Go, Go, Go, and see Joseph! Because this brand-new big budget production of the beloved theatrical classic is as vibrant and colourful as the infamous coat - and impossible not to fall in love with.

The newest version of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat wowed audiences at Birmingham Hippodrome last night, bringing down the house with a standing ovation for singer Alexandra Burke, 80s legend Jason Donovan, and rising star Jac Yarrow, amidst an all-star cast.

The beloved song Any Dream Will do, is of course featured, and performed in all its spine-tingling glory by Yarrow and a cast of children, but it’s easy to forget that this is just one of many amazing songs in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s best ever soundtrack.

Joseph is a dazzling journey of musical discovery through multiple genres of rock, pop, country, jazz and rockabilly. There are also steel pans, synths, and thrilling echoes of the heavy 70s guitar riffs that later made Jesus Chris Superstar such a blinding success.

Alexandra Burke is cast as the narrator and pulls off a breath-taking performance despite being heavily pregnant. Her voice is pitch-perfect, her comedic timing on point, and she is clearly loving her time in the show. I’ve seen her in many productions including Sister Act and The Bodyguard, but this is the best she’s ever been.

Jac Yarrow is a wonderful Joseph, oozing with charisma and boy-band good looks. Close Every Door, which ends the first half, allows him to show off his vocal range in a spellbinding scene, with the backing of an ensemble of children singing as they cling onto the bars.

After starring as Joseph a staggering 30-years-ago, Jason Donovan has traded his loincloth for the role of Pharaoh, flexing his stage chops in a physically and vocally demanding Elvis-esque performance amidst a Vegas style backdrop, which was one of the most visually pleasing parts of the night.

There’s no expense spared on the big budget sets, which flow seamlessly, and take us across the desert to opulent Egypt with high tech lighting and visuals, wonderfully detailed camel puppets, and golden Anubis-styled animatronic gods playing guitars.

The costumes are as extravagant and ostentatious as you would expect, abs the choreography, which features a tap routine, line-dancing and a riotous can-can is so high octane and dazzling that it’s difficult to take your eyes off the stage. 

Credit must also go to Will Hawksworth, who stuns as Simeon, one of Joseph’s 11 brothers. The whole group were fabulous, but his performance in Those Canaan Days left me buckled with laughter. It’s fair to say he stole the scene every time he appeared.

As ever, the production is fairly short, so there’s a few reprises throughout the night, but when it’s as much fun as this, no-one is complaining.

It’s ‘Joseph All the Time’ for me…

Five stars

Reviewed by Fiona McCartney at Birmingham Hippodrome on Wednesday 6 April. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues to show at the theatre until Saturday 16 April.