Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat – a review

A toe-tapping, smile shaping, rhythm swaying spectacular of a show.

From the moment the curtain rose, the multi-talented cast kept the audience captivated.

The extraordinary voices of Iona Panoho as The Narrator and Spencer Kingi as Joseph were rich of timbre and nuance as the pair took the audience along on Joseph’s journey.

Both use their vocal mastery to great effect, weaving a kind of magic on the audience as their voices soared while the casts’ singing power and comic timings kept the overall vibe joyful and upbeat.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Joseph tells the tale of a favoured son who is sold into slavery by his envious brothers. This band of 11 brothers were wonderful, each bringing their individual talents to complement the others with laugh-out-loud humour and, as it turns out, a talent for heavy French accents. Derek Harding as Jacob plays the grieving father well, his gift of a golden coat the ultimate symbol of Joseph’s demise while Tom Hatch, playing oldest brother, Reuban, lends his wonderful voice and different accents to the role with aplomb.

This show shines under the vision of director Samantha Baxter, musical director Steve Campbell, choreographer Vanessa Bryant, vocal director Con O’Brien and production manager Louise Kingi.

Special mention must go to Vita Vaka as Pharaoh. Not only did he manage to somehow bring some serious sovereign vibes to the stage despite his glittery golden hot pants and cowboy boots, his unique flair and big, Elvis-inspired voice, were superb.

From the ensemble singers and dancers who brought a special energy to the stage to the children’s ensemble groups whose natural talent brought plenty of smiles, there is something for all ages to thoroughly enjoy in this special show.

This show is a must see; a glossy, glittery no-holds barred delight that captures both the imagination and the heart.

Blenheim Musical Theatre’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is on at the ASB Theatre until 18 May. Buy tickets at https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2024/joseph-and-the-amazing-technicolor-dream-coat/blenheim