’s voice excels on every occasion. There is vulnerability but also optimism which captures the heart of the show wonderfully. Likewise, his poise captures the same highs and lows of the journey as we follow him from humble beginnings, through the injustices of his forced servitude and stint in jail, through his rise up the ranks as Pharaoh’s number 2 and eventual reunion with his family.
Whereas in the film; I often felt the narrative rushed through and I couldn’t fully like the Joseph presented whose emotions were temperamental, Jac Yarrow presented a Joseph who I really could root for and felt I understood the emotional response presented on stage. Specifically, the climatic sequence at the end, where Joseph tricks his brothers. In the film, I felt this out of character, but here, it not only felt genuine, but was a delightful moment to see Joseph empowered and gain a measure of mild revenge, whilst testing their resolve and intentions. For fans of Joseph, Yarrow will not disappoint as he picks up from his incredibly beloved and talented predecessors.
The ensemble of the show is utterly delightful, between the adult cast members and children, the comradery presented on stage is utterly fantastic, and often, at times, you will forget the age difference. Seeing the young ensemble shine on stage alongside seasoned performers is one of the strengths of this show; especially as they embed themselves in different moments - from some of Joseph brothers to Potiphar, they are used to great comedic effect, but the young actors own the stage and contribute to some of the most memorable moments of the show. I also thoroughly enjoyed the back up dancers for Pharaoh. The choreography throughout the show is incredible, but the dancers also manage to demonstrate wonderful personalities - especially in response to Pharaoh’s thrusting!
The highlight of the show, in a show full of highlights, is Linzi Hately who returns to Joseph as The Narrator, a role she played at 21, and was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her charm and enthusiasm throughout the show is exceptional, and she shines in every moment she is on stage. I really enjoyed seeing her embed herself into the show, taking on roles within the story like Jacob and Mrs. Potiphar. Hately is a prolific performer, with an extensive CV, and seeing her have the time of her life on stage, embracing the fun and silliness of Joseph is guaranteed to leave a smile on your face. She presents a very genuine and warm Narrator who really is having the time of her life. More so than ever, I feel like the idea of The Narrator as a primary teacher is incredibly apt, and ties into Joseph’s origin as a 20-minute School Production.
The orchestra is sublime, lead wonderfully by the passionate and energetic conductor, who prompts some lovely interaction with the audience during the Entr’acte, and the set provides some lovely razzle dazzle to the proceedings, with transitions that are crisp and a joy to behold. Each new location is well thought out and executed, but the real star of the show is Pharaoh’s court. With a backdrop filled with hieroglyphics (spot the Phantom if you can!) and giant statues of Anubis and Horus, it’s the biggest set change thus far and it totally sucks you into a world unlike anything Joseph has experienced thus far. As Pharaoh begins his number, giant guitars swing into the statues and a neon, Las Vegas inspired sign drops in from the ceiling and helps bring the whole moment together.
Speaking of, Bobby Windebank owns the stage as our Elvis-inspired Pharaoh. His voice is uncanny, and his hips shake the house into riotous applause. Song Of The King is an absolute blast, and will leave you smiling through the rest of Act 2 and on the drive home. Whilst Windebank is used sparingly, and it is a shame we don’t get more of him, he makes the most of his minutes and leaves a lasting impression!
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is, without a doubt, one of the most fun nights at the theatre you can experience. The whole ensemble, orchestration and set/sound design utterly excel and won’t leave you disappointed. Jac Yarrow, Linzi Hately and Bobby Windebank are absolutely phenomenal in their roles. I promise you, you will Go, Go, Go crazy for Joseph!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Download our episode – coming out Monday 8th August for more of our thoughts and to find out who our MVP is; along with more talk on our favourite songs and what roles we would want to play.
It’s A Musical! Podcast is available on a multitude of good podcast providers.
You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @ItsAMusicalPod
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is currently playing at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Saturday 6th August 2022. You can follow them on:
Twitter: @WokingTheatre
Instagram: @NewVictoriaTheatreWoking
Twitter and Instagram: @JosephMusical