Students bring a bit of colour to Pavilion with Joseph musical (From Dorset Echo)

Students bring a bit of colour to Pavilion with Joseph musical

11:00am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Stage By Ruth Meech

“DON’T stand on that camel!” bellowed drama teacher Margot Stanley as she mustered her students into place to rehearse a key scene for their latest production.

Around 50 youngsters from Wey Valley School near Weymouth are busily preparing to stage Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at Weymouth Pavilion next week and Margot is directing and producing the show, alongside Ed Hintze, who is in charge of the music.

The lavish adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical also stars a number of children from Radipole and Bincombe Valley first schools.

The show is an all-singing, all-dancing version of the Biblical tale of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and went on to become one of the most important men in Egypt, giving him the power to save his family when they were laid low by famine.

Featuring the hugely popular hits Any Dream will Do, Close every Door, One More Angel in Heaven and the spectacular finale Give me my Coloured Coat.

The title role has gone to Year 11 student Adrian Bevan, who is also a member of Weymouth’s WOW Youth Musical Theatre, while the role of the narrator has been divided between three pupils – Masie Markwell, Abigail Brewster and Laura Allbutt.

Steven Hingley is Joseph’s father Jacob, with Jack Vaughan and Jordan Wright as pharaoh and Potiphar respectively.

Phoebe Murphy is Potiphar’s wife and there is also a large cast of brothers, brothers’ wives, Pharaoh’s wives – the Phaerettes – and all-round performers, plus a backstage crew and set designers including George Meyrick, Jim McAvoy, Ashley Rees and Dan Gale.

Margot said: “It is a great show and the kids have really galvanised themselves and worked their socks off to get it ready.

“They have had to fit the show in around exams and lessons and are even prepared to come in all day on Saturday to get it right and that’s the icing on the cake.”

This production is a poignant one for Margot as it is the last one she will direct at Wey Valley.

She has been directing lavish school shows since she started teaching at Westham School – her first one was, ironically, Joseph in 1980.

“It was the first show I did, in my second year of teaching,” she remembered.

“So when we chose this one and I knew it would be my last, it felt good because it’s like I have come full circle so this is a good time to step down.

“I can’t say which show has been my favourite because they have all been lovely in their own way.”

Adrian Bevan, who plays Joseph, says he is looking forward to the end of rehearsals so he can get on the Pavilion stage and do the performances.

“It will be a bit daunting, but I can’t wait,” he said.

“This is my fourth Wey Valley show and I had to audition for the part, but it is my last one here so it’s nice to have a big part.”

When he leaves the school Adrian is planning to take exams in maths, further maths and physics and says he has no plans to make music his career.

“I like it too much so I want to keep it as a hobby I can enjoy in my spare time,” he explained.

The three narrators are also looking forward to getting on stage and performing, especially as they are hoping for careers in showbiz.

Abigail Brewster said: “The role has been split into three so it is not so hard and the 15 or 16 songs have been chosen to suit the style of our voices.”

They idolise the likes of Beyonce and Michael Jackson, to name just two, and hope that one day this Joseph will be a stepping stone onto greater things.

• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is at Weymouth Pavilion from Wednesday to Friday, February 8 to 20 at 7.30pm.

Call 01305 783225 for tickets and for full details.