It was one of the Regent Theatre's best-selling shows of the season. Today, after the curtain has fallen on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the pupils of St Mary's Primary School in Stonehouse Road, Hadleigh, review the production.

It was one of the Regent Theatre's best-selling shows of the season.

Today, after the curtain has fallen on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the pupils of St Mary's Primary School in Stonehouse Road, Hadleigh, review the production.

ONE of the most popular shows of the Spring Season, Joseph attracted sell out audiences.

And for youngsters at one Suffolk school it was a chance to gain some valuable acting notes.

Year six class teacher Sarah Dowling said the pupils will be performing the show themselves later in the year.

She said: “Having read the review of Joseph in The Evening Star, my class were eager to write their own opinions as they were taken, along with all the key stage two pupils of St Mary's, to see the show.

“It is lovely for children to have a real purpose behind their writing and I can safely say they were full to the brim with praise of the performance.

“For many of the children it was their first experience of live theatre.”

Here's what they thought of it…

The reviews

IT was very entertaining and exciting to watch, the characters were brilliant. Our seating was great too as we could see everything that happened on the stage.

All the songs were sung with lots of confidence and the acting was superb. My favourite characters were the narrator and Joseph. The show was fabulous, my favourite song was the “Pharaoh's rock song”, it was very entertaining. Especially when Joseph was trying to copy the Pharaoh, it was very funny.

In the summer our key stage are doing a production of Joseph. I play Reuben, and I am really looking forward to it.

I wish that you could get one of the main actors to come to our school and help us out. We have already started learning the songs, and working in blocks on our movements. I hope that our production is as good as the Regent production.

BEN SMITH

When the show started, I was amazed. The costumes were spectacular and the singing was really clear. I also thought the props were used really well in the show. After a few songs, I felt like I was really in the show and not watching it. The feeling was breathtaking. The sound effects and the on stage effects really helped to bring the story to life.

I really enjoyed watching the talking camel and sphinx! They brought a great bit of the humour into the show. Pharaoh was also a great part because he was a king but he was also Elvis Presley. When he sang, everyone in our class sang along. And I also liked it after his song when Joseph sang the song. That scene was one of my favourites!

My favourite part of the whole show was the final scene when Joseph and his father were reunited and then the big finale started and the songs were repeated. I loved it right at the end when Joseph's coat was pulled out into a multi-coloured rainbow!

SHANNON TAYLOR

I particularly enjoyed the part when the brothers were singing One More Angel in Heaven. And then one of them went to the side, put a scarf round his head and sung like a woman. I thought it was extremely funny. The humour the Regent production team added was very thoughtful and it was very humorous.

Many of my classmates who came with me to watch Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat thought it was very funny. My classmates and I stood up at the end and cheered and clapped. Overall it was a brilliant show and the best I've ever seen.

YASMIN TAMPION

RECENTLY, our school went to see the production of Joseph at the Regent Theatre. I thought it was mind blowing. The reason for our visit was because our school are doing a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in July.

My favourite actor was the pharaoh. I now have the song he sung going round and round in my head.

Keith did an amazing job as narrator and had an amazing loud voice that filled the theatre with joy. Chris Barton took the role as Joseph and was very funny in parts and really serious in parts. My favourite song was Benjamin's calypso and the pharaoh's song.

In our production I'm taking the role of Potiphar and am looking forward to performing to the parents.

JONATHAN BONE

I thought the production was brilliant. We went to see the production because we are doing a Joseph play in the summer.

I thought Chris Barton, who played Joseph was very active. Keith Jack who played the narrator had a very clear voice. I also liked Levi because he was very active and I am going to be him in the play. I was astonished at how confident they were. The music was brilliant too.

SAMUEL CAIRNS

The characters were amazing; the actors were the best I have seen in my whole life.

The songs were sung superbly with so much confidence. My favourite characters were Joseph and the Narrator. I would really like to see it again.

In the summer we are doing a production of Joseph. I'm the stage manager and I sort out the stage. I wish it were possible to have Joseph or the Narrator to help us and to watch our production when it is finished.

KIERAN KING

The performance was spectacular; the actors were full of energy and kept the audience interested for the whole production. The costumes were amazing, they were brightly coloured and different; I had never seen anything like it. My favourite costumes were the feathered dresses that the flappers wore they were scarlet red and shimmered. The songs were very catching and lively, we were singing them all the way home.

