Dronfield Musical Theatre Company’s Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – 14 October 2026, Dronfield Civic Hall
Review by Nicola Bourne.
Wow! What a fun, though slightly bonkers evening Dronfield Musical Theatre Group gave its audience last night! The Civic Hall was abuzz with an upbeat energy that I haven’t experienced anywhere in a while and, due to the unique wackiness of this Andrew Lloyd Webber show, I don’t really expect to experience again, any time soon. Having previously seen the professional production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I must admit to enjoying it much more this time around. Knowing, in advance, just what kind of zany show I was letting myself in for, set me up to embrace the very madness, that I think caught me off guard the first time! The cast certainly understood the brief and it was a pleasure to see everyone on stage having such a good time performing; it certainly rubbed off on the audience!
Originally written as a short school concert by Lloyd Webber and lyricist, Tim Rice, Joseph needs little introduction. It’s been a mainstay of theatre and school productions since its first incarnation in 1968, and has wowed many an audience, as it did last night, with its vitality and playfulness offering a more surreal theatre experience than your usual sophisticated production might. Suitable for all age groups, it’s quite possibly the most family friendly show out there, because there’s little opportunity to get bored; the momentum is fast paced and the musical diversity is so entertaining.
For those who don’t already know this biblical story of Jacob and his twelve sons, it’s a tale of sibling jealousy and betrayal, albeit one that’s told in the most charming, light-hearted way possible. Joseph, the favourite son, is sold by his brothers into slavery, taken to Egypt and subsequently thrown into prison. His talent for interpreting dreams gets the attention of the Pharaoh, however, and his rise to power soon follows. His brothers cross his path years later, while seeking help during a period of famine, and Joseph ultimately chooses to forgive their crimes against him and reunites with his family.
It feels, from the off, that Dronfield Musical Theatre Group decided this was going to be a multicoloured, theatrical extravaganza! The live orchestra is always a nice touch, and they perform brilliantly, so hats off to Musical Director, Judith Haywood, for navigating some very diverse musical styles! As soon as the orchestra start playing, though, they are surrounded by multi coloured lights (technicoloured you could say), Egyptian hieroglyphs and there are multicoloured stools on the stage and dramatic lighting projected onto the walls of the auditorium. It quickly feels showy and glitzy and is a great start to the show.
Tommy Jones makes me laugh so much, playing the main character and I hope we’ll see him in some future productions. He is the epitome of the Joseph we have become accustomed to seeing (I’m picturing the long hair and loincloth here) but also has the stage presence and power in his voice, so necessary to carry this role. His dancing is joyful and uninhibited, often carried out with a cheeky look or laugh and clearly not taking himself too seriously! I could fully believe his superstar status, as he rides out on his “chariot of gold” or high fives the audience! His Close Every Door is a musical highlight, enhanced by some mystical, blue and green, misty light effects, that also serve to form his prison cell, a professional touch I haven’t really seen before. John Pashley and Oliver Thompson do a great job with lighting throughout the show, but in this scene especially.
Narrator, Ellie Ashmore, shines as a great all-rounder. Her voice is beautiful, even slightly operatic at times. She can act and dance and she has an obvious professionalism and stage presence. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on a larger stage someday.
Ed Hodd, as the Pharaoh, has one of the funniest roles, to be fair, but for fear of spoiling the surprise for future audiences, I’ll leave his alter ego unnamed for now! Ed uses his well-placed sash in a suggestive manner and excites his lady fans with his rock and roll performances. He plays it very tongue-in-cheek and is perfect for this part.
Charlie Betts puts in his best performance to date, in my opinion, as Reuben, singing a very entertaining, country style One More Angel, followed by a high energy hoedown, which goes down particularly well with the audience. This young actor gets better each time I see him, which is a testament to the value of community theatre.
Equally Emily Tubb’s Simeon and Aaron Sweet’s Judah stand out in their performances of Those Canaan Days and Benjamin Calypso, respectively. Not an easy song to sing, Emily captures the French blasé attitude so well and Aaron’s Calypso offering is delightful and upbeat and a bit of an earworm! Finley Jowle, as Potiphar, in his stripey suit and sunglasses, is well suited to his comedic role, giving rapper-like vibes in the final Joseph Megamix.
Speaking of the Megamix, at the end of the show, well, what a feel-good finale that is; an eclectic mix of styles and songs that leave you in a great mood, clapping along and carrying a few good tunes home with you! Director, Gavin Ward has staged a thoroughly enjoyable production. The “AMAZING” technicoloured dreamcoat is indeed AMAZING, and to see it fanned out in all its glory, is, forgive the repetition, AMAZING!!! Packed with so many other creative costumes too, this production features well-choreographed numbers, from Andrea Powell and Sarah Adey, and delivers humour by the ton, often by way of props and set design. It’s, without a doubt, my favourite production, so far, from this company and all that’s left to say is GO, GO, GO JOSEPH!!!
