THE Charter Theatre in Preston was cascaded in colour when hit musical Joseph came to town.

I didn't quite know what to expect but quickly realised I wasn't supposed to take it seriously.

The cast injected a fair dose of comedy into a very tongue-in-cheek performance. The 700-strong crowd were on their feet for the encores, singing and clapping to well-known songs.

Even though Joseph actor Richard Swerrun is not as famous as previous stars (Jason Donovan, Darren Day, Philip Schofield) he outshone his predecessors and belted out tunes, interacting well with the audience. Narrator Julie Maguire was also very impressive.

Leyland lad Gavin Ashbarry made his professional debut, playing Jo's brother Gad and a baker. Children from Preston-based Stagecoach theatre provided the perfect musical backing.

The lighting effects were superb and the costumes were awesome in this truly spectacular show. To give the musical its full title, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat takes after its name - amazing!

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