Lassie, I totally agree with Twingle, you have a gift for words.
LOL I just couldn't help myself laughing out loud.

and Innocent Fairy, wonderful to read that although you knew many things that were coming, you still experienced it as if you were completely blank. And I'm sure it's okay to you let your hair hangdown if you're a LL, and you see HIM for the very first time in person.

For me it's less then 4 weeks now. I'm hoping to be as openminded as IF, and I'll just have the perfect evening.

Two excellent reviews there from Lassie and Innocentfairy!

Review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, the Adelphi October 4th

Sorry for those nonLoveLees it is a bit biased, which I will apologise for

Well at last, the day I had been waiting for since June 9th, why did I wait to book tickets until I knew Lee had won, ye of little faith, anyway it had arrived and excitement was building.

After discussion/argument with OH on what tube station to use, we eventually agreed on Convent Garden, my thoughts were that lots of restaurants between station and the Adelphi.

Found a restaurant at about 5.30, and asked for table for 3. Was told that they needed table for quarter to 8, we explained not a problem as the show started at 7.30. ‘What are you going to see’ ‘Joseph’ ‘Oh lucky you, I really want to see that, we all voted for Lee in the restaurant’
After meal and leaving restaurant, the parting gesture was ‘Enjoy Lee tonight, I am sure he will be excellent’. All in all a very pleasant experience and set us up well for the show.

Arrived at the Adelphi at ten to 7, lots of people milling around, went and bought a souvenir brochure, programme, tried to buy a camel, they have run out yet again. Also noticed that there were several people selling CD of cast recordings, only problem is that it is Jason Donovan’s version, don’t know if that is pointed out at the time, but I did find it distasteful and I can imagine a lot of people buying it, thinking it is a new cast recording, annoyed me to say the least.
After ordering a drink for the interval, we then went into stalls just before the show started.

I did think starting the show with the kids was really nice, and I think it sets the right tone for the production. I was pleasantly surprised with Preeya’s voice, having read the reviews I thought that she might have been a bit shrill, but none of it, they may well have lowered her bits, as there was no struggling to reach the high notes.

The first appearance of Lee was wonderful, to see him high up behind the curtain, yes he did get the wolf whistles, mind you the smile that came over his face when he heard the whistles, meant I forgave, those women that did it. He just lit up the whole theatre and from that moment on his star quality was amazing, it was really hard to take your eyes off him, even when he wasn’t meant to be the main focus.

I really have not got enough superlatives to describe how good I thought his performance was, his star quality shines out, like no others, his comic timing and expressions are fabulous, even though I thought that they would be good, but not expecting them to be that good. His little show with the snake is fantastic and to think one is meant to be looking elsewhere on the stage.

Close every Door was just amazing, he really showed the light and shade and the power of his voice. I only wish I could get a copy of this, as it is far superior to any other version that I have heard. This is the fifth time I have seen Joseph and the 5th Joseph and I have to say he was by far the best, and I can’t wait to see him again, currently having to wait until the group trip. Boooooo……..

Pharaoh, I am sorry I am going to say what everyone else says, you cannot understand a word of what he says, he really is unintelligible, as bad as Keith at his worse and that is saying something. I know all the words of the song and I really couldn’t understand it, the King of love was better, but not a lot and I do feel it is a very pointless song.

The part when Lee arrived dressed as the Prince of Egypt, Oh My………………………………………I was just drooling, he looked absolutely amazing not sure if it was the eye liner or what but I was just went to mush. I slid so quickly from the cute end to the smutty end, I surprised myself.

Hello everyone. Some cracking reviews of the show!!

I'm off to see it on Wednesday (evening show) and am so excited!! lol

I have a question though.

What time does the show finish? I need to plan train travel times for myself and friend.

Hope someone can enlighten me.

Thanks in advance. Shutter.xxxx

Hi Shutter, haven't seen you in ages.

The show finishes at about 10, but if you want to partake in the scrum, you need to think of a finish at about 10.20

This is a combo way-back post from seeing the show on September 20 & 21.

