Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

The Geelong Lyric Theatre Society (GLTS) production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat rockets along. Fifty minutes in, the lights announce intermission – catching me by surprise.

For those who aren’t up to date with their Bible stories or their Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joseph retells the story of the son of Jacob from Genesis 37- 50.

In 1967, Webber and Tim Rice wrote Joseph for a school’s end-of-term concert, accounting for the shortness of the musical and the way the whole story is told through song.

GLTS have gone for a high-impact, colourful production with lots of movement. Every element of the production supports that.

Take the set design. The design team went for simple pieces with high visual impact.

Ditto the costumes.

Or look at the multimedia introduction during the overture. Visually bright and impressive.

While I liked the multimedia introduction, I think it set a false expectation for the show. The introduction eased the audience into the show rather than giving them an appropriate high-energy jolt.

Charlie McIntyre dominated as Joseph. He has classic leading-man good looks, a voice that’s sweet, warm, and authoritative, and he possesses the all-important likability factor.

As one of Joseph’s brothers Levi, Andrew Ward presented a cheeky interpretation of the character. His version of ‘One More Angel in Heaven’ was at times mournful and in other places, funny.

When Pharaoh (Connor Rawson) made his appearance, it was with the Elvis-inspired ‘Song of the King.’ Rawson made the king look cool. Uh-huh.

As you’d expect for a show written for a school, it’s fun for all ages. And GLTS have ramped up the fun with such a high-energy production.

Daniel G. Taylor