IF there was a formula for beating the Brexit blues then CODYS have found it.

Warrington’s youth musical theatre group’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was pure feelgood joy. I wish I’d bottled the positive energy emanating from Runcorn’s Brindley Theatre and sent it to Theresa May.

CODYS director Nick Cupit and his creative team are incredible motivators of young people.

In my opinion they achieved a new high-water mark with Joseph. That’s saying something after triumphs like Barnum, Cats! and Les Mis. It helps that Joseph is a timeless crowd-pleaser. There’s not a duff song, nor a lull in the action. CODYS loved performing every minute of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s score. Their enthusiasm could have powered the national grid.

Joseph saw exciting new talent come to the fore. Chief among them is Ollie White, who was outstanding as Joseph. He is a promising leading man, blessed with a great singing voice. Colby Fisher also impressed as Naphtali with a memorable performance of the Benjamin Calypso.

Credit to Ewan Schooler as the hip-gyrating Elvis-parody Pharoah. Another standout was Emily Walker who was hilarious trying to seduce Joseph as Mrs Potiphar.

I will be sad to see Clayton Roberts leave the group after this show, but his leading of Those Canaan Days was a brilliant swan song. Nick assigned narrator duties to 12 of the cast (six narrators per show on alternating nights, a stroke of genius) rather than the traditional solo performer. This proved a brilliant way to showcase as much talent as possible. Likewise, the youngsters who played Joseph’s brothers were exceptional. As is always the case with reviewing CODYS, there are too many names to list here, but all of you take a bow.

Any producers needing a hit, here is the CODYS formula: evergreen crowd-pleasing show + amazing, energetic performance = box-office gold.

Next up for CODYS: Bugsy Malone in September.

JEREMY CRADDOCK