Joseph at the Palladium / U.K. Tour

Hahaha - well if he ever DIDN'T say that, you'd know he hated it lol. 

Well, well, well. I was very pleasantly surprised. I've never seen Sheridan Smith perform before, and - yes - some of the gurning and winking grated at first, until it dawned on me. Sheridan Smith made me feel like I was the only person in the audience. Her presence makes a big stage feel a lot smaller. Okay, a couple of tunes have been keyed, but what she lacks in vocal agility is made up for by her sheer energy and charisma. Jason Donovan was very funny as a rather languid and doleful Pharaoh, milking his one song as a one-trick pony for all its worth. And his unique approach to 'stone the crows" will make you smile. Biggest cheer of the night went to Jac Yarrow for a truly excellent "Close Every Door". Vocslly strong and perfect, he got a well-earned extended ovation.

Some folk on this thread might not like to hear this, but it's a sure-fire hit. Pacy, punchy, energetic, colourful. And the orchestra... what a joy. Fantastic orchestrations - totally modernised yet with some deft and clever musical styles layered in. So wonderful to see and hear proper brass in the pit - tuba, trombone etc.

This show will be well received and deservedly so. It kicks the Lee Mead effort out of the park (and I really liked that production). Smith playing narrator, Jacob and Potiphar's wife shouldn't work but it does. She is versatile and brilliant. The kids work brilliantly with the adults and overcome the one odd thing about Joseph for me: watching grown men behaving like kids used to jar a little for me. Bringing kids into the mix works really well. I'm trying to work out if Lawrence Connor is a genius or the king of tabloid truck theatre: possibly it's both. This show is bombastic, skin deep, not serious, and the audience absolutely LOVED it. And so will you, if you are fortunate enough to get to see it.

I hope there's a recording in the offing, because the musicians in the pit are something else.

Since someone asked, I wonder if there will be, yet another, Cast recording of Joseph. Of all ALW's efforts, Joseph and JCS seem to have the most. In recent years, he's seemed reluctant to do such (Cats is most notable, even the much loved JCS Open-Air production) I'm guessing it will be No No No Joseph since it's limited run and seems to be kind of a niche market (sorry, as a Yank, I've never heard of your national treasure Sheridan before and Jason Donovan it sounds like was a nostalgia casting to capitalize on the 91 revival crowds)

If anything, fingers crossed for a new Evita recording though. Elena Rogers had to attempts to preserve that beauty of a score and really fell flat both times

Ah. Fair enough.

There's nothing wrong with her in the right roles. The problem is it seems producers just think they can stick her in anything now.

I personally think she would fare better in the Sondheim canon - Mrs. Lovett and Desiree particularly come to mind, since the singing really wouldn't be too much of an issue (though I know some have struggled with Lovett's music in the past), and also her range as an actress could shine given the comedy and pathos of both roles. Also, the Lovett scenes would be a perfect fit with her dry humour style... To me she suits these 'musical plays' far better than bold musical comedies like Legally Blonde and Joseph.

She actually has done Sondheim.
She played little red riding hood in the Donmar production of Into The Woods a few years ago. One of her first professional roles. I remember coming away thinking how good she was and it wasnt until a few years later when she became well known that I realised that i had seen her.

I think she could suit ‘Tell Me On A Sunday’ if the Lord ever wants to drag that out again...and maybe Mdm Thenardier....Nancy...Character only; decreasingly rangey.

Of course. And there's no reason why she wouldn't accept roles she's offered, I'm just saying that there are roles that suit her and roles that maybe producers just think about her name for regardless of whether she's suited or not.

Without turning this into a thread about the talents of Sheridan Smith I have to say I believe she isnt a person who just takes any role. She is in big demand at the moment and gets offered a massive amount of stuff she turns down. If you look at her TV work she really seems to pick the roles that suit her best and pulls out a great performance.
Look at the Moorside recently and even cleaning up which was hugely popular. She also has a new drama about the grindr serial killer due later.
She seems to be a person who needs to be constantly working but not necessarily takes the first thing that comes along.
When you think of musicals Funny Girl was 2012 and Legally Blonde a few years before that. So it's not as if she is constantly on the stage.
I'm sure she chose Joseph because it's a fun show plus 11 weeks so doesn't tie her up for a long run. She will be in her element doing this as she can be as daft as she wants. And why not!
Anyway she had a massive family to support which cant be cheap. I mean 12 dogs!!!!!
Anyway that's my two pennith as my gran used to say so I'll shut up now 😀

I've never seen Sheridan perform before and was apprehensive, but I saw her last night and she was excellent. Brilliant, in fact. This production is on steroids - it's brilliant of you can suspend disbelief and leave your grumpy pants at the door. There is just one flaw: her costume is awful. The rest is oure joy and she deserves every pound she gets, cos she is earning it. Go, go, go!