Disclaimer: I'm from the US, where Joseph is not all that popular. I've only seen the touring company of the Broadway show, which was unutterably dull.

First night we had nice seats in the Dress Circle. It was so exciting to see and hear Preeya, who really sold me on the narration. Such a big voice from such a little person!

Lee's entrance was just like on the video clip, only to tummultuous applause that actually drowned out the instrumentalists. I love how the children reacted to seeing "Joseph" come into their classroom, and how Lee responded to them.

The bit at the end of that scene where Preeya hands Lee the coat and he almost doesn't take it seemed like a rather "Christlike" moment - especially since Joseph backs away from the coat three times. But that could just be me projecting stuff onto the director. Anyway.

I'd been a bit nervous about the brothers' hair and makeup. In the promo photos and video closeup, the stylization looked very much like the Nazi propaganda cartoons of the 1930s! I'm glad that either they've been toned down or you can't quite see from up in the Circle. The brothers - and they were one short each night, probably from the plague that had been going through the cast - came very very close to stealing the show. Even knowing about the sheep didn't keep me from grinning like a lunatic when they rotated onto the stage. This time Joseph almost doesn't accept the coat from the women until prodded by Jacob.

The scene where Joseph is thrown into the pit and sold seemed very rushed. Since they were looking to add time to the show, I'm surprised they didn't slow this down. Even in the very limited time he had, Lee did a terrific job going from happiness to see his brothers (and innocence about how much they hated him), to confusion at having the coat stripped away, to the despair and humiliation of being tied to a camel and dragged through the dirt. The snake pit was funny, especially on the second night in the Upper Circle where we could clearly see Lee's arm operating the puppet.

"One More Angel" was funny but OMG, do the singers ever need a dialect coach. *offers services*

London Eye. Heh. Preeya did a great doubletake that had the audience in stitches!

The Potiphar scene is very, very crowded. The cast was having a bit of fun with Lee (this being the day after the "Rear of the Year" win) and spending more time on his bottom than I'd been told would happen. Lee was very good at mincing around the stage looking officious, and did wonderful, subtle things to indicate his growing discomfort with Mrs. Potiphar. His indignant "I don't believe in free love!" showed how much he can do with almost nothing to work with. He was lost on the bed what with all the cast hanging around; if I were Potiphar, I might not have even seen him.

Stephen Tate has a genuine flair for physical comedy. Mrs. Potiphar - sorry, don't have the program here - is a wonderful dancer, very vampish against Lee's bumbling sincerity.

Finally we got to hear "Close Every Door." Remember, I'd never even seen Lee on a real television set - just on my laptop via sweet people who downloaded ADWD. Hearing him sing live was deeply moving. For all that Lee was alone on the stage and had all that room to prowl around, it was as if the stage couldn't possibly contain him or his voice. I broke down completely both nights.

The audience on Friday night was very loud during CED. Grrr. People, I didn't cross an ocean and pay for tickets to hear YOU.

(If I were Chairman of the Universe, Act One would end with CED and Act II would pick up with the arrival of the Butler and Baker. But no one asked me.)

Go Go Go Joseph is cute and perky, and took me back to my childhood watching Laugh-In and wondering what the hell those jokes were about. It was good to see Lee really interact with Preeya, and again Stephen Tate just owned the stage.

The childrens' chorus doing the Entr'acte is a nice touch. Pity the audience still doesn't get that you're not supposed to talk during it. Thursday I sat behind some of the parents who were WAVING at their kids. Hello? HELLO?

The Butler and Baker were highly entertaining but it was the entrance of The King that got me watching the second act closely. Dean Collinson is a terrific Vegas-Elvis and he plays the part as if he were born to it. Yes, I had trouble understanding his words. Second night I figured it out - it's not the pseudo-Tennessee accent, but rather that accent on top of his regular accent that throws me. Still, he's engaging and doesn't mind sending himself up. The chorus clearly loves him, and he and Lee had a great time on stage together.

