Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

The Alhambra

When you get a singing camel, comedy sheep, crooning cowboys, swooning cheerleaders and a hip-swivelling Pharoah sharing the same stage it could only mean one thing.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s lively take on the Biblical tale of Joseph, his 11 brothers and that multi-coloured coat is in town once again.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has never been one of my favourites but it’s a great show for children, and this production had a mixed audience of children, pensioners and everyone in between, leaping to their feet.

The set was simple yet effective, with various backgrounds changing against a staircase, and the action raced along to a variety of musical styles, from country to gospel, twenties jazz to rock ‘n’ roll, colourful calypso to Parisian torch song.

The ever popular score, including Any Dream Will Do, Go, Go, Go Joseph and the crowd-pleaser Close Every Door was delivered with style by a talented cast. With his boyband looks prompting squeals of delight from the packed crowd, Craig Chalmers worked that Dreamcoat and proved himself a well-established Joseph.

Tara Bethan was a strong Narrator, on stage holding it all together practically the whole time, and Stephen Webb was suitably tongue-in-cheek as the sexy but vacant Pharaoh.

His Elvis-in-Vegas turn, flanked by American footballers and cheerleaders, was a gem.

Henry Metcalfe was moving and formidable as Jacob and Potiphar, and great performances too from the handmaidens, and Joseph’s band of hunky brothers. Feelgood family fun.

Runs until Saturday.