By Marie Straub
Of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, I would have to say that despite containing two of my favourite songs –
Jesus Christ Superstar and
I Don’t Know How To Love Him –
Jesus Christ Superstar is probably one of my least favourite, musically speaking. Yes, saying this reveals my deep love not just of musicals, but of Andrew Lloyd Webber in general, which is (I know) horribly populist, cheesy and (God forbid) mainstream of me. I’m not sure if I should reference God in this review, but I guess it’s too late now. Although the soundtrack doesn’t have me jumping up and down, this musical does offer a lot in terms of story-telling. The more conservatively religious will no doubt grumble about a Jesus with tattoos and other of the interpretations, but they would do well to remember that this is a play that offers Jesus’ story through the eyes of Judas. On the whole, I would argue, Webber and lyricist, Tim Rice, offer a really good take on both the characters and the story. Griffin and his South African cast have, in turn, given this version of the story their own flavour. Here’s what I loved, and what I didn’t.
Welcome to a post-apocalyptic Jerusalem, where army guys will drop in SWAT-like from helicopters to take on rioters who are all abuzz with Jesus (played by Cito, of Wonderboom fame). From Judas’ (Jonathan Roxmouth) perspective, this mob are blind with too much
Heaven On Their Minds and he worries that the man (Jesus) has become more important than the message. Judas, it seems, is all about the cause, and with the people all wanting their piece of Christ, who is there to look after Jesus’ needs? Enter Mary Magdalene (got to love how there’s always a prostitute around when you need one). It’s what should have been a small, but powerful role. Unfortunately, it’s the one place where casting truly fails them.
Nádine may well be a seasoned South African pop sensation, but an actress she is not. You’ll spend a considerable amount of time watching the back of her head, even mid-song, which was either a directorial choice to hide her lack of acting ability or just a straight-up lack of basic technique. She sings beautifully, but without an inkling of the gravitas this character requires. In fact character is not even on the table – at best she’s a pretty face singing a pretty song, and, if anything, has much more of a Virgin Mary quality than a Mary Magdalene one, and all the see-through costume choices in the world are not going to change that. This is problematic and made all the more stark when she is placed alongside Cito, who plays an excellent Christ – not just in terms of his vocal range, but in the emotional weight, and at times lightness, he lends to the role. With the ability to look alone in the crowd, a comfort with stillness and a command of space that draws the eye, he embodies the energy that you’re looking for in a Jesus Christ, with just enough rock star quality to qualify for a nod on the ‘superstar’ hinted at in the title. His is a compelling performance, ably backed by Roxmouth who tackles a darker part than you’ll be used to him playing (in
Grease or
Cats for example). For the most part he holds it brilliantly, but at times (especially in the more emotional scenes near the end) he seemed a little over-dramatic and one gets the sense that it is in the over-the-top cheese that he thrives best. This means that in a role which requires more grit and seriousness, he does, in moments, fall short – a dramatic fall to his knees, for instance, drew a titter of momentary laughter from the section of the audience I sat in, which was not exactly the emotion they were looking to evoke in that moment. Roxmouth shows huge promise in a brave performance, but will have to push himself harder if he wants to move into more serious parts like this in the future.
With Judas’ betrayal inevitable, and Caiaphas (Graham Bourne) and Annas (Niall Griffin) circling, you may know where the story is headed, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t be impressed by Bourne’s deep bass voice along the way. A clear highlight is Terence Bridgett as a wonderfully camp and ostentatious Herod, challenging Jesus to turn his water into wine or to walk across his swimming pool. A vision of silver glam, he is part Elton John part evil queen, with a head of dreadlocks to swing around and a gaggle of dancing hussies to top it all off.
On the down side, the design was, at times, not very coherent – when Judas suddenly has a set of Lady Gaga-esque dancers near the end you’ll find yourself wondering why exactly. And while the distant Herod’s silver ostentatiousness works, the futuristic attire of the debaucherous lot who Jesus has to kick out of God’s house in the first half, seems to come from an entirely different world to the rest of Jerusalem’s post-apocalyptic browns and greys. The cross, too, was a very clunky piece of equipment, never smooth or effortless; the whole thing seemed to look like a chore, with everyone standing back and waiting for the hydraulics to do their thing. That said, however, clunkiness and all it was used very effectively in the final scene.
For me, Cito’s performance pulled together what swirled around him, with
Gethsemane worth specific mention – it was truly breath-taking (and you’ll find yourself trying to work out where exactly he finds the breath to pull it off). True, this show might feel like an evangelical party bordering on the rapture at times, but that is kind of the point and it tells the story effectively. I didn’t see the 2006 version, and while many who did bemoaned the loss of intimacy in this grander-scale version, it remains an epic story told on epic scale. If you’ve not seen the musical before, it’s worth the trip out to watch this one.
J
esus Christ Superstar is on at the Teatro until 26 June.
Follow Marie Straub on Twitter:
@merrystrwberry