Joseph and the Amazing Tech. Dreamcoat fans?

Question

Why do people enjoy Joseph so much? I was in the show and had a positive experience with it but I absolutely despise the music, to the horror of all my friends who know the show. Why do people like it? I know its personal preference but I still find the show plotless and the music indescisive. What's so great about it?

The reason I hate the music is because I feel it doesn't really have a direction. It's like Andrew Lloyd Webber was experimenting with different genres and just put all the music together. Also, besides from Close Every Door, I find the music repetitive and rather annoying.

Answer 1

Webber and Rice did write this mostly in school, and so there certainly isn't as much depth to the show as later works. Also, the show currently produced isn't the original show--they added songs later (most likely to beef it up to a standard minimum run time of about 90 minutes). Finally, all the songs are different styles--from Elvis to country to calypso. That said, if you don't look at it critically as a master work, then I think you can relax and find it very enjoyable. The songs are all catchy, with some clever lyrics and some winking at the source. True there isn't much of a story, but you can go to a concert and not have any story, but still have a great time, so I don't think a great story is required for a good evening's entertainment.

Personally, I think Webber would be more successful today if he had more of the breeziness Joseph and less of the pseudo-operatic of Woman in White. But only time will tell.

Answer 2

Hmm, I think it's appealing to children, and although the music isn't extremely deep, it is extremely singable. I think it was clever to do the Elvis spoof right in the middle, and I suspect other musicals have done the same thing more often since then. Just finished listening to the music from off-Broadway western spoof "Johnny Guitar," for example, where "Tell Me A Lie" does the same Elvis style idea. If you look at "Joseph" as a little bit of a musical spoof, it's a lot more fun.

Answer 3

You dispised the music? Why.

It's was part of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webbers Masters Thesis at college, if my memory serves me right.

I used to own the ORIGINAL album, the one they recorded at a school, with Lloyd Webber on Organ and some local rock band in London.

Answer 4

Personally, I don't think it's that bad, but it's an Andrew Llyod Webber musical and I think that's one of the reasons. Also the music has it's pluses and minuses to it.
But over all i don't think its the best musical in the world!

Answer 5

Phillip Schofield has played as Joseph (simply after Jason Donovan left). I actually have a indistinct recollection that darren Day has performed this function - possibly while it was once on excursion or whatever? Although I is also mistaken.

Answer 6

I've been involved in three productions of "Joseph" - and I don't particularly care for it. Though there is, of course, a thin plot to connect the songs, it's really not much more than a pastiche revue.

However, audiences seem to just love it.

Answer 7

Personally, I can't decide whether I simply despise musicals, or I absolutely hate musicals.... either way, you can't get me to go to one. The last musical I enjoyed was "Hair" when it was in its first year on Broadway... that was a while ago wasn't it?

Answer 8

I was in it too, I actually liked the music and liked it because there seemed to really be no point! It's not one of my favorites, but there is something fun about it.

Answer 9

It's about being destined for more than what you are. It's about having a gift, and using it. The music's fun.

Answer 10

i think it's ok, its kind of wierd, i didn' know andrew lloyd webber wrote it! wow that's interesting. thanks 4 the 2 points!