The English School of Mongolia (ESM) ignited the stage of the Arthur Cotterell Theatre with their modern take on Joseph and The Technicolor Dreamcoat. Somehow, the directors managed to squeezea cast of 62 children and full orchestra into the tiny Arthur Cotterell Theatre and although at times it was obvious they were pushed for space, in general it didn’t interfere with the production.
This modern version of the popular musical made fun of itself even more than the West End original, which I hadn’t previously thought possible.
This modern version of the popular musical made fun of itself even more than the West End original, which I hadn’t previously thought possible. Nevertheless, just as it is widely considered impossible to have an excess of chocolate in a chocolate chip muffin, it is also not possible to sprinkle Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat with too much cheese.
The ESM’s rendition was also more realistic in many ways. For example, in some previous productions Joseph has been portrayed in an almost saintly light from the off, whereas in the ESM’s version Joseph flaunts his multicoloured coat proudly and antagonises his brothers with his dreams instead of merely trying to gain their interest and attention.
Overall the vocals were of a commendably high quality, especially considering it was the young cast’s second performance of the day. However, there were a plethora of sound balance issues throughout, which did detract slightly from my enjoyment of the production, particularly when the mic volume swung from deafeningly loud to almost inaudible. Nonetheless, despite the technical blips, by the end ofthe show the auditorium was ringing with laughter. All in all, it was a fun and entertaining night out, suitable for the whole family.
