“Strange as it seems, there’s been a lot of crazy dreams…” Tingles run down the spine as three female singers harmonise beautifully in a lovely moment from Joseph and the Amazing Techicolor Dreamcoat. The voices belong to Kirsty Kingham, Laura Newborough and Eronwy Selwyn, who play the three Narrators in BATS’ production.
Wait a minute - three? Wasn’t there just one in the original show?
“There aren’t that many female roles in Joseph,” says Laura, “so this casting choice gives more opportunities. Our director Louise Travis made us all sing together in the audition. We had to harmonise on the line “letting out a mighty roar!” and when she heard that she gave us all the part!”
Sharing the role doesn’t mean it’s one-third of the work for each of them though!
“We’re all on stage, all the time, interacting with the other characters and of course we’ve been working out new harmonies,” says Laura.
“Plus trying to remember which lines I DON’T sing,” adds Eronwy, “which is quite difficult when you’re used to singing along to the single narrator on the soundtrack recording!”
Kirsty’s bugbear has been learning the correct order of the 29 colours in the song about Joseph’s titular coat.
“Laura and I made up a story behind the colours and drew pictures so I could visualise it. It starts with the sun which is red and yellow - then comes down to earth, which is green and brown, and so on. It seems to be working!”
Kirsty Kingham
Laura Newborough
Eronwy Selwyn
How would each of the narrators describe the others?
“We’re definitely very different personalities!” says Eronwy.
“Eronwy is the powerhouse belter!” offers Laura. “Kirsty is more of a drama queen who can’t help hogging centre stage!”
“Except when it’s a dance number when I make sure Eronwy’s in the middle!” laughs Kirsty. “And for me, Laura is the Hermione Grainger of the narrators, trying to keep me in check! I’m in awe of them both!”
Being in Joseph is a “crazy dream” for all three performers.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to says “I love Joseph” because it reminds them of their childhood,” says Laura. “A lot of them saw Jason Donovan, or Donny Osmond in the film, or more recently Lee Mead or Jac Yarrow.”
“It’s the first show I was taken to see when I was six months old - it was my sister’s school production,” says Eronwy. “And I have very fond memories of seeing it with my Dad - I remember him dancing in the aisles during the Joseph Megamix!”
“It’s just so colourful! The music is really catchy, in lots of different styles, it’s funny, it’s loved by all generations and certainly for me, it’s a show that brings families together.”
See Kirsty, Laura and Eronwy in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Haymarket, Basingstoke from 14-19 November 2023. Book tickets online.