Review by Charlotte Williams
THE legendary and colourful Joseph And The Technicolour Dreamcoat has taken over Manchester Opera House and it certainly doesn’t disappoint; the performance is extremely engaging.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim’s Rice’s well-loved musical successfully comes to life with X Factor winner Joe McElderry as the Pharoah, Christina Bianco as the Narrator and Adam Filipe as Joseph alongside the amazing ensemble cast.
The show is packed with vibrant energy throughout with fun choreography, incredible vocals and flamboyant set design.
The show caters to all audience members as there was a wide variety of all ages up and dancing at the end of the show.
The pacing of the performance has been executed cleverly as the story of Joseph is told through the theatrics of both musical and dance numbers. There is so much emotion captivated in the whole show, making moving and humorous.
Adam Filipe portrays Joseph beautifully; he delivers his scenes with strong vocals. A key moment is when Filipe sings ‘Close Every Door’ whilst being imprisoned, his vocals are astonishing.
The strength in his voice is exceptional and he truly does a wonderful job playing this iconic role.
Speaking of iconic, Christina Bianco puts on a flawless performance with not only playing the role of the narrator, but also showcasing her talent as Joseph’s dad and other roles.
Bianco is truly gifted as her ability to switch into her different roles so quickly and cleverly is fascinating. Her main role of being the narrator achieved high standards as her vocals are extremely powerful with a melodious tone.
In act two of the show, we are treated to Joe McElderry’s outstanding delivery of the Pharoah.
McElderry dominates the stage with his lively dancing and powerhouse vocals. I have seen McElderry playing Joseph several times and seeing the switch from that role to the Pharoah was wonderful! His talent is always phenomenal as he delivers the Pharoah with humour and high energy.
The whole soundtrack had me starstruck as there was never a dull moment.
The visual aspect of the show is extravagant, especially the lighting design. The different strobes of lighting and colours are so radiant which mirrors the performances!
Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat is on stage at Manchester Opera House until March 9.