The whole musical was full of energy and laughter. I would love to see it over and over again because I enjoyed it so much. We were very lucky to see this vibrant performance. It was my first time seeing the show and I found it magnificent. My favourite character was the narrator played by Keith Jack. He had an amazing voice and was a great inspiration to all us young children. I was very impressed by the singing and the acting, they were all very talented.

GEORGIA HOWARD

I loved the show and wish I could watch it every day. The quality was brilliant and the costumes were fabulous. I would like to be in the show one day as it is so exciting and it looked like they were really enjoying themselves so it made it more fun to watch. It was never boring and it always caught your eye. The audience of all ages including high school children and pensioners were so alive and happy.

I especially enjoyed where everyone was clapping and on the slow songs I was waving my hands in the air. There were some great dancers and the voices were phenomenal. My favourite numbers were Benjamin's Calypso and Go, Go, Go Joseph, they were so lively.

I thought the parachute coat at the end was amazing. It was a very theatrical performance.

I enjoyed the performance very much and would definitely watch it again. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. It was an inspiring school trip and I am pleased I had the opportunity to watch the performance. I can't describe a word for it that is good enough.

JAZMIN PRINT

MY favourite part was when the Pharaoh starts singing. He was my favourite character. I loved all the songs. The scenery was amazing even though it was simple.

I really thought Chris Barton did a great job as Joseph. Keith Jack also did a really good job as the narrator. I think all the brothers were really funny.

The characters were really inspiring. The Pharaoh, the Narrator, the brothers, Potiphar and Jacob were all really inspiring.

The costumes were brilliant. They were so bright and colourful. They must have taken ages to make. If the costumes were not as good I wouldn't like it so much.

The sets were brilliant because they were so simple. As they were simple they were also very effective. I liked it because the palm trees swayed. I liked it when the sphinx came down and started talking.

LUKE McGHEE

The actors were excellent and Naphtali was excellent as well as Simeon and Reuben.

The acting was excellent and everyone enjoyed the song The Song of the King. Joseph was excellent in that song and made everyone laugh. Though Joseph wasn't Craig Chalmers, the understudy did an excellent job and I'm sure Craig would have too. The Pharaoh did an excellent impression of Elvis Presley.

The finale was good and I enjoyed clapping along to all the songs at the end and waving to all the slow songs. All the brothers did well in their songs and the beginning was very good and exactly like I thought it would be like.

They planned all the songs very well and the song based on France (Those Canaan Days) and the Mexican song (The Benjamin Calypso) were both very funny.

Overall it was excellent and I'd see it again and again and again. Basically I would watch it again! My favourite number was Go Go Go Joseph. For our school production we will be doing Joseph and I will be playing Naphtali.

JULIET FARLEY

We went to the 2.30pm show and everyone was buzzing with excitement as we waited outside the doors. I have never been to a theatre and neither have some other children.

My favourite song before I saw Joseph was Close Every Door to Me because I have seen it on DVD, but this is much more better but now I love all the songs. Everyone did an important part and I loved the Pharaoh song because at the end when everyone stopped singing Joseph carried on.

When Joseph was thinking what a dream means a thought bubble popped up and then when Joseph got it, it flipped over.

There were four very talented, dancing girls called “flappers” and they were brilliant, the way their bodies were really flexible.

The scenes were awesome with the lighting reflecting on them and little lights for the stars. When Joseph got to Egypt a big sphinx came down talking.

It was an amazing experience and I think everyone should go and watch it. It really helps and it was a brilliant show. So well done to all the cast.

FARZANA QUDDUS

When I first saw the costumes I was amazed, as they were so bright and colourful. The singing was really clear and the props superb. I, and the rest of my school, think it was a breathtaking show, with extremely good actors. The sound effects really brought the story to life.

I enjoyed the part when the camel and the sphinx were singing. I also think Pharaoh was extremely good when he sang, as was Joseph! Some of my favourite scenes were when Joseph was reunited with his father and brothers and when Pharaoh sang and Joseph carried on after, but I loved it when Joseph's coat came out like a rainbow in the finale!

Overall, I thought the show was a huge success as all the actors were very clear and we could hear them perfectly. The lighting was also very clever with the different colours in the background in the song Joseph's Coat, both in the finale and in the actual story. I would watch it again and again if I got the chance!

My favourite songs were Go, Go, Go Joseph and Jacob and Sons!

MEGAN DADE

Joseph is a very iconic and very popular musical and this is the best one I've ever seen.

