SET: The set was two sets of bleachers that moved apart to make an entrance/exit at the rear of the stage. The backdrop being a technicolour brightly lit pyramid of colour. The use of the stage in this way made room for the large cast. The focus was therefore on lighting and costumes.
COSTUMES: Costumes were fantastic, brightly coloured and varied in style from traditional biblical to modern and all were vibrant, well fitting and suited to their characters. There must have been some very quick changes due to doubling up of characters and scene changes. The narrators were in black and this was a good contrast to the colourful characters within the story.
Joseph’s coat was indeed amazing and the 29 colours were displayed in full glory in one of the cleverly choreographed dance routines.
THE PRODUCTION: Although this was a relaxed performance with slightly reduced sound volume and some adaptations to the script and lighting, it did not diminish the energy, exuberance and enthusiasm of the cast who worked hard and kept the pace up throughout the show. There was an almost party atmosphere during this sumptuous and fun filled production. All the performances oozed with personality and a certain amount of light-hearted mischief, its almost impossible to single out any individual. However, Ian ‘Spud’ Smith as Pharoah deserves a special mention, particularly as he clearly relished the role and his Elvis number was simply joyful.
The music provided by the live musicians under the direction of Jonathan Eio was never less than perfect and this complemented the tuneful singing of the cast. The intricate choreography from Director, Louise Travis and co-choreographer Luannsa Goodman was first class, varied in style and executed with precision. This biblical story was told with lightness and humour but there were also serious, important themes running through as well, such as sibling rivalry and the perils of greed and pride.
Well done BATS on making this theatrical experience inclusive and therefore open to an audience who may have been enjoying live performance for the first time.
Chris Horton
District 14 Regional Representative
National Operatic and Dramatic Society (NODA)