Biblical tale stands the test of time

Palace, Manchester

FANS of the original production sat alongside fans of the reality TV series “Any Dream Will Do”, eager to see one of the wannabe Josephs take the lead role.

With the winner, Lee Mead, on the London stage until January, this touring show has Craig Chalmers, who made it to the final five, pulling on the famous coat of many colours.
In fact, the Lloyd-Webber wagon was definitely in town, with no fewer than four wannabe Josephs joining Craig on stage in different guises.

Even the role of Narrator goes to Tara Bethan, one of the 12 hopefuls who appeared on “I’d Do Anything” singing for the chance to play Nancy in “Oliver!”.

The 24-year-old holds her own as this challenging and ever-present character, unlike Craig who misses the chance to make his mark.

Although he plays a pleasant Joseph, his portrayal lacked the depth and power that seasoned performers bring to the role, and his acting skills were limited.

Antony Hansen, another nearly Joseph, played Pharaoh but although he looked the part in his Elvis catsuit, he mumbled the words to his feature song.

The strong ensemble who play Joseph’s 11 brothers are a joy to watch, especially Chris Dilley, Adebayo Bolaji and Simon Murphy who provide genuine comedy moments and lush harmonies.

As a whole, Rice’s lyrics and Lloyd-Webber’s production have stood the test of time and the fun-filled feature delighted fans of all ages on Monday.

A disco megamix of Joseph songs ended the show and had fans clapping along, just before heading to the foyer to have their Craig Chalmers CD signed by the man himself.


BA