Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

What a perfect week to turn the Capitol rainbow! As WorldPride gathers momentum, so does the spectacular Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which is now taking residence in its Sydney home. The Harbour city is really enjoying some nostalgia this month, with three favourite musicals opening their doors.

From the first note each song is a standout. Paulini as The Narrator leads the cast, young and old, through their paces. She sparkles and shines, letting those glorious pipes go to work. Paulini is a musical theatre star; her ability to cross through all the genres Joseph covers in its two hours is as amazing as the Dreamcoat itself. Paulini plays several characters, slotting in and out of the popular Bible story of Joseph (played by Euan Fistrovic Doidge).

Joseph finds himself sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then after a bunch of bad luck and jail time he rises to glory thanks to his ability to read dreams and just being the all-round good guy. Fistrovic Doidge, as the title character, has some wonderful vocals himself and quickly establishes himself as a fair match for Paulini. He is charismatic, with a wonderful stage presence. The children’s chorus, opening the show with Fistrovic Doidge’s “Any Dream Will Do”, is a beautiful hint of what is to come, and the penultimate song of act one “Close Every Door” is in his safe hands, powerful and moving.

Joseph began its own story in a school back in 1968 and has evolved into this fresh energetic 2023 version, almost coming full circle with the inclusion of children playing adult characters. This new casting may not appeal to some, with four of Joseph’s brothers, Potiphar, the Baker, and the Butler now played by children. It is a wonderful journey into theatre for first timers, with the mixed casting of children in traditionally adult roles. The Narrator also takes on roles previously played by the adult cast, including Joseph’s father Jacob, though the emotional father/son reunion didn’t really land for me.

The set seemed very simple and traditional in the earlier scenes, under a constellation of stars, cleverly giving way to some of the epic set work later including Pharaoh’s Elvis style rock and roll "Song of the King'', complete with singing, guitar strumming golden statues. Pharoah in this production is played by Trevor Ashley, a clear crowd favourite. Ashley and the audience had a mutual love affair, both enjoying a number of encores with his energetic, cheeky performance. What a brilliant casting choice!

What you must understand if you aren’t familiar with this musical is that its crossover between genres cleverly keeps the show from becoming dated, but can be a bit confusing when you first see it. You will see tap dancing, a French ballad and rock'n'roll alongside the Charleston. Other musical highlights include the Country style "One More Angel in Heaven” and “Those Canaan Days”, which include a very funny Can Can. Audiences will happily enjoy the medley of songs from the show as the cast take their bows in the "Joseph Megamix", as they ponder the story of family, mistakes, and forgiveness and revel in the nostalgia of this musical created by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber over half a century ago.

Suitable for all ages, there is enough colour and movement on the stage for everyone to love. Go Go Go see this much-loved classic!

Nicole Smith