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Joseph and the Amazing Musical
 Former BBC Radio Norfolk presenter and theatre reviewer Tony Mallion gives a thumbs up to the Dusmagrik Young People’s Theatre company annual musical at Gorleston Pavilion
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat was written almost 50 years ago for a school concert in West London. So who better to serve it up fresh and bursting with energy than the Gorleston based Dusmagrik Young People’s Theatre Company? Composers Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber would have been proud to see how the group brought their timeless hit musical to the Pavilion stage
Dusmagrik directors Mary Carter and Janice Harvey managed once again to bring out the best from this large cast of youngsters. As a sung-through show with no dialogue it relied heavily on the musical ability of the entire cast including a delightful on-stage 13 piece choir (the youngest of whom was just seven years old). Musical director John Stephens deserves much credit for what was achieved both on stage and in the orchestra pit, filled with the cream of local musicians. Months of hard work had clearly paid off. Three cheers to the three directors
The set was simple but effective, the costumes excellent and the Pavilion tech team of Tom Darnell on lighting and Elliott Scott-Greenard on sound did so much to add professional polish to this lively couple of hours
Dusmagrik last staged Joseph a decade ago when Jamie Harrison was a small junior member of the cast. Ten years on having risen through the ranks he embraced the starring role of the title character with a winning smile and a powerful West End belter of a voice. What a performer. The part of the narrator is also vital and here we were in the good hands and vocal chords of Emily Wymer. Masin Sparrow proved that Elvis was definitely in the building with his confident appearance as King Pharaoh (doubling up to play Jacob too); Blake Carter was memorable as both brother Judah and the Egyptian official Potiphar while Keanan Earle provided a highlight with his cameo role as Reuben with a convincing French accent in the number Those Canaan Days. And anyone confused so far that the Bible story of Joseph could include an Elvis impersonator and a French onion seller on his bike be assured - it works!
The opening night’s full house delivered a well-deserved roar of approval which was no doubt repeated for the rest of the short run. Dusmagrik did it again, sending us out on a drab November night happy and probably humming the familiar tunes in our heads for days after
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