Aneesa Wardle
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Dalbert Pringle
You know - (Being a "non-believer") - I really, really (really) did try to keep an opened mind while watching "Dreamcoat". I really, really did. Really!But, the truth is - I should have known better than to have viewed this utterly self-righteous nonsense and actually expected to be entertained (even marginally) by it.Within less than10 minutes I was already bored-to-tears listening to the trite, tiresome, and easily-forgettable Tim Rice/Andrew Webber songs. I really was.Believe me - When it comes to the likes of religious-themed movie-musicals - "Dreamcoat" was (Indeed) just as insufferably annoying and pretentious as was "Jesus Christ Superstar". (Yet another certified dud)And, finally - Speaking about that "amazing" (?) Technicolour dreamcoat of Joseph's - (More than anything else) - It sure looked like the flaming frock of a dizzy drag queen to me.
Troll_Dahl
Boy, I wish we had assemblies like this when I was in school!I was introduced to Andrew Lloyd Webber and the wonderful lyricist Tim Rice through Jesus Christ Superstar. Joseph is somewhat of a cousin to that show but it is a different kettle of fish at the same time. It is clearly designed to be accessible to school children-- which is great. Kids are an audience worthy of being catered to and it's wonderful to see them becoming involved in the arts, as the DVD extras show us that English schools host their own productions. But Dreamcoat also holds much for adults who are willing to forgo pretensions in favor of fun. This is not classical theatre but it is enjoyable lightweight popular theatre, accessible to anyone with an appreciation for the wacky and zany. In short, it is entertaining. It is good music with a good message for kids--and Tim Rice's lyrics are witty as ever. Another thing this is not, however, is a religious show. Parents, note that this isn't to the Bible for kids. It's not a Christian (or Jewish) perspective; rather, it is universal. Joseph and friends are depicted no differently than if they were figures in Greek or Norse mythology; there is no special reverence nor special disdain, although the approach is light-hearted and fun-loving. It's another story. At one point, Maria Friedman, playing narrator, stumbles and drops her Bible, telegraphing that this is a non-traditionalist, possibly off-center treatment of scripture, one that absolutely requires a taste for the whimsical.I've sadly never seen the show on stage, which m I'd love to, but I do see how this rendition could disappoint one in search of the purely theatrical. However, one of two things I like is actually dependent on the filmic medium. The story is bookended as a play children are watching in school. When Joseph emerges, it becomes a blend of reality and fantasy. The lines are blurred and the action is effectively placed in a unique realm that, I find, engages the imagination. It's a bit of a throwback to the like of the 1973 film of Jesus Christ Superstar, which similarly bookends its main story as a performance of sorts. Except Dreamcoat is presented ideally for connecting with kids. At the same time, this presentation is strongly theatrical on other ways and I really appreciate getting a bit of the theatrical experience in the living room, as I do love theatre.The other thing I really like is the sheer variety. There's '50s-style rock 'n' roll with the classic Go, Go Joseph and Pharo's Dream, an outrageous Elvis imitation. There's a faux country/western ballad as Joe's bros deliciously pretend to mourn him. And there's a wonderful calypso that will get stuck in your head for days. Webber takes a pantheon of popular music styles that people love and weaves them together in storytelling. That's pop theatre. It seems typical of Webber and it's similar to the musical brilliance that makes Superstar a classic of fantastic appeal. Dreamcoat is cut from the same cloth, dyed in different hues.As to the cast, the all-star approach seems over the top but it's always nice seeing Richard Attenborough (Jacob). And I've never followed Osmond but I crest him for a good performance, making Joe warn and radiant. Watching him with the kids is a joy. The ending Coat of Many Colors sequence is marvelous, as we see the kids form a unified body of many colors on stage, and the bookending number, Any Dream Will Do, can stand as a classic entirely on its own (more so than Joseph's slower ballad while in prison). The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Judah, Pharo, the butler, and the baker. Friedman is amusing if over the top as narrator, a device that seems conceived to help kids understand the story. I recognized Englishman Ian McNiece as Potiphar, a delightful performance of a colorful characterization, not to be missed.In short, Dreamcoat lives up to its title: the characters are all colorful. The music is fun and the themes poignant. The story and music conjure and help to preserve a spirit of dreaming and daring to have and glorify dreams and hope, as well as a spirit of love and unity. Which is beautiful. This show could also serve as a fun way to introduce kids to musical theatre. The upbeat music, goofiness, and presence of kids in the story should help draw kids in. If I chose two words to describe Dreamcoat, they would be "color" and "dreams", two things children should not be short of. Everyone should sew a Dreamcoat.
johnstonjames
i've always felt that music was the best way to proselytize the Christian Bible. rather than seeming scary or intimidating(it sometimes is) music gives it a softer touch and gives it the feel of 'the good book' concept we are taught in Sunday school. you catch more flies with honey...or something like that.that's pretty much what this film is. Sunday school for children. adults can enjoy it's youthful exuberance too, but there is absolutely nothing racy or edgy about it in anyway.one reviewer here, who liked the show, thought the costumes were too revealing for young people. nice she liked the show but...ARE YOU CRAZY?!!! have you ever seen a Ballet? wake up!in Ballet theater the dancers wear tights and often what may seem revealing to anyone that has no culture. the outfits in 'Joseph' are not risqué in any way at all. anyone saying that has obviously never been to any real theater. the Bible does not say Christians should be poorly educated and repressed. i mean really, your lack of culture is showing with that one. this is wonderful wholesome entertainment and should be seen by families at Easter time. great film. GREAT COSTUMES.
Xander Seavy (RiffRaffMcKinley)
Ooh, I've got a brilliant idea: let's cast some of the worst performers ever to star in one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most (literally) god-awful shows of all time! Apparently, for some sick reason, it worked. Ian McNeice is the only worthy member of this terrible cast. And the songs are horrible. No, Joseph. We won't do what you say. And any dream will not do. Especially in a horribly cheesy show that features a chorus of creepy little children who harmonize against Donny Osmond's dreadful singing. A massively saccharine show that features an Elvis-impersonating Pharaoh and Joan Collins (I'm sorry, why?!) This is undoubtedly Webber's worst score after "Cats" and before "Phantom of the Opera," and with this staging, this untalented direction, and woefully overdone... everything... "Dreamcoat" makes you want to be strangled with that Coat of Many Colors. Victims of stoning have more fun than this.
