Craig Chalmers, who is close to signing off from a three-year stint in the loincloth and the other more substantial finery of Joseph, is delighting crowds at the New Theatre this week with his confident, charismatic portrait of the biblical hero. The young Scot was selected for the role by producer Bill Kenwright after his fifth placing in television’s Any Dream Will Do. The impresario’s confidence was clearly justified, for he has gone on to captivate audiences across the nation.

As one who has seen many fine singers in the role over 35 years, including Paul Jones, Richard Swerrun, Phillip Schofield and Stephen Gately, I judge him to be the match of any of them. Whatever comes next in his career, he is unlikely to disappear from view as other of Oxford’s Josephs (James Earl Adair and Graeme Smith, anyone?) have done.

After so many years on the road, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s show — their first stage success, fashioned from what began as a 20-minute school entertainment — still possesses a freshness and vitality that charms anyone who sees it. It tells one of the best-known of Bible stories with wit and intelligence. This production offers a feast for the eyes with well-choreographed dance routines — particularly those involving the hero’s 11 athletic brothers — and smashing costumes.

The songs, of course, are a hummable delight, each a glorious pastiche of a different musical style, and accompanied by a classy band composed largely of synthesisers and a 40-strong children’s chorus supplied by Stagecoach, Oxford. Making the same complaint, though, that I made about Joseph in 1981, sometimes they are a bit too loud.

Trina Hill is in fine voice in the long and difficult role of the Narrator. Lachlan Scheuber supplies a superb show-stopping impersonation of Elvis Presley in his role as Pharaoh. Henry Metcalfe gives a touching portrait of Joseph’s old dad Jacob. But all this is merely a backdrop for Craig’s starring role. Catch his performance while you can. Until Saturday. Box office: 0844 847 1585 and 1588.