Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Winter Gardens Blackpool Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Cath Joyce
The first time I saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was back in the early 1980s when we had a school trip to our local theatre, and I’ve loved it ever since. Over the years, I’ve seen it many times and it just seems to get better every time I see it.
The musical is based on the biblical story of Joseph, the favoured son of Jacob. To show his affection, Jacob gives Joseph a magnificent multi coloured coat which sparking jealousy among his eleven brothers. In a fit of envy, they sell him into slavery and Joseph is taken to Egypt, where he works for a man named Potiphar. Unfortunately for Joseph, Potiphar’s wife takes a liking to him and when Potiphar discover this, poor Joseph is thrown into prison. When he is in jail, his ability to interpret dreams comes to light so when Pharaoh has a troubling dream about seven cows, Joseph is called upon to explain the dream and his fortunes begin to change.
The show opens with Christina Bianco who is the narrator of the story. Christina was absolutely amazing, her voice was powerful and crystal clear as she guided the audience through the story. In addition to narrating, she also doubled up as both Jacob and Potiphar’s wife and added plenty of comedy to the show.
Davide Fienauri stepped into the role of Joseph for this performance, and although he isn’t the lead Joseph on the full tour, he absolutely shone on stage. His voice was incredibly powerful, and his rendition of Close Every Door gave me goosebumps, it was so full of emotion and strength. He held the audience’s attention from start to finish and was simply brilliant!
X Factor winner Joe McElderry is no stranger to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, having played the title role during the 2017/18 UK tour. I absolutely loved him as Joseph, so it was a real treat to see him return, this time as the Pharaoh. He was great in the role, with the highlight being the iconic Song of the King, where he channels full-on Elvis in a performance that the whole audience loved.
I do like how the children play a much bigger role than in the original version with many having key parts, including Joseph’s brothers, Potiphar, and the butler who shares a prison cell with Joseph. Their performances were full of confidence and energy and every single one of them was incredibly talented and clearly loving every minute on stage. I especially liked the boy who sang the Calypso song, he had an amazing voice and is definitely going to be a star of the future.
The entire cast radiated energy, talent, and enthusiasm and we especially enjoyed the variety of dance styles woven throughout the show, from lively tap routines to country-inspired numbers and even a playful Can-Can. Despite the large number of performers on stage, every move was perfectly timed thanks to Joann M. Hunter’s fantastic choreography.
By the end of the show the audience were all on their feet singing and dancing to the Joseph Megamix! Joseph is a brilliant show and I would recommend that you go and see it whilst it’s in Blackpool this week. We left the theatre singing the songs and continued all the way home – the sign of a fantastic musical!
Rating: 5/5
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is at Blackpool Winter Gardens until Sunday 13th April 2025.
Tickets cost from £23.75
For more information or to book tickets, visit: www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 770 0593
Winter Gardens Blackpool, Church Street, Blackpool, FY1 1HU