Overture and beginners please...
I don’t know the official stats, but I would think Bill Kenwright’s legendary production of Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat sits in the records books as the longest touring production in modern theatre. It started life in 1979, when Kenwright agreed to take over a Christmas season of the show from a producer who had hit financial problems, and continued touring until 1991. After a gap of 6 years (to allow Lord Lloyd Webber to produce his own version with Jason Donovan, Phillip Schofield et al) it was off on the road again and it continues to this day, gathering new generations of fans wherever it goes. The production grew organically and for many years featured a song called “I Don’t Think I’m Wanted Back At Home”, hijacked from a piece called Jacob’s Journey which, in the early days of Joseph's development, was the first half to a much shorter version at the Albery Theatre (now the Noel Coward Theatre). This was removed from Kenwright’s production in the late 1980s at the insistence of Lloyd Webber, who was none too pleased to find it had been included in the show without his knowledge or approval.
There have been a lot of recordings of Joseph over the years, from productions all around the world, and Bill Kenwright’s production has had a number of occasions where it was committed to either vinyl, cassette or CD. For the most part these releases were only available at the theatres where the production was playing, and were never made available in record shops. So I thought I would take a look at the recordings, which fans around the country have snapped up over the years, to see how they stand up today.
JOSEPH (1980)
Principal performers: Jess
Conrad (Joseph), Leo Andrew (Narrator),
Dave Mayberry (Pharaoh) Running time: 10
minutes
The first official
recording of Bill Kenwright’s production arrived in the shape of a vinyl EP of
just four tracks. The star performer of
the time being 1960s pop star Jess Conrad who leads the EP with “Any Dream Will
Do”. It’s fair to say that Conrad’s
success is mostly down to his good looks and charisma, not his singing voice.
No amount of vocal multi tracking can disguise the shortcomings of his
voice. But this EP has a couple of
secret weapons. Dave Mayberry is perhaps the most Elvis-y of all the Pharaoh’s
and gives us a cracking “Song of the King”.
Although it is now accepted as a female role, the Narrator was
originally male and Leo Andrew proves that it can work with a heartfelt “Pharaoh’s
Story”. Finally, a medley of songs by
Conrad & Andrew (in truth part of the celebrated encores from the show)
ends this 7 inch collection. The recording is produced by Bill Kenwright himself
and is a welcome first foray into the recording studio by Joseph’s longest serving incarnation.
JOSEPH (1986)
Principal performers: Mike
Holoway (Joseph), Carla McLaine (Narrator), Sean Simon (Pharaoh), Peter
Lawrence (Jacob / Potiphar), Ashley Keech (Butler), Iain Rogerson (Baker) Running
time: 51 minutes
Not quite the full show, this recording does though feature all the major musical passages and is produced by Jon Miller, a long time associate of Bill. Musical director David Steadman, who provides the arrangements for the show, leads a thirteen strong band on the recording. This version is perhaps the show at its most rock ‘n’ roll. Synths pound and electric guitars wail, perhaps expecting the arrival of Brian May at any moment. It has the feel of a raw live album at times, and for this reason stands up as my favourite of all the Kenwright tour recordings. At its heart is Mike Holoway, who possesses a fine pop voice. Holoway came to the production as a cult star of the 1970s children’s sci-fi serial The Tomorrow People, and having had some success with his own band Flintlock. His charismatic performance, and vocally strong delivery, saw him emerge as one of the longest running Joseph’s in the production. He is matched by Carla McLaine’s clear and powerful singing as the Narrator. On this recording Benjamin (John Melvin) has a short refrain of “Close Every Door” prior to the start of “Benjamin Calypso”, one of the many touches that disappeared when ALW demanded changes. Added to a thumping “Song Of The King” from Sean Simon, there are many moments that stand out.
JOSEPH (1998)
Principal
Performers: Richard Swerrun (Joseph),
Julie Maguire (Narrator), Shane Cortese (Pharaoh), Peter Lawrence (Jacob /
Potiphar), Joe Maddison (Butler), Gary J. Myers (Baker) Running time:
67 minutes
When Kenwright was
handed back the rights to produce Joseph
in 1997, it was very much his production
that returned. All the little touches
that had made it such a huge success were back, albeit with a new revamped set and
costumes. Once again David Steadman
handled the arrangements, with the choir on this recording provided by Babette
Langford’s Young Set as they had done on the previous recording. Eight
musicians this time provide the musical settings. This is a much more polished
affair, produced again by Jon Miller using David Steadman's arrangements. Whereas the previous recording
could have passed as live, this time there is a sheen about it. Richard
Swerrun’s vocal is equally polished, a very musical theatre ‘stage school’ delivery, technically excellent. The production has always been lucky with the
quality of its Narrators over the years, and Julie Maguire proves no slouch on
the vocal side either. Shane Cortese’s Pharaoh lends the necessary Elvis-isms
to his big moment, complemented by some nice brass work. In many ways this can be said to be the only
complete recording of Kenwright’s original production, as we will see shortly. For the first, and
only time to date, we get the "Joseph is it really you?" beginning and the hoe-down dance in the middle of "One More Angel" among the familiar touches.
