"Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat"

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

This iconic musical has always been big, bright, bouncy and been colourful. 

This production is BIGGER, BRIGHTER, BOUNCIER and even MORE COLOURFUL than you have seen previously!!!

The classic Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical returns to the Nottingham Theatre Royal, this time with “X Factor” winner Joe McElderry moving up ranks from the last time he appeared here in this musical as Joseph, this time around he plays Pharoah.

It’s one of those musicals that is adored by all ages and is often performed by schools as well as local theatre companies alike and of course with the massive backing of the legendary Bill Kenright behind the show, you’d expect a big, colourful, West End affair.

Christina Bianco is The Narrator, a role that is equivalent to glue, holding everything together and keeping the musical rolling on smoothly. Christina never leaves the stage, apart from the interval, and sings, dances, taps and narrates like a well oiled musical machine. Christina is known for her mimicry skills, especially with stars like Barbara Streisand, Adele, Cher, Julie Andrews, Edith Piaf and Celine Dion.

Christina's talent for changing her voice is well used as the Narrator, as is her versatile vocal skills. There's a lot of fun to be seen with Christina, and that fun element is very natural, especially if you have seen Christina's show "Divas". Her interaction with both young and adult ensembles is playful, which is perfect for this musical. Christina also easily slips into a few roles in the musical, playing Potiphar's man-hungry cougar of a wife and Jacob, father to the twelve brothers. One with a grey beard, the other without; I'm sure you can guess which is which!

I came to see Christina just as much as I wanted to see Joe and Adam, and this trio head up an incredible cast.

Joseph is played by Adam Filipe, a name that I will admit is new to me, but remembered that Adam was in "Titanic - The Musical" when he played the role of Frederick Barrett.  What a voice this man has; great range, strength, control and tone. Be prepared to have the shivers do relays up and down your spine when he sings "Close Every Door". Adam also has lovely comic timing as he plays up to the audience, occasionally breaking that fourth wall to show his cheekier side to the audience. Adam is everything you require for the role of Joseph; he is good looking, has a fantastic voice and looks good in a loincloth

Joseph's eleven brothers are played by Harvey Shulver (Dan), Will Haswell (Simeon), Davide Fienauri (Napthali), Joseph Craig (Asher), Hugh Cotton (Reuben), Joseph Brownlie-Johnson (Issachar), Daniel Bowskill (Levi). the parts of Judah, Zebulan, Gad and Benjamin are all played by four of the children in the cast, complete with fake beards. Two of my favourite pieces involve the brothers singing "One More Angel In Heaven" - a fun hoe down of a piece, and "Those Canaan Days" - a beautiful, wistful, continental torch song, which in this production also features Christina trilling like Edith Piaf, as well as a Can Can section.

Joe McElderry's role is, as anyone who knows this musical, is just a cameo appearance but his faux Elvis "Song Of The King" makes a big impact on the show, and all with that Joe McElderry twinkle in his smile. This production sees the Elvis soundalike performance style reduced and you get to hear Joe's version of "The King" - as confirmed by Pharoah's cape. Another fun, tongue in the cheek characterisation where you get to hear the power in Joe's voice, and also the results of Joe's obvious gym routines as he is looking pretty good!

Other adult roles are as follows: Bella Baldock (Tailor/Cook), Imogen Bowtell (Reuben's Wife), Taylor Bridges (Dan's Wife), Ellie Greenway (Levi's Wife), Keira Haynes (Asher's Wife), Siobhan James (Simeon's Wife), Jessica Sutton (Napthtali's Wife), Charley Warburton (Issachar's Wife), Ben Lancaster and Alex Woodward (Guards) with Aaron Archer, Oliver Hawes, Nicole Lupino, Bradley Perret and Jenna Warne (Swing).

Potiphar is played by one of the child actors and Potiphar's Baker and his Butler, who ask Joseph about their fate from their dreams when sharing a prison space with him, are played by a couple of the children   

There are two large ensembles, a young ensemble as well as the adult ensemble. The children are all incredibly professional in their work and characterisation, especially the ones playing the adult roles, bringing a different level of comedy to the show. I really wish that the programme named the young actors who took on these roles as they really deserve equal recognition for their acting, singing, dancing and comedy talents. 

Directed by Laurence Connor, the additional bits that have gone into this show enhance what is an already brilliant musical which has lost none of its' pace or appeal. One novel part was seeing a camel driven by a bicycle!

Choreographed by Joann M. Hunter. This show is practically all dance, which means that it's also full of energy, which all the dancers prove with ease. There's also a tap dance section which I don't think I recall from other productions. If this is not a new section then this particular section is so good, it has put any other tap section from past productions in the shade. Also, from my memory banks, I don't think that some of the previous shows' dance sections were extended, as I felt that these routines were. Let's face it, if there's something good that you love, who wouldn't want even more of it?

Morgan Large is the Set and Costume Designer. The set has never had a big physical set, and it doesn't need one; the vibrantly colourful backdrops are all that is required. The costumes though are as colourful as ever, almost like one of those old commercials for United Colours Of Benetton (sorry that is showing my age), and is like a glorious explosion in a colour factory.

Ben Cracknell's lighting design is a lesson in timing. Every time a colour was sung, that equivalent colour is seen, and when you think that this show has "Technicolour" in its title that is exactly what you get lighting design wise.

The sound design is by Gareth Owen, and, especially leading up to the "Megamix" finale, the sound is at pop concert level. The crescendo rising at the same rate as the excitement from the audience.

John Rigby is the Musical Director, who even gets his chance to ramp up the audience from his orchestra pit at the start of the second act, or the "Entracte", to give it its' correct terminology for the first piece of music after the interval.

"Close Every Door", "Any Dream Will Do", "One More Angel In Heaven", Pharoah's Dream", "Go Go Joseph", "Benjamin Calypso" and the wonderful "Those Canaan Days" all revisited in the megamix at the end. Some 1970's musicals can sound dated fifty years down the line, but this soundtrack sounds as fresh as it ever has.

This production brings something new to the musical - of course if this is the first time that you've seen it, you won't spot the additions, so it keeps the "Joseph" flag flying high.

Whether you have seen this show a thousand times, or if you've never seen it at all, you're going to love it. Go, Go, Go get your tickets now and don't be one of the poor, poor ones who might miss out on the fun

“Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 15 February.