★★★★½
Everyone knows Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Most people have either seen it or been involved in a production of it at some point in their lives. As a child, it was the show that made me fall in love with the West End, so when it returned in 2019, I was excited to see it again. Unfortunately, when I finally got to see it in 2021 (thanks COVID!) I came away disappointed, as it felt more like an infant school production than a professional show.
Fast-forward to Tuesday 27th October, when I took my daughter to see Portsmouth Players’ production at the Theatre Royal in Portsmouth. I went in with very few expectations of seeing a great show. How wrong could I have been!
Archie Mac as Joseph was phenomenal. His voice sounded a little muffled at first, and I couldn’t tell whether this was down to the sound or his vocals. However, when it came to Close Every Door, he truly excelled. His voice was strong, powerful and beautiful, hitting every note along the way. He is an exceptionally talented vocalist.
The brothers brought exactly the light-hearted humour the show is known for, delivering brilliant acting alongside their fantastic singing. The Pharaoh was portrayed perfectly, with some cheeky, off-the-cuff flirting with the audience that made the performance feel even more interactive. It was just a shame that the ensemble seemed to drown him out at times, making it difficult to hear him over everyone else.
There was some fantastic dancing throughout, showcasing just how talented the cast really are. The narrators sang, danced and acted impeccably, with my favourite moment being when they sat eating popcorn during one of the scenes. It genuinely made me laugh!
It was also lovely to see junior performers from various other performing arts schools joining the cast for this production. They truly outdid themselves! These young performers are certainly ones to watch, and I can see many of them going far given the talent they displayed.
My only real criticism of the show was the costumes. For a production centred around colour, the costumes felt a little dull and lifeless, with so much white being worn. I would have loved to see the junior cast in bright, colourful T-shirts or something similar, particularly during the Joseph Megamix reprise at the end, which should have been fun, upbeat and bursting with colour. Some of the other costumes also felt a little cheap and rather primary school-ish, which was a shame.
Despite my reservations about the costuming, I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and it absolutely deserved the standing ovation it received.
I know some of you might be thinking, “Oh, not that show again! It’s been done to death!” But if that’s you, please go and see this production by Portsmouth Players. I can almost guarantee it will make you fall in love with the show all over again.
A brilliant reminder of why this musical has stood the test of time.
Thank you to Portsmouth Theatres for providing us with complimentary tickets in exchange for our honest review.
