Review: Jesus Christ Superstar
Edinburgh Playhouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cryptic symbolism, striking iconology and the energy of youth combined with powerful vocal performances are the highlights of this frustrating reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s ‘smash hit’ musical charting the last days of Jesus Christ.
With obvious influences drawn from Robert Stigwood’s 1973 movie although realistically, probably closer to its original 1970 concept album release, this latest staging of Jesus Christ Superstar does indeed play out like a concert performance, the cast arriving at a frenzied pace, running through the auditorium to take up their starting positions among the girders, flight cases, lamps and cruciform walkway that make up Tom Scutt’s open, yet strangely claustrophobic staging.
And so begins, an unexpectedly disappointing first act, one that eschews storytelling and character development in favour of big vocals and explosive dance routines; Drew McConie’s well drilled if occasionally over-expressive choreography ensuring the energy is never anything less than high.
Sacrificed to the gyrating bodies and energetic hand gestures of the ensemble, however, is the narrative with the result that Act I of this retelling of The Passion of Christ is a fairly passionless affair. And while the biblical tale may well be familiar the world over, making such an assumption allows for an ill-defined timeline, not helped by messy transitions of the sung-through score.
It’s not just the storytelling that is ill-defined, the Apostles too, with the exception of Judas, are interchangeable and despite an impressive vocal range, Ian McIntosh’s Messiah is also an understated affair, his Superstar qualities somewhat subdued on this showing.
This under-playing recurs throughout the production. As Mary Magdalene, Hannah Richardson’s rendition of I Don’t Know How To Love Him may be technically proficient and beautifully delivered to showcase her fine vocals, but does so at the expense of any real emotion.
Only Ryan O’Donnell lives and breathes his role from entrance to exit. Consequently, his Pontius Pilate is the most impressive turn of the evening. Fully rounded and convincing, his presence dominates and he is rewarded with a priceless ‘mic drop’ moment, a nice touch by director Timothy Seader, who also uses masks and props to good effect and oversees an inventive and glittering administration of the 39 lashes ordered on the ‘King of the Jews’ by Pilate.
Also eye-catching are Matt Bateman and Jad Habchi. As Annas, Bateman’s fine falsetto dramatically contrasts with the growling bass of Habchi’s Caiaphus. Physically they compliment each other too, a great piece of casting.
If the first act is somewhat underwhelming, by the time the second act warms up, both McIntosh and Shem Omari James, as Judas, have hit their strides, their vocal sparring verging on the electric.
They’re backed by a tight nine-piece band perched high above the action. Under Musical Director Michael Riley they bring an authentic 70’s vibe to proceedings and, as the tragedy builds, so Timo Tatzber offers a nice touch of light entertainment as Herod, his mocking parody as sinister as it is anachronistic.
With the action reaching its climax, a single beam of white silhouettes the crucified form of Jesus as an absolute silence descends on the auditorium, it’s a genuinely moving and natural ending… followed by a bizarre reunion of Jesus and Judas, in ‘Heaven’ one assumes.
It’s a scene that sums up this production, which seems to have shoe-horned in every random idea of the creative team no matter how unnecessary, from the boyband moves of the Pharisees to the hot mess Last Supper and a lingering memory of Jesus wandering the stage with his bottle of beer, when all that was really needed was some good old-fashioned characterisation.
Runs until 10 February. Edinburgh tickets here. Full tour details here.
I’ve seen the film 30 plus times and many different stage productions and worked on costume twice in the touring JCS shows. Can you tell I’m a fan?! I guess I can easily criticise what I feel doesn’t work and I will. The market scene was my first disappointment as a lack of market scene props or ladies of the night gyrating as they display their wares to work in with the lyrics were replaced with what seemed like a crowd of protesters waving around lit up crosses and didn’t work at all for me. And worse still the same group without any form of full stop, next sentence.. seems to transition straight into the next scene of the maimed and beggars. That was a huge disappointment. In all previous renditions I’ve seen a superfast change of costume into rags and bandages, to great effect I have to say. This didn’t cut it and screamed to me of cost cutting somewhere. (Less dressers in the wings). Herod I’m afraid didn’t reach my dizzying expectations either I’m sorry to say. He was just not ‘funny’ and this is the only serious ‘light’ scene in the show. It seemed to me he was trying to live up to Sam Smith in Unholy and he didn’t even touch the sides.
The crucifixion, a massive let down. Where was the atmospheric hammering of metal and nails in the lead up to lifting the large heavy wooden cross? The build up throughout the show was set to incredible levels, the outcome was weakly portrayed in comparison. The lighting as someone else suggested didn’t work. I was sat absolute centre stage 10 rows back, great seats yet I saw the huge white spot clearly on the floor backlighting the cross. Terrible lighting here and bad staging. I just didn’t get the scene, there was nothing to look at and I found myself, eyes straying around the stage which was not what should have happened.
So what did I like? Absolutely everything else! The vocal ranges were stratospheric! Jesus, Judas, Pilate, Ciaphas, all terrific. The sound was loud and the sound effects were right there like a punch in the heart, just how I love them! The build up.. like a fast chase, pacey and held you in the grip of suspense. Gethsemane, strange with a guitar and I thought it would be a distraction but it worked brilliantly as he built up to its peak. Hairs up on the back of my neck was testament to the effect of the high notes.
The dancers were like the arteries of a pulsing heart, constant and gyrating frenetically. One girl’s piece in particular was choreographed genius, when Judas was building up to the hanging she feverishly pulsed and gyrated in the dark alone as if she was his very conscience in a fierce battle of will. Spectacular!
A def hit for me and I’d go back again tomorrow! Great job!
After seeing the previous production at the Playhouse, I was excited to see this one. It was way too young and hip for my liking. The staging was poor, as was the lighting, it was way too dark. As for the crucifixion, the white light totally wiped out the demise of Jesus. This may be due to where it was sitting but I'll never know. In the plus side, the music and c singing were, mostly, great