Last night we were treated to a stellar performance of Jesus Christ Superstar (the official UK tour) at the New Theatre on George Street.
The dramatic, moving, orchestral overture launched us straight into the last days before the crucifixion of the mysterious healer and reconciler from Nazareth. The scene was set by Tim Rogers’ angst-ridden Judas: has Jesus not gone too far, risked too much? He is about to enter Jerusalem where the High Priests, the Roman occupying forces, and the court of King Herod are all struggling for control.
Meanwhile, others are tearing at the lonely Messiah as well. To his disciple Simon Zealotes, he is the revolutionary hero who will topple the Romans, whereas to the priests he is the scapegoat who they must use to avoid the very same thing. To Mary Magdalene and Peter, he is the gentle friend with whom they’d rather ‘Start Again Please’, as one of Webber and Rice’s iconic songs has it.
If you go expecting a Sunday School rendition of the well-known story, then you may end up disappointed. All the familiar elements of the story are there, but with an unfamiliar slant. If, however, you expect a cheap jibe at traditional religion, you may be equally dissatisfied.
When Jesus Christ Superstar first hit the stage over four decades ago, many Christians found it distasteful and disrespectful. But as culture has moved on since then and awareness of the Biblical story has generally decreased, the show might actually appear refreshingly true to the original, especially in the second act. The first act develops the motives of the secondary characters in a way that helps put together the pieces and lends plausibility to the dramatic climax as Jesus is abandoned by all.
At the centre of all this action is the music, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1970. The style was really ahead of its time, and paved the way into the distinctive, monumental hard rock style of the 1970s. The two leading actors, Glenn Carter as Jesus and Tim Rogers as Judas, both gave it their all, powerfully belting out the rock ballads that framed their increasingly turbulent friendship.
These were interspersed with Mary Magdalene’s calming, lilting ‘Everything’s Alright’, beautifully sung by Rachel Adedeji of X-factor fame. The supporting cast also gave some excellent performances – in particular, the High Priests Caiaphas and Annas, played by Neil Moors and Alistair Lee, were favourites of ours.
The lyrics by Tim Rice, told the whole story, leaving spoken dialogue completely unnecessary. From the tongue-in-cheek 'Last Supper' to the by-the-book 'This Jesus Must Die', the lyrics were at times funny, irreverent, but also moving.
The set was austere and imposing, but the use of evocative props allowed for easy but effective transformations. The costumes were similarly unassuming – the plastic SPQR-emblazoned shields and helmets of the Roman guards were particularly excellent.
The enthusiastic audience showed that Webber and Rice are still more than capable of selling out a theatre. Once again, the New Theatre hosted a superstar of a show.