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BrumHour saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the invite of Birmingham Hippodrome.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Christina Bianco spoke about playing the Narrator in this UK Tour. Listen below:
By Dave Massey x.com/BrumHour
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Birmingham Hippodrome: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”An energetic spectacle”
Directed by Laurence Connor, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice
The updated production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has landed in Birmingham for two weeks as part of its UK Tour which began in Edinburgh in December 2024. It features Christina Bianco as the Narrator and Adam Filipe as Joseph; plus until 1st June in Birmingham only, Mr Matt Slack as Pharoah.
I’ve probably seen Joseph five or six times before so it was refreshing to see updated elements of this musical, Christina Bianco is a storyteller with a group of young people at a campfire, telling them stories which come to life over the course of two hours. She then plays a range of characters throughout the story, whilst the young people themselves also become characters in the story. It is delightful to see and for any kids in the audience, it lets them know that one day, they could be in the theatre too.
There are only a handful of spoken lines throughout, so pay attention to the lyrics, which drive the fase-paced story.
Adam Filipe is great as Joseph, with his sweeping Doctor Who-style energy, and at times his passionate vocals are almost heart-breaking, Christina Bianco is a fireball of energy and her friendly American tones remind us that this is a story and she is the storyteller. Matt Slack’s post-interval turn is excellent and full of charming nods to the audience. The rest of the company match this energy with ease and even with the school-age parts of the cast, everyone feels like one big extended family.
The sets are mainly intended to be outdoor landscapes with large sheets in contrast to the glitz and gold of Egypt. And the costumes reflect this. The music moves through a broad range of styles, Edith Piaf to Country with some Elvis thrown in moving the narrative forward.
An energetic spectacle Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is at Birmingham Hippodrome until 1st June 2025. Book tickets here: birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/joseph-and-the-amazing-technicolor-dreamcoat-two.