I thought the end was the most colourful and professional, especially when the brothers pulled this huge multi-coloured cloth out and then everyone pulled out Joseph's tassels from the belt.

It was also very funny when the sphinx talked, everyone laughed. I enjoyed watching the ladies dancing and acting particularly Mrs Potiphar and the cheerleaders.

Joseph was very good at singing and acting and it was even better when they put comedy in it like the traditional One more time Pharaoh and when Joseph was thinking they put out “thinks…” and when Joseph thought of something it said “ah…”

My favourite songs were The Song of the King sung by Pharaoh and Any Dream will Do The Finale because all different coloured lighting came on and when it said “a crash of drums….a flash of light” the musicians crashed on the drums and the spotlights flashed, which I thought was really effective.

At the end, my school went wild, clapped, cheered, sang along, stood up and I screamed at the end. My friend Georgia said: “I don't' want it to stop”.

KAYLEIGH MOYE

IT was without a doubt the most amazing performance I have ever seen.

My favourite part was when Joseph was being an angel in There's One More Angel in Heaven. It was an amazing experience especially because St Mary's School is putting on the production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat in July. The narrator Keith Jack was especially good (he was my favourite actor in the performance).

It was really funny when the sphinx sung and don't forget the camel. There were four girls that had many, many fabulous costumes.

ELIZABETH UNDERHILL

IT was fantastic I loved all the songs and the choir was excellent.

My favourite song was Close Every Door because it was very emotional. Chris Barton put a lot of effort into all the songs and sang very clearly, I didn't have the best seat but I could see well enough.

The costumes had very bright colours, also some very short skirts especially the costumes in Benjamin Calypso with the bright colours and massive feathers. Pharaoh's costume was very white and looked quite tight. The Pharaoh was a great actor and singer and was perfect for the part.

The light was very good as the spotlight shone on Chris Barton when he sang, everyone was great at singing in this performance.

At our school we are going to do our own Joseph production and I am Asher (one of the brothers) all our key stage two teachers are working really hard, we are doing rehearsals every Thursday. Thank your for taking your time to read my letter.

LAURA BIRD

The special effects are amazing and the humour was knitted into the performance wonderfully. When the sphinx came down and spoke, my chair vibrated with the laughter of the audience members behind me!

The overall show was a great package, fun filled with splendid humour, great singing and a great array of accents ranging from Elvis impersonations to Mediterranean Benjamin's Calypso.

The costumes were phenomenal and the finale must have taken ages to arrange. The girls' dresses during Benjamin's Calypso were worthy of Broadway!

When we finally had to say goodbye to the actors and actresses after many good encores we were buzzing with the fantastic spirit of the show. The performance was alive with happiness and every audience member could feel the connection between them and the performers.

COLLETTE MOTTERAM

IT was so colourful and I thought the song Jacob and Sons was really complicated. My favourite song was Poor, Poor Joseph. It was my favourite song because it was sad with a hint of comedy.

I thought that the costumes they wore were amazing. I was dazzled when I saw Chris Barton (Joseph) and Keith Jack (narrator) who were both in the TV show Any Dream Will Do.

CAMERON ABDLY

MY favourite song was Joseph in Egypt because the way the pharaoh sang it - he sounded just like Elvis Presley.

At our school (St Mary's Hadleigh) we are going to do our own production in the summer. The Pharaoh is going to be played by Theo in our class.

I was amazed by Chris Barton (who played Joseph) because he sang like an angel and was a great actor and was good at the comedy parts. I think that Keith Jack was a great singer as well as Chris Barton. If it was up to me I would make Keith and Chris to do a duo at the end singing Jacob and Sons that would be brilliant hearing those two sing together on stage, I loved it.

THOMAS OLIVER LINGE

IT was the most amazing show I have ever seen so far.

The props were fantastic, the scenery both wacky and plausible, the actors and actresses did the facial expressions perfectly and I loved all the colours and shapes all through the performance.

It also had a twist of comedy in it; the talking camel and sphinx, the opera brother, the deep-voiced Mrs Potiphar …one of my favourite bits was when Pharaoh had finished his song and Joseph was singing still on his own and the famous One More Time.

The Pharaoh did a brilliant Elvis impression, we all enjoyed his song - it's an all-time favourite, especially the catchy tune - you couldn't get away from it on the way home in the bus, everyone was singing the song, though not with such a good Elvis impression!

I loved the special touch of the coat spread out like a peacock's tail. At the end I stood up and clapped like crazy. I shall remember the show

forever.

EMMA IRWIN