IT’S more than 40 years since I first saw
this landmark rock opera and in this latest coming it is still a
powerful piece, helped, of course, by a powerful story, the basis of the
world’s largest religion.
It covers the dramatic and emotional final seven days of the
life of Jesus. The chief priests saw him not as the Messiah but as a
subversive rebel, a terrorist, threatening their religious domination; one
of his disciples Judas was worried about the consequences of antagonising the priests or, worse, the occupying Romans;
meanwhile amid the politics and plotting,
Jesus, already knowing his fate, quietly prepares for his death.
The close relationship between Judus and Jesus is
a key element of the musical, without it the subsequent betrayal loses
much of its value. We have to feel that Judas is battling conscience and
inner demons to give up the man he loves.
Somehow though that chemistry is never quite
there. Not that it is the fault of the actors. Australian musical
theatre star Tim Rogers has a fine tenor voice and can turn it to rock
star mode in an instant. He is suitably moody and concerned at the way
he sees Jesus’s fame and the adulation of the crowds growing out of
control.
Glenn Carter heads towards his fate as Jesus of
Nazereth
His anguish at his betrayal of Jesus is palpable
as is his subsequent anger at God for having used him to bring about the
death of Christ on the cross
Glenn Carter as Jesus
has an equally impressive tenor voice which shows a huge range and tonal
quality in the moving Gethsemane
as Jesus faces up to his death. Carter first played the role in 1996 in
the West End, when he was a year younger than Christ was at his death,
and he went on to play Jesus on Broadway and again on the last tour
directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, as is this one, in 2004, so
he is very much at home and comfortable in the role, which perhaps dulls
the edge.
But despite experience and fine voices the
empathy between the two characters is missing and they appear as
strangers much of the time.
Judas warns Jesus that
things are getting out of control in
Heaven on their minds but their first
real clash is over Mary Magdalene and Jesus associating with a woman of
“her profession” implying she was a prostitute, a common assumption but
one which has no support from the Gospels incidentally.
Mary is played by
X-factor finalist Rachel Adedeji and displays a well balanced voice
which didn’t disappoint in Mary’s big number, the show’s hit song I don’t know how to love him.
She has a clear, mellow voice and you can hear every word.
There is good support from Neil Moors as
Caiaphas, the chief priest, who has a lovely rich, deep baritone, who,
unfortunately had a mic malfunction in the critical scene were Judas is
persuaded to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver which mean his words
were not heard beyond the first few rows.
Tim Rogers displays the anguish of Judas betraying
Jesus to the priests
The story is so well known, among Christians at
any rate, that the gist was apparent and Alistair Lee as No 2 priest
Annas got the message across.
Johnathan Tweedie as Pontius Pilate gave a measured performance in fine
voice as the Governor of Judea first passing on the problem to Herod,
King of Galilee, and when the problem bounced back, pleading with Jesus
to speak and save himself before washing his hands of the problem – with
the water turning symbolically red – and leaving his fate up to the
priests and a baying crowd.
The baying crowd who play the rest of the
disciples, courtiers, priests, soldiers, assorted lepers and cripples,
followers and the like add their support with good vocals and lively
ensemble work
Tom Gilling, incidentally, produces the only
light hearted moments with a camp, but not too camp, performance as
Herod leading his equally gay courtiers trying to get Jesus to perform a
few party trick miracles.
Paul Farrnsworth’s design is impressive with huge
square stone pillars towering above each side of the stage covered in
stone friezes, a pair of enormous doors at the back which double as
Jerusalem’s city gates or some sort of opening to light and salvation.
A scaffolding walkway around the edges of the set
coupled with a moveable pair of staircases gives some flexibility but
the stage is dominated by a huge symbolic crown of thorns which lowered
and raised, changing angles and lit dramatically by an excellent
lighting design from Nick Richings.
Design and lighting came together again with the
dramatic crucifixion, an unpleasant form of execution, and imagination
and sound effects make it a brutal scene and rather uncomfortable to
watch. A little more restraint and a quieter dying might have been
more effective though. Silence has its own power on stage, particularly
in the horror of a crucifixion. It would also add more weight to Jesus's
cries to God.
Rock musicals are all about the music though and
musical director Tim Whiting and his seven piece band did a fine job in
belting out Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score, the third collaboration with
Tim Rice, incidentally and the first commercial success. It still has
the power and the glory. To 07-11-15
,
Jesus, already knowing his fate, quietly prepares for his death.