New Dream For Joseph
The new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a reinterpretation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice Musical through the eyes of children. David Spicer reports on how the influence of school musicals has shaped the production.
If I close my eyes and draw back the curtain, I can still remember the moment I was on the stage in 1979 and about to sing ‘Close Every Door to Me’. I saw the school principal in one of the front rows close his eyes, preparing to enjoy my sweet pre-puberty singing as Joseph in Epping West Public School’s annual musical. Alas, I struggled a little with one of the top notes and I still recall the principal opening his eyes abruptly at that very moment.
Kitted out in my coat of many colours, sewn lovingly from scraps of fabric my grandmother pulled together, (pictured right) I think that, overall, it was a fine effort for a twelve-year-old.
UK Director Laurence Connor - now Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gun creative - was inspired for his new production by children performing Joseph. That new version, produced at the London Palladium in 2021, is being replicated in Australia.
The set is a little bigger than what we used at our school. The epic design includes constellations of stars, a huge prison gate and the opulent court of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Props include a golden chariot, singing Egyptian statues and two camels.
A dazzling lighting design during the song ‘Joseph’s Coat’ sees colour changes that highlight different shades.
But it was a simpler production that inspired Connor.
“I saw a school production that made me laugh,” he told Michael Cathcart on the ABC’s Stage Show.
“The children were reluctant to play characters they did not want to play. Others struggled with their beards; this inspired me for this new production.
“Whilst my memory was of seeing a slick West End production, where everyone in the audience knew every song or sung it in primary school, I wanted to bring the child-like quality of the music.”
The challenge for the director was how to make it both charming for children, yet also satisfying to an adult audience.
Image: Australian cast. Photographer: Daniel Boud.
“I always thought it odd that whilst Joseph was the name of show, he seemed to be character we observed, rather than having the lion’s share of show.
“The Narrator sings the big tunes and a lot of the lyrics. So, when I cast it in London, I wanted The Narrator to have a big infectious personality and be the star of the show.
“In past productions The Narrator serves as a Sunday school teacher, reading the (biblical) story, whereas I wanted it to be a like a big sister or a fun character.”
The role of The Narrator in the Australian production is played by singer / actor Paulini. The Fijian-born singer songwriter first rose to prominence on the inaugural series of Australian Idol.
Image: Paulini
When I mentioned Laurence Connor’s concept of the Narrator as the star of the show, Paulini laughed. “Ha, Ha! I wouldn’t say The Narrator is the star of the show, but I can understand why the others would draw this conclusion. The Narrator is obviously the storyteller and spends nearly every moment on stage.
“I love that for the first time ever I’ve been able to express my personality, humour, and drama through this role.”
The vehicle for seeing the musical through new eyes is a children’s chorus.
“The Narrator leads and encourages the children to see it through their eyes. From that moment they become the eyes for the audience. It is very colourful. They play with toys such as camels,” said Connor.
The children’s chorus dip in and out of the musical, and occasionally become one of the characters.
Image: Paulini meets the young Sydney cast.
“I think that without the children we wouldn’t have all the necessary elements to make it as educating, interesting and fun as it is,” said Paulini.
“This is the first time I have been a part of a musical that has some 32+ kids. These kids are always so excited to have been chosen and be a part of this musical. For some of them this is their first professional musical theatre appearance,” she said.
“I think because of this we all feel their energy. Every time they come out on stage they portray each individual character with such innocence, enthusiasm and colour. Let me tell you, they are like sponges; they take in absolutely everything and love to ask questions!”
Laurence Connor uses the device to smooth over some of the contrasting musical moments of the production.
Image: Paulini and young cast members in Melbourne. Photographer: Daniel Boud.
First penned as a twenty-minute concert for a posh London private school in 1968, Joseph has a pastiche of influences. They range from a French ballad, ‘Those Canaan Days’, to the country and western ‘One More Angel in Heaven’ and the calypso ‘Benjamin Calypso’.
“We can justify why suddenly Pharaoh breaks into rock n roll number,” he said, “because the children want it to be that way.”
