By Leanne Kirtley: It’s been over ten years since my primary school trip to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, so it felt about time that I reacquainted myself with this much loved musical.

This incarnation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s second ever musical has found ticket sales considerably boosted by the popularity of the BBC talent contest ‘Any Dream Will Do’.

Unfortunately, the inclusion of Craig Chalmers as the lead, who came fifth in the BBC talent show, was not enough to drive the residents of Stoke-on-Trent to The Regent Theatre, Hanley.  There were quite a number of seats left empty, but this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of those in attendance: put simply, it was dazzling.

My memory of the musical had definitely faded since my last experience, but I was surprised by just how many words of songs I could recall; no doubt due to the many sing-alongs on the school bus home.

What I had forgotten was just how witty and creative the production actually is. What is essentially a bible story never comes across as preachy or overly sentimental. To prevent the subject matter from feeling dry the songs range from classical music numbers to other genres as far reaching as reggae, disco and even western, complete with dance routines that raised a smile all round.

Other productions I have seen at The Regent have felt restricted by the limited production space, but I was relieved to find that Joseph and its cast adapted the show admirably to the small stage.

Joseph’s charm has always lay in the musical’s ability to appeal to an audience of any generation – and they certainly ranged in age at The Regent. From tiny children in homemade dreamcoats (cue a tiny twinge of jealousy), to those who could probably remember the musical when it first rose to fame in 1968.

And there was no question over how much the audience were enjoying the show.  It took no encouragement from the cast to get everyone up and dancing down the aisles for the finale ‘Joseph Megamix’. I may not have been one of them, but it was a close thing.

Andrew Lloyd Webber may have turned his attention to his new production of The Wizard of Oz, and with it a new talent search reality show, but it is good to see his past productions still recieving the attention they deserve. So, go, go, go see Joe!

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat can be seen at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, between Monday, April 26, and Saturday, May 1.

Performance times and ticket prices vary. Call 0844 871 7619 for information.