Not really sure what "King of My Heart" is supposed to add to the story - other than length. (If I were Chairman of the Universe, Part Two, I'd have put in another song for JOSEPH to add length.)

The brothers absolutely nailed "Those Canaan Days" to the WALL. Yes, it was reprised just to make the scene go on a bit longer, but they were so funny and charming that I didn't care. Yay for Jacob getting some action!

Meanwhile, back in Egypt...

Lee is such a slight man, but when he put on his "second-in-command" face even I got scared of him. He was brilliant with the brothers, absolutely terrifying in his suppressed rage. I just don't see some of the younger boys being able to pull off that part of the show. It's been almost 20 years, Biblically speaking, and Joseph's not a boy anymore, he's a man and he's been wronged and living with that every day of his life. You see it in Lee's eyes, in the curl of his lip, and you hear it in the bitterness he brings into his voice.

The Calypso mercifully breaks the tension. I saw the understudy Judah the second night, which made me miss the original a great deal. He's just fabulous.

(If I were Chairman of the Universe, part three: Remember when BK worked with some of the boys in Ireland on the "Joseph, who you thought was dead, your brother...is me" line? I wish he'd work with Lee the same way, because for some reason or other that is SO rushed. That's the payoff moment for the whole story, and it was a jumble both nights. )

Joseph reuniting with Jacob was lovely. Joseph backs away from the coat the third time here. (Seriously, am I just insane or IS this a Jesus/Gethsemane reference? No reason I can't be both.)

(Chairman of...yadda yadda...I'd switch the ADWD and CED reprises. "We have been promised a land of our own" makes more sense sung to Jacob, and "Any Dream Will Do" sung to the children would bookend the "Sunday School Class" framing device.)

The Megamix - again, give Joseph more to do if you want to lengthen the show - is a great way to get children to unwind after sitting very still for such a long time. (The children in the audience behaved much better than some of the grownups, but that's another conversation.) Lee on his mini-elevator reminded me of the endings of all those 1950s MGM musicals where the stars suddenly came AT you on screen. He looks fabulous, sounds wonderful, and clearly is having the time of his life in a role that's bringing live theatre to a whole new generation.

If you can go to this production and come out unmoved or unhappy, then you need to make sure you didn't leave your soul at home under the bed with the dust bunnies. It's loud, pastiche-y, OTT, Biblically questionable, and FUN. I was a big ten-year-old those two nights and I wouldn't trade that feeling - or the joy of seeing Lee get the reception he deserved - for the world.

Hi hunny, thanks so much for the info. Not sure if I'll attempt the scrum, not my thang really, but might try to grab a piccy from a distance if Lee's about as we exit.

I am so looking forward to it.

Good to see you too hun. Take care, Shutts.xx

jcello glad you enjoyed it after coming all that way!
Did you catch any othwer shows when you were here?

Great review jcello.
Sorry the audience didn't behave for you, the night before i saw Jo i was at a concert and had Mr Sing-a-long from hell behind me, i'd threatened to rip the head of anyone who spoilt Joseph for me as well but forunately that didn't happen.
I think the mega mix is a great end to the show but theres just not enough Lee in it, his dancing at the start of it is fantastic and then hes gone.

We saw "Awake and Sing" with Stockard Channing at the Almeida. It's such an intimate venue - we were in the Dress Circle and it was as if we were peering into the "apartment" window. Wonderful performance of a terrific play.

Between that and seeing Joseph twice, my ticket budget was a bit stretched...

Oh, no! What is WITH the singalong people??? *pets Pepsi*

The Megamix would be really terrific if Lee were onstage dancing with the group, but then he wouldn't have time for the costume change and whatnot. The night in the Dress Circle it WAS wonderful to have him "come to us" to receive our ovation. Even with the safety harness, it has to be a little scary standing on that cherrypickerthingie (technical term eludes me)!

jcello, that is one of the best reviews I've seen to date!

Thank you so much!

I was at a serious loss for words after seeing the show. It was just so much...MORE than I thought it would be, if that makes any sense. I expected to show up, giggle a bit, and see how well Lee did. Never did it occur to me that I'd be struck dumb by how fabulous the show is or how Lee makes so much out of a rather small part.

There are many people who'd pay real money to see me struck dumb, too.

Thanks to trixie for prompting me to post this here, I'd posted it in the wrong thread. Silly me.

Anyway, here you go.

Wednesday 10th October.

Well, I really don't know where to start, but the beginning seems like a good place, so here goes.

Myself and my friend who's also a bit obsessed with Mr Mead, arrived at the Adelphi just before 7pm last night. My first impression of the Adelphi Theatre was a good one. I've never been to a West End show before, so didn't really have anything to compare it too, but I was pleased it wasn't a huge place. Everyone is almost guaranteed a good view from where ever they're sitting.

Our seats were just on the edge of the central aisle, row R. We had brilliant view of the entire stage, so I knew we'd be able to see everything!! (Cue one happy Lovelee!!!)

I can feel the tension building inside me. Checking my watch I will the minutes to tick by quicker than they are. I've waited so long and am impatient to see what so many others have seen before me.

Then, the lights dim and the sound of laughter fills the room. Children run alongside the stall aisles and take their places on the stage, the show has begun.

Fiona Reyes is the Narrator for the evening, and I have to say, I think she gave a fabulous performance. Then Lee appears, floating down to the stage with the most beautiful smile adorning his face. I'm gone, the tears are flowing. It's just brilliant to see him, and you can tell he's enjoying every breath he takes on the stage. It sounded like he'd got a sore throat, but he didn't let that hinder his performance, he gave it everything. Though I did quite like the husky sound to his voice, but that's another matter altogether.

The entire cast are fantastic, especially Dean who plays Pharaoh, he's astounding. Had everyone in stitches. Lee and Neal Wright (Judas) at one time get a fit of the giggles, Neal's trying desperately to get his lines out, but can't do it with a straight face and the pair of them keep giggling, which in turn make the audience (myself included) burst out laughing. It was brilliant, and showed that they're definately still having fun doing the show.

Verity Bentham is one lucky lady!! Any time she wants to have a rest from the show, I'm more than willing to cover for her. Yeah, I know, me and a bazillion others!! lol.

Close Every Door, is utterly bewitching to see. Yet again I'm reduced to tears.

And now, all to soon the show is almost over, Lee gliding up to the dress circle is fab, that must be a real kick for those in the front seats up there!! What a view they'll get! lol

The medley is a riot, dancing and singing, and that's just the audience, the guys on stage are still performing their hearts out leaping about all over the place; just where do they get their stamina from!!?

And then it's over, and there isn't a single person left sitting in their seat. A full standing ovation awaits the cast!! And my god do they deserve it! The entire cast are fantastic, but what can I say about Lee?

Well, there are many things I can say about Lee, not least that he's flipping gorgeous! My god a loincloth and eye-liner, it's almost too much for me. But enough of that.

Lee is in every sense of the word a true showman, and without putting it too plainly, he's simply FANCHUFFINGTASTIC!!! You can tell that he adores what he's doing. His smile is infectious. It was just brilliant to finally see who I'd been voting like a loon for all those weeks ago. I admired the whole cast so much, they all gave such a great performance. Lee for me though, was everything and more. Perfect for the role of Joseph, just perfect.

This has been my very first West End show and what a show it was; but it definately will not be my last.

Another great review. Thanks Shutter and everyone else who has posted.

I can almost see it in my head you all write so well. Not just about the show but how it made you feel which is often a difficult thing to describe.

My tickets to see the show are not till March and these snippets from everyone else relieve the frustration somewhat (while increasing it at the same time )

It is over a week ago since i saw the show but i decided to put my report, as i wrote it earlier on the LL-forum on this thread anyway "Better late than never "

(the little gaps are from where the original smileys used to be )

Konartel went to London, and all i got was this lousy report (2)

(these are again my thoughts as i wrote them down in my hotel room afterwards, mind you i was tired and bouncy at the same time )

WARNING: there are some minor spoilers.

Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat 04.10.07
Thursday was not only my last official day in London, it was also going to be the day i was going to see Joseph !
I prepared my self for the evening by spending the day at The British Museum to see the "First Emperor of China; The Terracotta Army" exhibition, and to visit the Egypt Rooms (to really get in the Joseph-zone ). Coincidentally there was a girl in the queue for the exhibition who was also going to be seeing Joseph that night. We both managed to convince a nice lady from Toronto, who was also in the queue that Donny Osmond had actually stopped playing Joseph some years ago . I spent most of my day amongst terracotta soldiers, sarcophages, sphinxes and mummies. In the afternoon i gave my feet a rest in my hotel room, and after i had convinced some sushi's they were really going to be my dinner that night (phew, what a struggle ), i was off to the Adelphi Theatre .
Walking from the Tube Station to the theatre i practically relived the whole ADWD-series, and sentences like "You are the quintessential (sp?) leading man", "Oh dear" and "...your fine, fine voice " flashed through my mind. It was great to see the neon letters appearing in the distance. Once inside it felt fantastic just being there, i was in, had the ticket, the name Lee Mead appeared on the cast list, the show was about to start any moment, nothing could go wrong now .
And the show, as you all know was fantastic. Lee was great in it, and it was such a magical moment when he descended from the sky. There was cheering and shouting and clapping and a big smile (from Lee and from me !). One woman just behind me let out a sharp whistle in the middle of the first song and i just couldn't help giving her a hard stare. No worries i forgave her with a broad smile when she apologized.
I really liked Preeya's performance, she was funny and her voice was round and colourful (and she is al tiny as promised ). The children were great, and one boy was swaying so enthusiastically from side to side that i was afraid he was going to bump his little head.
I didn't expect there to be this much humor in the show, the camel and the snake were soo funny .

As you LoveLees will be curious by now ......Yes Lee looked gorgeous in his loincloth, which was made perfectly clear after the Pothifar-scene . "Close Every Door" was so beautifully sung, you could hear a pin drop. Lee was as good at playing the young bouncy Joseph as he was as the older serious and powerful Pharaoh-number-two.
The brothers (as i read somewhere else on this thread) were a team, had they had some hilarous moments together. I am not ashamed to say that "Grovel, Grovel" and "Benjamin Calypso" are my favorite songs on the CD i have at home, and it was so great to see and hear them performed live by this particular cast. I felt a slight pinch when i saw Jacob clutching the ragged coloured coat after Joseph was robbed from it.
The Pharaoh's big show-stopping Elvis song "Song of the King (seven fat cows)" was fantastic, i didn't mind i couldn't understand what he was singing, I got "Well stone the crows" and "She's all shook up" I liked Joseph being bewildered by everything he saw at Pharaoh's Court and he was fascinated by the big belly of one of Pharaoh's staff

Another note on Lee's performance; he does have a mostly non-speaking role but his body-language says so much. Especially when he was trying to convince Narrator Preeya to untie him from the camel, and his fear for the Pharaoh really came across.
To skip a part of the story, i felt a pinch again when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers by taking his headdress off, he looked so small and tiny.... After that i enjoyed Mighty Joseph approaching his father Jacob in his chariot of gold (my heart actually skipped a beat ) and during the following song you could again hear a pin drop. During the ADWD (reprise) i felt Lee was a bit out of place, sitting amongst the children in his golden costume.
The Mega-mix was a party on it's own. At least for the last two/three rows because we danced, sang and clapped along. It made up for the fact that Lee soon dissappeared out of our sight when he went up. Too bad we couldn't see him sing the last note of the finale song.
To see this show was a fantastic experience and as others have said, it is over way to soon, but i wouldn't have missed it for the world .
Outside the theatre i didn't join the scrum, but watched it from a safe distance, tried to make some pictures, but they didn't turn out well (to be honest, there is nothing to see on them ) I did spot Lee walking past though, and i was surprised he did look as beautiful as he does on all those pictures, other LoveLees have taken. He was soon called inside again, and after one look over my shoulder towards the big Joseph-sign, i went off to my hotel. What a night !

