I’d sung the songs, seen the 1973 movie 10 times over, and marvelled at the different creative choices taken in iterations over the years.
The touring Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production has given audiences a tightly wound post-apocalyptic rock concert that made the Civic theatre feel as if it would explode at any minute.
Grant Hodges as a sleazy priest Caiaphas. Photo / Dave Simpson
The speed was so breakneck that two hours felt like two minutes. The claustrophobic set meant you were living inside the chaos, as well as the heads of the on-stage rock stars, for the full running time.
From the opening guitar riff of Heaven On Their Minds, Javon King’s Judas proved his pipes can do the work required to helm such a complex and vocally demanding role. He hit those high C notes as if his life depended on it.
A selection of characters, including Jesus himself, play instruments and sing with handheld mics, and a live band hides in the shadows, making the most of every guitar lick and snare. It’s a risky move, both technically and for the performance, but it pays off in spades.
Luke Street’s Jesus is sublime, and his rendition of Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say) was worth the ticket price alone. He brings ethos, charm and an aura that never comes across as anything but authentic. And his vocal chops!
Ethan Hardy Benson’s Pontius Pilate is ripped straight out of a 90s emo band. He’s moody, sulky and petulant, yet hides a deep layer of regret and conflict that fits the sound like a glove.
Because of the male-heavy cast, the character of Mary Magdalene is often criminally overlooked. Not so with Hannah Richardson, who shines as the lover and confidant of Christ by bringing powerhouse vocals and a visible sense of longing to hits like I Don’t Know How To Love Him and Could We Start Again, Please?
The vocal ability on show is unparalleled. Photo / Dave Simpson
Jesus Christ Superstar is built on key scenes and moments. Some of them, in this production, might raise eyebrows.
In the harrowing 39 lashes scene, a bloodied Jesus is sprinkled with glitter – an ironic juxtaposition – but it lacks the harrowing visceral intensity of other versions I have seen.
A freeze frame of the cast in the iconic Last Supper painting emits a wry laugh, but it felt a little out of place tonally, as did the ensemble wearing Roman bust masks, which made Jesus’ cruel captors much less menacing and more cartoonish.
However, other moments of dystopian griminess and subtle irony made for stunning stagecraft.
Erich W. Schleck’s King Herod, who sang his showstopping number with flaming skulls and wearing Marie Antoinette makeup, brings the right grim notes to the proceedings, and the final rendition of Superstar with Jesus on the cross is as hard to watch as it should be.
Credit should also go to the ensemble. The movement and choral singing are slick and well organised, pushing the momentum of the story without feeling unnatural.
Javon King as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. Photo / Jeff Busby
A minor aside, and it might have been how close I was, but I felt a bigger stage and set would’ve helped them make the most of their choreography and allowed more impact during the quieter moments.
Everyone will walk out of this show feeling something different. Some will love it, and some will loathe it. Purists will say it’s strayed too far from Lloyd Webber’s intention, and others will praise its bold vision and revitalisation of source material for a changing world.
My advice: keep an open mind, allow yourself to be blasted by the vocal wave that will hit you and leave your assumptions at the door.
This pressure-cooker parable for the ages will have you thinking for weeks to come.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.