Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Donny Osmond)

(Amazon UK link)

I liked the songs from the 1970s musical 'Joseph', which I saw live once or twice when schools performed it. But had never thought that a TV or movie version would really be worth seeing - after all, it's just a group of people on stage. Right?

No. Not in this version, anyway. My son bought it, having seen it somewhere else, and insisted that we watch it. Expecting to be bored, even though Donny Osmond was one of the heartthrobs of my youth, I was absolutely riveted.

The musical has been done as a surreal stage production, involving a school with its Headmistress - played brilliantly by Maria Friedman - singing the narration of the story.

Donny Osmond is wonderful as Joseph, the rather obnoxious favourite son of Jacob in the Bible, who ends up in prison, rising quickly to great heights in Ancient Egypt.

Despite having seen it a couple of years ago, I was happy to watch it again last night with relatives who thought it sounded interesting - and who also enjoyed it very much. There are some excellent routines; it's a very clever idea that works extremely well.

This is one of the few musicals I could watch repeatedly.

(Note: I did then watch and review' Joseph' again, four years later)

Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews