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Having
been to Sing-a-long-a Sound of Music (hasn't everyone) and witnessed
a whole auditorium filled with Nazis, curtain-clad would-be children
and lonely goat herds, I must admit I was looking forward to my
night out and taking some great photos of dressed-to-thrill theatre
goers.
I pictured
a few scantily-clad bronzed and muscular Josephs a la Donny Osmond,
a host of quiffed Elvis Pharaohs and no doubt a mass of people wearing
beach towels and tea towels as a cheap and cheerful "brother"
costume.
But
the good people of St Albans had clearly not got the same idea -
and there was a marked deficit in dressing-up.
At
these sort of thing-a-long-a events there are lots of prizes on
offer for the best costume - but the poor compere struggled to give
them away.
A crash
of drums, a flash of light - and we were told what to do and when
- with props in our special goodie bags including a ribbon (mine
was yellow) to hold up at the appropriate colour in the song Coat
of Many Colours lines "it was red and yellow and etc etc".
We
also had a glowing light to shed some illumination when Joseph was
imprisoned and a Pharaoh's hat for the second half. There was also
a popper for the moment Joseph was reconciled with his brothers
- although this moment seemed to vary between one audience member
and another.
The
bag was a little disappointing compared with the Sound of Music
goodies - and the light stick went out the same evening.
But
as the film started and the music played, the auditorium became
alive and - despite their lack of costumes - the crowd got singing,
clapping and dancing.
For
anyone who hasn't seen the film, it's got an almost tongue-in-cheek
feel to it, with Donny hamming up the Joseph part, the Brothers
going over the top with their nastiness - and a strong narrator
who kept the action moving from the school where the action starts
to the lands of Egypt and Joseph's homeland, Canaan.
There's
plenty of colour, dancing - and Donny Osmond looks quite fit in
a loin cloth.
There
was a matinee performance of this show the same day - and I think
the film would have gone down a storm with a younger audience.
As
it was, the film was quite transfixing, you could sing and shout
to your heart's content - and join in with the dancing when you
wanted.
Sing-a-long-a
Joseph was a good night out - but if you're thinking of going then
personally I think a little bit of dressing up and imagination would
make for a better evening.
See
our Sing-a-long-a
Joseph photo
gallery >>
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