Playing Pharoah in the Melbourne season was AFL personality Shane Crawford. Whilst Stage Whispers’ reviewer Jonathan Cox described Paulini’s performance as “a tour de force”, and Euan Fistrovic Doidge in the role of Joseph as “filled with joy and vivacity”, he described Crawford as “not a natural singer, (whilst) his acting and dancing was up there with the rest of the cast.”
In late December Crawford’s place on the Melbourne stage was be taken for one week by the fabulous Trevor Ashley, who takes 100% custody of the loin cloths during the season at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from February.
Image: Trevor Ashley as Pharoah.
“I grew up knowing all the words. I had the Jason Donovan recording from the 90s on cassette,” Ashley told Stage Whispers.
At the time he was disappointed that his school did not have a choir, as other choirs were invited to take part in the professional season. Now he’s getting the chance to make up for that.
“In 2023 it is very important to celebrate people who are different. Joseph loved a rainbow coat. He interpreted dreams. It is about celebrating someone who is different.
“(As Pharoah) I get the rock’n’roll number. It is a very good cameo. I played Herod in J.C. Superstar. This is the Herod moment. And I get several encores.
“It is just so silly. I get to wear a gold frock. It is a pretty amazing entrance. The costumes are beautiful,“ said the excited Ashley, best known for his female impersonations in risqué adult pantomimes.
Image: Trevor Ashley as Pharoah.
He’s looking forward to a few on stage reunions.
“I met Paulini during the Schools Spectacular. She had just finished high school whilst I was the Assistant Musical Director. She was just a young girl called Paulini. She was 16. I was 19. Her song was so memorable.”
“I also worked with Euan during 500 performances of Les Misérables.”
Paulini also has fond memories of the Schools Spectacular.
“Trevor Ashley is making me feel old! LOL! The thing I always remember about Trevor is that through his vibrant, flamboyant, and funny personality he was able to make every single person in a room feel comfortable in their own skin,” she said.
Image: Australian cast. Photographer: Daniel Boud.
Her success since then has helped encourage others to participate in music theatre.
“If you love what you do every single day, success isn’t really at the forefront of your thoughts. Of course, I love that I can inspire not just people from my background but everyone to participate and take every opportunity that arises.”
Image: Paulini as The Narrator. Photographer: Daniel Boud.
Trevor Ashley developed a love of good show tunes from his younger days and enthuses that Joseph is full of them.
“Most of the tunes are catchy. I don’t think there is a bad song. The musical started as a song cycle, then a university piece. It came prior to Jesus Christ Superstar - that was so serious and epic.”
Ashley nominates ‘Close Every Door to Me’ and ‘Go, Go, Go Joseph’ as his favourite songs from the musical. He impressed me by being able to rattle off most of the colours listed in the song ‘Joseph’s Coat’.
Laurence Connor has also worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on his new musical Bad Cinderella.
“Recently I was working with Andrew on a new song. No one writes a melody like Andrew Lloyd Webber. You hear it once and will be humming it for hours. It glues itself to your senses.
Image: Paulini as The Narrator. Photographer: Daniel Boud.
“From his childhood he studied theatre and musicals. He was a massive fan of Rodgers and Hammerstein.”
Whilst working with him, Connor realised that Lloyd Webber “is not writing a bunch of songs but building a musical construction form start to finish.
“When you suggest moving a song to a different place, he has to mechanically rethink everything, because he has written a composition, not just a bunch of pop songs.
“It is a journey. Some of the things he will suggest, I don’t always get – but when you hear where he is going you think, wow, I did not like it at first - now I love it.
“And Lloyd Webber chooses interesting subject matter, whether it is J.C. Superstar or Evita.
“He would admit to some hits and misses – but the hits are so massive they obliterate the misses.”
Indeed, Joseph very much fits the hit description. 20,000 schools and amateur theatres have staged the musical in front of 200 million people, including one particular Sydney primary school last century.
Joseph opened at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on November 13, 2022.
It plays at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney from February 11 until April 16, 2023.
Listen to more of Laurence Connor’s interview on The Stage Show.
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-stage-show
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