I have a bone to pick with the cast of Hessle Theatre Company. Please have more consideration for the afflicted when you perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as you did at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening.
I was the afflicted in question. You see, I had a huge cold sore on the corner of my mouth, meaning every time you made me laugh – which was often – the pesky sore cracked painfully.
Luckily for you, the pain was worth it, so you’re all forgiven.
This local company continuously dishes out productions that wouldn’t look out of place on a West End stage and the venue was very well-attended on Tuesday.
“Joseph” as it’s popularly known, was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), in 1967 and is still a favourite with theatregoers.
As the curtain rose on Hessle Theatre Company’s production, Elinor Kirby, in a sparkly, black cat suit, acted as Narrator, sharing the stage with 30 youngsters (I counted) – budding talents who sang and danced like little troupers. Altogether, 60 local youngsters are involved in the production, divided into two teams for the run.
Kirby, has the voice of an angel and, boy, can she belt out a song. She does a quite nifty dance routine, too.
The youngsters then accompanied the star of the show, dreamer Joseph (Ben Bailey) in the well-known song, Any Dream Will Do. Bailey’s strong, tuneful voice certainly did justice to the old favourite, and along with the children’s sweet vocals, it was an early highlight.
Joseph has 11 brothers, but is their father, Jacob’s, favourite, much to his siblings’ chagrin.
And when Jacob (Kevin Hickson) presents Joseph with a beautiful coat of many colours (one he relishes taking selfies of himself in), the scene is set for an appalling act of spite by the jealous brothers.
Actually, the 11 were colourfully dressed themselves, with costumes of voluminous trousers, shirts, waistcoats, scarves and headgear.
Joseph being thrown into a pit by his brothers (after they ripped his coat to pieces) was the cause of my aforementioned cold sore first cracking. Bailey’s tussle with a pit viper had us in stitches.
However, my real guffaws started after the brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, telling his father he had died.
I am naming and shaming the culprits of my further pain – brothers, Reuben (Mark Jardine), Simeon (Russell Fallon), Levi (Adam Maltby-Hitch), Judah (Joe Spence), Dan (Adam Atkinson), Naphtali (Chris Barques), Gad (Benedict Prosser), Asher (Josh Murraybutler), Issacher (Christopher Corbett), Zebulun (Alfi Gözaçan) and Benjamin (Joseph Walker) – who joined in Naphtali’s very funny, cowboy-like rendition of One More Angel In Heaven. It was hysterical.
More laughter (for the audience) and pain (for me) ensued during their celebratory hoedown for getting rid of their brother.
Meanwhile, poor Joseph, having been dragged behind a camel for his journey to a slave’s life in Egypt, is bought by tycoon Potiphar (a dual role for Maltby-Hitch), but, caught in a compromising position with the glam Mrs Potiphar (Sarah Brodie), he is thrown into prison.
Joseph’s dreams bring him into the service of the Pharaoh (Christian Brodie) whose very amusing Elvis-inspired performance was another highlight of a show brimming with them.
Meanwhile, the brothers’ crops had failed and Levi and his siblings’ rendition of Those Canaan Days, telling of their starvation, had us giggling again – would our chuckle muscles ever get a rest!
In short, they travel to Egypt in search of food, beg alms from a rich man who turns out to be Joseph – he’d done good, impressing the Pharoah with his dreams.
Still angry at his brothers, Joseph dishes out a spiteful prank of his own, before all is forgiven and the family, including dad, reunite.
Hessle Theatre Company has pulled out all the stops for this production. I discovered during my lovely interval chat with the company’s chairman, John Drury, that they had invested in the amazing LED lights at the sides of the stage, plus the large video backdrop. As with all the best productions nowadays, such a backdrop plays a huge part in the telling of the on-stage story, and Tuesday evening was no different. The video action never stopped, thanks to the company’s general secretary, and show’s director, Martin Beaumont, who, as revealed in my chat with John, laboured for hours to bring the animation to the production.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat features glorious costumes of every colour and texture, with equally glorious dancers, singers and stage setting.
The well-known songs were accompanied by fantastic music, played by local musicians led by musical director Rebecca Barques.
Every single person involved with this production deserves credit, but Kirby’s role as the Narrator and Bailey’s Joseph were impressive stand-outs.
It was a night of first-class theatre, truly deserving of the standing ovation from a very happy audience.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs until Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Hull New Theatre with tickets available from (01482) 300306 and www.hulltheatres.co.uk
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 10th March 2026
North West End UK Rating:
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