Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat @ London Palladium - August 2021

 

So listen.

When it was announced that the 2019 revival of Joseph was returning to the Palladium, I had no real desire to see it. I saw the production with Sheridan Smith, and had a nice enough time, but unlikely the rest of my generation I wasn't raised on the Donny Osmond movie and find Joseph to be quite 'meh'.

But then, the legend that is Linzi Hateley was announced to be returning to the production as the Narrator for some 'special performances' when Alexandra Burke (who took over from Smith in this year's production) was otherwise engaged.

 

Returning to the part she originated thirty years ago - of COURSE I was going to have to be there!

At the end of watching this show, I instantly text someone saying "I never want to see Joseph again, because it will never be done better than this," and there is one reason for that.

Linzi bloody Hateley.

Now, it's sort of the dream entrance for any character. Stage goes dark in the middle of the overture, and two spot lights hit a figure facing the back of the stage. That figure turns round, smiles and the audience ERRUPTS. The look of joy on Hateley's face as the wall of love and support was just wonderful to see (I absolutely cried - I am ridiculous).

I had forgotten that the Narrator essentially doesn't leave the stage for the entire show (and quite how hard that means Hateley has to work!) but the woman does not break a sweat and gives a incredible performance.

There's a LOT going on in this production for the Narrator - multi-roling, tap dancing, playing the spoons just to start - but Hateley knocks every element of this character out of the park. It's very "nudge nudge wink wink" comedy (as opposed to Smith's loud and outright humour that she used in the 2019 production) and it works a lot better in my eyes; the Narrator is in on the humour of it all, rather than the slightly bonkers alternative that we've seen before.

But the thing that really shines in this production is Hateley's sensational voice. Whilst I don't listen to Joseph regularly, if I do it's the Prologue from the 1991 recording - there's something really magical about THAT voice, and the way it elevates the material. 
Thirty years on, and the voice sounds exactly the same. There's been some tinkering with keys here and there because of the Narrators before her in this production don't have the incredible range needed, but it doesn't stop Hateley from really getting to belt her face off in moments like Pharaoh's Story and Go Go Go Joseph (I literally shouted 'go on Linzi' at the end of Act 1 as she's doing 'ahead of your time' up the octave!) 

There's something quite emotional about getting to see Hateley reunited with Jason Donovan - this time taking on the role of Pharaoh. Their friendship has been well documented across the years, and it's great to see them together on stage. In the fleeting moments the two characters spend on stage at the same time, you can see they're having a ball.

Add into that mix Jac Yarrow, back again as Joseph and better than ever. That man is really going to one of our biggest leading men in the next few years and it's great to see. He properly stops the show with a truly wonderful rendition of Close Every Door 

So the production itself is essentially still the same as it was in 2019. 

The Narrator is now more of a Pied Piper character, who uses the children that she's telling the story to bring it to life. You've got kids playing Potipher, some of the brothers, the Butler and Baker and so on. 
It's an approach that I still don't think fully works on every level. There something a little odd having Potipher played by a child, and Mrs Potipher by a grown woman - I know we suspend all belief in theatre but it still doesn't gel with me. But I cannot deny there's something really wholesome about the kids being some of Jacob's sons, and them just generally being around and fully in the story.

It's a week or so until the end of this revival, but I really don't think I'll see it again. I've seen the ULTIMATE Narrator, and an absolute top notch Joseph in the same production - short of casting Lady Gaga as the Narrator I don't think I'd get anything else out of it other than what I've already got.

My suggestion though?

Try to get in to see it - if you can get in to see Linzi please do, but it's a really fun couple of hours and a  great way to get back into the theatre after such a long time away!

⭐⭐⭐⭐