It is hard to believe but way back in 1970 when Jesus Christ Superstar first appeared it failed to get the backing it needed to be staged, therefore the show found its first release as a concept album. The following year though, following the album's success, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice's rock opera launched upon the stage of the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway. The journey of the revolutionary show had begun, but, is it still a revelation now, that is the question.
The answer is a clear yes, this show following, loosely, the final days of Jesus Christ is as strong and striking in this version, hot from Regents Park Open Air Theatre, as the show may ever have been. Rather unusually for a review, I have to open by commenting on movement and the immense choreography that has been created by Drew McOnie. Rarely has a show, beyond that of a dance one of course, been so impactful in the essence of movement. Our cast arrives at the opening show in a rabble-rousing cascade through the auditorium and from this point, the show, physically, rarely stops, barring for those tremendous, quiet poignant moments of song. McOnie alongside the director of this piece, Timothy Sheader, do everything to make the show visually appealing and this continues throughout in ritual-like dances, and rhythmic movements of obeyance and obedience. I have never seen a musical and its movements strike so powerfully and constantly throughout the entire show.
However, not only does this show excel in this, it does so on every level. This cast is stupendously good; Ian McIntosh, as the eventually broken and conceding to failure Jesus Christ, is exceptional, a performer I have now seen four times before and who has improved within every role. As he breaks upon the floor during his performance of
Gethsemane, we break with him. At his side, is an emotional performance by Hannah Richardson as Mary. Her work and sincerity on numbers such as
Everything's Alright and
Could We Start Again Please? is simply beautiful and
I Don’t Know How To Love Him is breathtaking. Shem Omari James gives a busy and dramatic performance as Judas, showing his constantly troubled side well, and deals with the challenging range needed for his vocals well. There is superb entertainment from the moments with Caiaphas (Jad Habchi) as he assembles the Pharisees and priests, with Habchi and Matt Bateman as Annas in particular showing the extraordinary range needed for their songs including
This Jesus Must Die/Hosanna. Exceptional.
The production as a whole looks stunning with Tom Scutt's set and design showing a gritty edge and the perfect backdrop for events to take place. The lighting design from Lee Curran is also top-notch, with stunning moments of bright and brash coupled with subdued, dusky moments to plot the mood of the story. Musical director Michael Riley also leads a stunning on-stage band to create the exceptional music this show has.
Director Sheader and his team have pulled out all the stops to make this version as good as possible, beautiful, but perfect touches such as the framing of The Last Supper for example are sublime, the creation of the 39 lashes is effectively realised and the culmination of the crucifixion as traumatic as it should be. This provides a word of warning though that this is a gritty show and could be potentially very traumatic for some.
Finally however, while it's a bold statement, having seen over forty shows at Milton Keynes Theatre, I think, this stunning version of
Jesus Christ Superstar is the best I have seen there, it is truly that good. If you get a chance to see it there, or on the tour at any point, grab the opportunity, you will not be disappointed.
A tremendous reimagining of a groundbreaking show.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance reviewed: Monday 30th October 2023 at Milton Keynes Theatre.