JOSEPH (2009 Edition)
Principal Performers: Craig
Chalmers (Joseph), Abigail Jaye (Narrator), Simon Bowman (Pharaoh), Henry
Metcalfe (Jacob / Potiphar), Stephen McCarthy (Butler), Harry Morrison (Baker)
Running time: 65 minutes
Some 11 years after the
last recording, we find ourselves in
reality TV land. The 2007 television
talent show Any Dream Will Do had a
showdown of potential Joseph’s with Lee Mead a clear popular winner. He was rewarded with a season in ALW’s
production at the Adelphi Theatre. However, all was not lost for the runners up
as the wily Mr. Kenwright signed them up for his touring version. With this recording, the influence of the 1991 London Palladium
production (and 2007 revival) is heard in full. The
arrangements are heavily based on those for that version, making it
less the Kenwright show and more of a hybrid of the two. The recording is well
produced by Chris Winter and David Steadman. One of the problems of replicating
arrangements that have already been heard on cast albums from many productions
around the world, is that you are in danger of being just another ‘generic’ Joseph album. Indistinguishable from the
many that have gone before. We do have the inclusion of Pharaoh’s number “King
Of My Heart” which was written for the 2007 West End revival, but is in effect
just a mediocre song which gives Simon Bowman (the original ‘Chris’ in Miss Saigon no less) another chance to
shine as Pharaoh but is neither necessary to the plot or particularly
impressive as an addition to the otherwise brilliant score. Even 40 years after the show was written, that master wordsmith Sir Tim Rice is tinkering
with the familiar lyrics. “So Jacob
bought his son a coat, a multi-colored coat to wear” is now “So he designed,
with Jo in mind, a multi-colored coat to wear”.
When you are singing along at home after being a visitor to
the show for over thirty five years, it takes you by surprise!
Craig Chalmers provides
the Joseph on this version, and he sings
the score nicely, if a little blandly. Abigail
Jaye gives us a lovely “Pharaoh Story”, one of the highlights of the score in
my opinion. It’s a good solid, version
of the show even if some of the Kenwright-ness is missing.
JOSEPH (2017 Edition)
Principal Performers: Joe
McElderry (Joseph), Abigail Jaye (Narrator), Simon Bowman (Pharaoh), Henry
Metcalfe (Jacob / Potiphar), Stephen McCarthy (Butler), Harry Morrison (Baker)
Running time: 66 minutes
JOE McELDERRY IS JOSEPH
screams the cover! This young winner of The X-Factor has been imported into one
of the most coveted roles for a young performer in theatre land. Quite craftily, Bill Kenwright (and it is released by BK Records) has taken
the 2009 recording and overlaid McElderry’s vocals onto it. I’ve not yet seen
Mr. McElderry perform the role but have read several reviews which state that
he may well be the best sung Joseph of them all. I’m not sure this is necessarily true of the
recording, however his delivery of “Close Every Door” gives an impression of
how powerful his voice might be in a live setting. He certainly doesn’t
disgrace himself, and had I not owned the 2009 recording would not have been
aware that his Joseph was dubbed onto it. Of the two, it is McElderry’s version that is perhaps the
better in fact. His charisma shines
through.
**UPDATE**
JOSEPH (2019 Edition)
Principal Performers: Jaymi Hensley (Joseph), Abigail Jaye (Narrator), Simon Bowman (Pharaoh), Henry Metcalfe (Jacob / Potiphar), Stephen McCarthy (Butler), Harry Morrison (Baker) Running time: 66 minutes
Like a chameleon changing it's colours, this is the second re-release for the 2009 recording, this time with Union J's Jaymi Hensley having replaced Chalmers and McElderry on the lead vocal. A full review of the tour with Jaymi at the helm can be found HERE.
**UPDATE**
JOSEPH (2019 Edition)
Principal Performers: Jaymi Hensley (Joseph), Abigail Jaye (Narrator), Simon Bowman (Pharaoh), Henry Metcalfe (Jacob / Potiphar), Stephen McCarthy (Butler), Harry Morrison (Baker) Running time: 66 minutes
Like a chameleon changing it's colours, this is the second re-release for the 2009 recording, this time with Union J's Jaymi Hensley having replaced Chalmers and McElderry on the lead vocal. A full review of the tour with Jaymi at the helm can be found HERE.
As I write, there is no sign of the ‘juggernaut of joy’
stopping as it heads towards its 40th anniversary. Bill Kenwright’s
production of Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat has always been an important show. It has taken high quality theatre on the road to the
people, and apart from pantomime, is
probably the first introduction many youngsters have had of musical theatre. There
is a reason why audiences are on their feet nightly and keep coming back for
more. In short, you walk out of the
theatre happier than you went in. It’s a
tonic for modern life, good triumphing
over bad. Doubtless many of us wish the
world outside the theatre were as predictable. I have always thought that whilst the Really Useful Group’s 1991 version had
the budget and grandeur, it lacked the
heart of Kenwright’s production. I’m
glad it continues in some form to delight audiences all over the UK. With an animated movie of Joseph now in production by Elton John's Rocket Pictures, the timeless march of this theatre classic shows no sign of slowing down.
YOU CAN FIND TOUR DATES AND BOOK TICKETS FOR THE ONGOING UK TOUR OF JOSEPH VIA THE BILL KENWRIGHT PRODUCTIONS WEBSITE
