JOSEPH & THE AMAZING
TECHNICOLOR^™ DREAMCOAT

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Book and Lyrics by Tim Rice

Young Vic Theatre 16 October 1972 (16 perfs) transferred to the Albery Theatre (243 perfs)

STORY:

In the biblical land of Caanan, Joseph is the favourite son of Jacob. As such, he encounters the jealousy of his brothers who object to his dreams in which he is the hero and the brothers have to pay homage to him. They arrange to have him killed and to prove his death, show their father the multicoloured coat smeared with blood. In fact, Joseph has been sold in slavery to the household of Potiphar who has him thrown in jail as he objects to the attraction between his wife and Joseph. Joseph's ability to interpret dreams is relayed to Pharaoh who has started to have a series of dreams. Joseph foresees seven years of full harvests and this to be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph is put in charge of preparing for the years of famine and, just as prophesied, the dreams came true.

Back in Caanan, the famine affected Joseph's family too. The brothers travel to Egypt to find work. They go to Joseph who recognises them but they don't recognise him. They bow down before him (just as foretold in an earlier dream). Joseph has a score to settle though and after giving his brothers grain, he hides a goblet in Benjamin's sack. Benjamin is accused of theft. The brothers plead for Benjamin's release from custody and Joseph relents and then reveals himself as their brother. The ending is a happy one.

Songs:

Any Dream Will Do
Benjamin Calypso
Brothers Come To Egypt
Close Every Door
Go, Go, Go
Grovel, Grovel
Jacob and Sons
Joseph's Dream
May I Return To the Beginning
One More Angel In Heaven
Pharaoh's Dream
Pharaoh's Story
Poor, Poor Joseph
Potiphar
Song of the King
Stone the Crows
Those Caanan Days
Who's The Thief?