It says something about the TV talent search for Joseph that the winner turned out to be a professional actor. But who wants a normal audition process when, this way, you can dust off one of your oldest shows and repackage it with hype?
Yes, ‘Joseph’ is still a great show for its target audience. Combining a Sunday School morality tale with a multicolour theme and easy-to-repeat tunes is a neat way to do theatre for kids. And hurray for Lee Mead, who won ‘Any Dream Will Do’ over a swathe of spiky-haired boyband wannabes, and who has a potent voice and acting ability this role can’t begin to do justice to. (I suggest that the producers of ‘Les Mis’ snap him up when his contract’s over – he’s a Marius in waiting.)
This is the Steven Pimlott production that ran for more than a decade, with the same revolving stage tricks, a random additional number (to give the ever popular Elvis-impersonating Pharaoh more to do) and a jazzed-up design. Attempting to appeal to the teen TV audience, they’ve combined the wholesome kiddy aspect with psychedelia and arch camp, which means that Mead’s loincloth has been hitched up several inches, and Potiphar’s wife and friends jiggle their nipple tassels under the noses of the Carmel Thomas Youth Singers. The ten-year-olds sha-la-la on with good grace.
Having spent all that effort choosing a Joseph it’s ironic that Preeya Kalidas, playing the narrator, has such a mediocre stage voice. Luckily Lloyd Webber’s medley of musical pastiches, from country and western to rock ’n’ roll, are as indestructible as Indian rubber. Joseph’s brothers do a nice comic job and their French lament in famine-ravaged Canaan comes complete with a stunning bit of tango. If you liked the show, you’ll love the curtain call, which reprises pretty much every song.
i know the show joseph is amazing as i am in it with lee i am the little one at the front (green) lee is so nice back stage and so is all the cast yes i know jenna she is my friend and she said i am really cute from nicole
i saw lee mead in joseph last month for my birthday. i throughly enjoyed the whole show, lee was amazing. jenna, the narrator was unbelieveably fantasic. i met lee afterwards, he was lovely. i am planning a trip to london again next month, and am trying to get tickets for joseph again. keep up the good work lee, love helen x.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a great musical and Lee Mead plays an amazing Joseph. My mum and I knew he would win the lead role on 'Any Dream Will Do' . I went to see him once and I hope I get to see him again
Joseph is one of the most overated musicals I have ever seen. I do not agree with the recommeder here about Preeya Kidlas, if anyone here has had the fortune to see her in Bombay Dreams you will note how beautiful her voice is. Preeya does an excellent job as the narrator. Lee is a good jospeh but the show s so overdone that I quickly grew tired of the enitre performance. But chin up Lee this is just the beggining for you.
4 comments
i know the show joseph is amazing as i am in it with lee i am the little one at the front (green) lee is so nice back stage and so is all the cast yes i know jenna she is my friend and she said i am really cute from nicole
i saw lee mead in joseph last month for my birthday. i throughly enjoyed the whole show, lee was amazing. jenna, the narrator was unbelieveably fantasic. i met lee afterwards, he was lovely. i am planning a trip to london again next month, and am trying to get tickets for joseph again. keep up the good work lee, love helen x.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a great musical and Lee Mead plays an amazing Joseph. My mum and I knew he would win the lead role on 'Any Dream Will Do' . I went to see him once and I hope I get to see him again
Joseph is one of the most overated musicals I have ever seen. I do not agree with the recommeder here about Preeya Kidlas, if anyone here has had the fortune to see her in Bombay Dreams you will note how beautiful her voice is. Preeya does an excellent job as the narrator. Lee is a good jospeh but the show s so overdone that I quickly grew tired of the enitre performance. But chin up Lee this is just the beggining for you.