Christopher Hope-Smith interrupted a Twitter conversation and found himself invited by Leeds Grand Theatre to come and see his first musical …
Yesterday I read some messages between fellow Tweeters @philkirby and Darren of @Mylifeinleeds fame.
They were discussing a trip to The Grand to watch ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ or just ‘Joseph’ when you are limited to 140 characters!
I interrupted the conversation and let it be known in no uncertain terms how jealous I was (I had never been to a musical, and considering that my first foray into concerts only took place a couple of years back with the mighty Quo some would say I have led a slightly sheltered life!)
By some luck, I was contacted some five minutes later by those wonderful words ‘I have a spare ticket with your name on it’
Like a kid in a sweet shop I then ran around like a fool trying to arrange babysitting (cruel name but sometimes a necessity) which was dutifully accepted by my mother in law (add your own joke here)
Anyhow, back to the main reason for this ‘review of sorts’
It may seem a strange choice of musical to see as my introduction to the genre, and some might say it isn’t the best choice as seems overly long for what seemed to be a reasonably short story. However I was not disappointed.
The Grand Theatre is an awe inspiring building. It is one of those places where you could sit down in whichever seat you choose and marvel at the design and wonder of a beautiful ‘Jewel’ in Leeds’ crown. You wouldn’t even need a show on stage as the history of the building would ensure your imagination would run wild with thoughts and memories of a time long past.
The story of Joseph is quite simple.
He had a full football team’s worth of brothers (11 in all) which may have seemed a curse to him, but when they all started singing on stage, it turned out unexpectedly good.
Joseph although not the youngest member of the family, is certainly the apple of his father’s (Jacobs) eye. This was noted by his siblings and was exacerbated when Jacob spoilt his son with a beautiful coat of many colours. This I think did not bode well with the other boys in the group, along with his desire to share the interpretations of his dreams with his brothers where he made no bones about their meaning and the soon to be acknowledged time when each and every brother would not only bow down to Joseph but also look up to and rely on him as well.
When the brothers have had enough of Joseph’s story-telling they rightly or wrongly – but some may say drastically – take measures to the extreme. They brothers decide to carry out a spot of ‘fratricide’ (meaning to kills ones brother). However they as a group take the easy option and sell poor Joseph into slavery and slaughter a sheep instead in order to cover and destroy Josephs coat of many colours (adding blood red to an almost incalculable amount of colours).
Whilst in slavery Joseph’s masters get wind of his extraordinary dream-reading abilities, and after some run-ins with his master’s wife and a spell in prison Joseph becomes an important figure in his masters plans of continuing to add to his status as the Donald Trump of the Nile.
During this time Joseph’s family is not blessed with the same luck and the brothers soon find themselves at the mercy of Joseph who unbeknownst to them has moved on from slavery into a much envied position. Having carried out a few tests on his family and noticing the new found loyalty of the clan, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and is once again reunited with his father.
Quite what Elvis, a children’s choir, a visit to Paris, a Victorian flash camera and a calypso song had to do with things, you will just have to watch and see. There is also the inclusion of inflatable (mentioned by @mylifeinleeds as “blow up”) sheep and an ever changing set which could tell a story on its own.
Ian ‘H’ Watkins of Steps fame takes the title role, and although appearing in some discomfort with the over expression of his words whilst singing he was very good. However, I personally believe the true star of the show was the narrator, Jennifer Potts.
Credit should also be given to Luke Jasztal as the pharaoh/Reuben and Elvis along with Richard J Hunt as baker/Judah. The children’s choir was also extremely professional and helped proceedings perfectly.
The show was enjoyed by all manners of people of every age from youngster to pensioner and everyone in between. The setting and the staff also made for a wonderful evening.
I really enjoyed my visit and would recommend a visit yourself, whether it is for a play, musical, concert or even just a tour. You will not be disappointed.
Was obviously worth babysitting to hear such a fantastic review – Well done to the cast of ‘Joseph’ for making Chris’s visit to ‘The Grand’ so memorable, as you can tell by his wonderful write up!
Chris, good review, and if you have lived a sheltered life, what about me. The last time I went to the theatre to watch a performance was 25 years ago. I spent the first five minutes in awe of the place. When you think about the history of the Grand Theatre, which dates back to the first performance in November 1878 (it apparently cost £62,000 to build back then!) you can’t help but feel privileged that Leeds is home to such a iconic theatre.
I feel a huge hypocrite writing this when it was my first visit for 25 years, but it is important that the city supports the theatre. It was great to see a great mix of people of all ages, like the flat capped elderly gentleman who was there along with what I assume was his grandson. As for the performance of Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, it was bonkers and incredibly random with the ‘blow up’ sheep and guest appearance of Elvis. I came away smiling and had a fun night out. I’ll not be leaving it 25 years before I visit the theatre again.
I think it was a perfect first musical Chris, glad you enjoyed it! It’s been a joy to see people of all ages waiting backstage for H Watkins’ autograph since the show opened 🙂