‘Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat’: A Review, Taya Tur – Prince Henry’s Grammar School

        Bursting with colour, culture and an awe-inspiring confidence, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat is now opening its doors to Bradford at the Alhambra Theatre. 

With two triumphant seasons at the London Palladium under its belt, this family musical has had multiple nominations for Best Musical Revival and has toured in over 80 countries worldwide. Now the Alhambra theatre will be taken over by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first ever musical, which paved the way for masterpieces such as The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar. When Joseph was premiered, Jac Yarrow (the current Joseph) was still decades from being born!

This iconic hit of a musical is for all the dreamers out there; bicycle-camels, guitar strumming statues straight from ancient Egypt and the infectious euphoria that builds up and bursts into whirls of confetti. Joseph whisks you away on a journey through the foreign lands of Egypt and the hot beating sun of Canaan.

As soon as you step foot into the richly ornate Alhambra Theatre, friendly staff offer their help. People stream through the double doors to experience this world-class musical looking mannered but little do they know that they will be up dancing and whooping along with the cast in no time. There is no tragedy, no love interest and not a cloud in the sky throughout the story which is unusual for a musical but reflects the childlike fairytale that is Joseph. No matter the events, there is not even a flicker of doubt that good defeats evil and overall, the mood stays at an all time high. 

The music of the show is really something special on its own. You don’t want to miss the conductor dancing along with the crowd after the interval. Members of the audience are surprised to notice how small the orchestra is as every member brings their virtuosity and spark to make 1500 people brimming with energy rise to their feet and deliver a standing ovation. Different musical styles such as jazz, Charleston, French ballads and country treat the audience to a bountiful platter of tastes. Joseph’s aria really shows off Jac Yarrow’s vocal skills and phenomenal showmanship.

This quote from Catherine Troitskaya, 36, perfectly illustrates the mood of the evening:”From the youngest actor, to the most decorated, everyone performed like they were in the spotlight, especially in the Egyptian scenes where they really gave it their all. The enthusiasm was unmatched and the staging was truly a feast for the eyes.”

Indeed, eyes scattered and jaws dropped as the Elvis-inspired Pharaoh of Rock’n’Roll, Bobby Windebank, brought the magnificent court to life. Every minute detail was fascinating, such as dancing jackals, acrobats, and the narrator turning into Mrs Potiphar- it looked like a full-blown circus.

Joseph doesn’t claim to be deep or thought provoking but it’s something all of us need from time to time: to put our feet up and immerse ourselves in a good old show.