David Duketis in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Let me start with a confession. I am an Andrew Lloyd Webber tragic. No doubt this colours my opinion, but it gets worse. I have seen three international productions of this musical and am entranced by the timeless music and the brilliance of the original concept. So what does this leave me to say about Tuesday night’s performance? Well for such a seasoned and cynical old critic all I can say is I was mesmerised.
Yes, the music was the same, the story line had not changed, the setting was the same, but the sheer joie de vivre of the cast was breathtaking. A cast of plus or minus 50 young people throwing themselves into a timeless classic with such enthusiasm was a majestic experience.
It would be churlish to identify any single contribution but David Duketis as Joseph was stylish, and Adrian Agisilaou as a very very good Elvis impersonator, sorry Pharaoh was energy and athleticism combined. In all the other versions I have seen, the narrator has been a male and the choice of a lovely young lady, Vivienne Awosoga, was a touch of brilliance.
Other highlights include the authentic costumes and a nice touch was having the members of the cast dressed up and welcoming patrons into the theatre and showing them to their seats. It was an action that made me feel welcome and enhanced a sense of anticipation to viewing the show. This sense of intimacy was missing from the previous productions I had seen and, even though I knew what to expect, I was sufficiently intrigued, enjoyed the mounting tension and was not disappointed when the show began.
All in all, the evening raced along and I was left with a strange feeling of emptiness when the show finally drew to a close with a rousing montage of all the music performed by the whole cast with a vibrancy and enthusiasm that was breathtaking.
This is a show to be seen again and again. This production was a moment to remember and all we can hope for is a return next year of these talented artists in perhaps a revival of another Andrew Lloyd Webber masterpiece.
Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 stars
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
The Young Australian Broadway Chorus
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Adelaide Fringe
www.cpca.com.au
11 – 15 March
