Colourful and multi-faceted
Neidra Williams
After nearly a year of training, an ensemble of St Peter’s College Past and Present pupils, along with a few invited guests, will kick off 2017, with an entertaining performance of the msuical ‘Joseph and the amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.’
The music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and the lyrics by Tim Rice, will be staged at the Lionel Wendt starting January 25 -29, 2017.
Directed by Jehan Bastians, Neidra Williams and Charith De Silva, the musical narrates the story of ‘Joseph,’ a renowned figure in the Bible’s old testament. The viewers are taken through a 90 minute long set, packed with a lot of fun, while yet effectively relating Joseph’s tale both in Canaan and Egypt.
During the week, we caught up with the directors. Since 1999, the duo Neidra and Jehan have always been involved in preparing the school’s drama team for competitions. Their dedication paid off at last year’s Shakespeare Drama competition, where the school emerged victorious.
Aside from competitions, they have also been involved in putting together a mega production through the school, once in every three years. In 2010, it was ‘A Christmas Carol’, by Charles Dickens and in 2013 it was ‘A Christmas Wish’, written and directed by Neidra and Jehan.
“Three years had gone by and we wanted to do something challenging again,” Neidra says adding that the musical was obviously meant for a school production. “It was with children in mind that it was written. In that sense, it’s a given.”
The musical includes many boy’s roles and being an all-boys school, this set in perfectly. It, however includes a female choir and for this, the cast includes a female guest chorale.
Betrayed by his brothers, who were jealous of him, Joseph was sold off as a slave in Egypt. As the bible says, he was looked after by God and was soon appointed as the Governor of all Egypt, by the Pharaoh. Note though, with a few tweaks to the direction of the musical, the cast promises an interesting take on the original musical. The license of the show does not permit them to make any changes to the music and that has remained the same, and rightfully so, Jehan shares. “The music is infectious so that helps.”
The music spans across many genres, encompassing the kind of fun that is family friendly.
Jehan Bastians
“ In that sense, it’s a beautiful light-hearted musical,” Neidra expresses. It is also pantomime, that everything is done according to how a child would see it. It’s literally a child’s fantasy world and there is nothing dark and sinister about it, in comparison to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s previous production, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” “We’ve got people dressed up as trees and camels, its colourful and multi-faceted,” she adds.
Promising 90 mins of fun and fast paced action, and fast set changes. Rightfully so the production team has tried to design the set in a way where they don’t need to stop. “The scenes move on from one to another and we’re done with it,” Jehan tells us.
Managing a cast of 80 is no easy task, and the involvement of many kids who have never been up on stage before, doesn’t make things any better. The different set of skills and backgrounds make things tougher. However, Jehan and Neidra both share that, the involvement of the Peterite old boys has definitely had a “rub off effect” on the kids.
They tell us, the experience shared during the production will remain something for the children to aspire to. It also helps that both Jehan and Neidra have taught almost all the Peterite cast members. In fact, director Charith, has also been one of their students.
The choral direction of the musical is managed by Peshali Yapa, who, herself, took part in the play back in the Ladies College Production in the 90s.She was also the choral director for Asian International School (AIS), who tended an amazing rendition of the musical in 2007.
“She knows the play inside out and so the music will be well represented” Neidra adds.
Overall ‘Joseph and the amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ promises an experience that is out and out lark. It is one of the fewer musicals that tend to be light-hearted and ensures a fun filled evening for the family.
Charith De Silva
Peshali Yapa
Pix by IndikaHanduwala