Joseph
Quite possibly the campest of all the Lloyd-Webber musicals,
Joseph is a romp
through biblical Egypt with heavy morals thrown in, as well as cheerleaders and
the odd dancing sheep (at least in the version I saw).
Clearly feeling that the show wasn’t quite poppy nor youthful enough, former Pop
Idol finalist Gareth Gates has been recruited as the latest actor to put on the
coat of many colours. The appeal of this show really lays in its simplicity of
storytelling and lyricism; an ambitious boy, Joseph, whose prophecies and
intelligence annoy his many brothers, is ultimately vindicated and becomes the
Pharaoh’s right hand man, where he uses his new found power to humble and yet
ultimately save his starving family. “I look handsome, I look smart, I am a
walking work of art” are hardly verses to strike fear into the heart of
Shakespeare yet here they work in the family-friendly overtly silly spectacle
that is Joseph.
Being staged at the 15,000 seat
Adelphi
Theatre, Joseph has a repertoire of songs which certainly live up to the
venue. From the show stopping “go, go, go Joseph” and “Coat of many colours” to
the heart-wrenching “close every door” and “poor, poor Joseph”, each number is a
classic in its own right having been around in the popular imagination for many
years, many times released as singles in their own right by the likes of Donny
Osmond and Lea Mead. The latter, of course, won the right to play Joseph in one
of the BBC talent searches for new West End stars, and this has helped expose
the show to a new generation of people. Don’t worry if you’re not religious,
this is hardly biblical narrative in its purest, more reverential form. In fact,
the inclusion of a narrator to move the story along brings an element of
children’s storytelling into the mix which makes it the perfect show to be
followed by children; the adults who accompany these minors should also find
much to enjoy in the subtle references and also the tongue-in-cheek camp
elements of the show.
The staging of the show in the 1990’s at the Palladium was record-breaking and,
with such star power as has been given this time around, perhaps this
reincarnation will do the same. It’s daft escapism, but it’s proud of it; when
it’s done this well, it probably deserves to be too.
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