Konartel,
What a great review, very colourful. It must have been some night, as you said. Great how you described that he acted so wel too, I mean because of the non-speaking parts of the role. And you didn't forget about the brothers and the rest of the cast!

Sounds like I would have had a great time too, and not to forget, the Terracotta army, and the Egypt department, great way to spend a day in London!

jcello, just read your review, and you really make some interesting comments, especially about Joseph refusing the coat three times. Might not have anything to do with that but the scene where Joseph is tied to the camel, and he tries to tug himself free, and seeking The Narrators help. She points at the bible she's carrying to show this is supposed to happen. This remindend me of the TV-adaptation that was made of JCS, where Jesus, carrying the cross, has fallen down and Judas shows him the bible for the exact same reason.

I had my first trip to the West End last week for some 20 - 25 years. What drew me back? A promise made to two other generations of my family that if a certain Lee Mead won the role I would book tickets for the show. So much anticipation and worry went into the logistics of getting us there that I was constantly keeping an eye on the time and our location. I breathed a hugh sigh of relief once we arrived at The Adelphi, and the casting board confirmed that Lee was performing, and we had a whole 20 minutes to find our seats, the ladies and buy each of the available programmes.

We had aisle seats 10 rows back (just luck as only ones available when booking at the price). Superb view, just missing the occasional line up of dancers when positioned directly left of the stage. However, the aisle seats have their advantages when the show nears its end!

I had worried (yet another one), that being a midweek matinee, there might not be the audience anticipation or participation that I'd read about. I need not have worried. As soon as Joseph made his all smiling entrance, you could feel (and hear) the warmth of appreciation from the audience. We were off on our afternoon of pure joy and entertainment. Lee has the voice and stage presence we were promised from ADWD and he has no problems fulfilling the loincloth requirements either.

He really makes the most of what the role offers and easily moves from young innocent but slightly annoying brother to Pharoah's Number 2. Of course, the performance of CED is one of those moments when you want to take everything in and hold that memory - the theatre is so hushed ( not always easy on a matinee).

The comic touches are extremely well done - but the incident with Mrs Potiphar seems over with all too quickly. (Or is it that Joan Collins had a slightly bigger part on the video!) Lee shows his comic timing and expression to perfection here (and the loincloth is still looking good).

The rest of the cast are so young, so energetic, so talented. Stephen Tate is entirely suited to Jacob and it was a surprise to realise the cast double up for many of the parts. Fiona Reyes was fine as Narrator, had a good voice and held the scenes together, especially well with the children. The brothers (and their wives) could give a show all on their own. Those Canaan Days and the Benjamin Calypso are performed so well.

Now Pharoah - as there were two generations of Elvis fans amongst us we were going to like this whatever. Dean is great. OK you might not make out all the words, but what the hec! This is Pharoah in Las Vegas - you don't necessarily expect to. He does the moves! He talks the talk. He walks the walk. He steals the show for that moment. The audience love it. The extra song - huge fun in our opinion. The fact that he is evidently having huge fun as well just adds to the atmosphere.

After all the energy and fun, the final scenes are quite poignant. Such a lot to fit in to quite a short show. Just when you think its all over - and your hands aren't able to clap anymore - its time to make the most of those aisle seats. Where do those dancers get their energy. The mega-mix had everyone up on their feet, and that was everyone, young and old at a matinee, (and you don't notice that Lee has disappeared to board his 'cherry picker'(?)). Then he's back, with that Lee smile and the whole place erupts even more. Continuous standing ovation - and so deserved by all. You cannot fail to come out feeling that the world is a better place.

Word of warning - 1) check your purse before offering to buy the ice-creams. You'll need plenty of cash.
2) Be kind to the foyer attendants - they can't help being saddled with the original cast recording or the fact the fluffy camels have all cleared off to Egypt!