THE return of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat to Malvern Theatres this week should prove to be the perfect antidote to the current doom and gloom.

For long after the colours had faded into darkness, the audience were left lifted, invigorated and definitely wanting more.

Craig Chalmers, one of the Joseph wannabes on TV's Any Dream Will Do, takes on the eponymous role and is a great Joseph.

Antony Hansen, who was also in the final 10 Josephs in the hit BBC show, was a cheeky Pharoah, clearly relishing the chance to get into full Elvis mode and enjoying the reaction from the girls in the audience when he gave a hip wiggle here and there.

The whole cast, from Joseph's brothers to the choir of children who were on stage the whole time, were on top form - but the revelation of the evening was the performance of Tara Bethan as the narrator.

Tara was one of the final 10 in TV's I'd Do Anything and watching her perform last night, it is amazing to think that someone so talented didn't win the show.

Her voice was outstanding, her performance full of energy and she really shone.

This feelgood show is full of fabulous tunes, great dancing and lyrics which are guaranteed to raise a smile - and I defy anyone to go along and not come away feeling that life perhaps is not all that bad after all.

Joseph runs at Malvern Theatres until Sunday. To book tickets, call the box office on 01684 892277 or visit malvern-theatres.co.uk

Sarah Veall