Jesus Christ SuperStar at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
Performed by the Irving Stage Company
Tuesday 4th November – Saturday 8th November
The Gospels are not the most obvious choice to adapt into a stage musical, least of all a rock opera. But that didn’t deter Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 1970, Jesus Christ SuperStar was composed as a concept recording and was brought to the stage in 1971. Told from the perspective of Judas, the musical follows the last days in the life of Jesus Christ, concluding with his crucifixion. Following their success with their recent production of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, the Irving Stage Company has brought Lloyd Webber’s creation to Bury St Edmunds in a visually stunning production.
I went in blind seeing this production. I knew next to nothing about the show and its history and I had no knowledge of any of the songs. So I didn’t know exactly what to expect, apart from the fact that it was a musical about Jesus. What I saw was perhaps the most interesting musical I have ever seen. An unusual type of musical combined with an unorthodox topic does lead to something that will ultimately be very different to other shows that you have experienced. Whether it works or not is a completely different matter.
First things first, the cast is excellent. Whatever your personal feelings about the show are, you can’t deny that the Irving Stage Company has a cast that could bring several productions in the West End to shame. The chorus are able to create atmospheres of both optimism that embraces the human spirit and unease that illustrates how cruel people can be. The ability to change the tone of the show so quickly and so well deserves recognition on its own. Yet, the cast also manage to engage the audience extremely well, even if many of them have no lines or songs to themselves. This is done by their sheer commitment to their involvement in the production; their facial expressions and movements are presented with such enthusiasm that it is near impossible to not be drawn into their performances and the show as a whole. Particular praise must go to Jonathan Lodge as Jesus, who gives a sterling performance as a tortured and confused man who is only trying to do good in the world. His progression from a beloved to a hated man is clear and defined, and his solo songs revealing his inner-thoughts are delivered with subtlety and grace. Glen Connor also gives a very fine performance as Judas, presenting him also as a troubled individual who desperately tries to do what he thinks is right. Whilst an intense performance, Connor delivers a moving one as well, especially during the second act when Judas is given more attention and his character is developed more. Vicky Robson, too, gives a touching performance as Mary Magdalene, which is enhanced by her strong singing voice. Like Jesus and Judas, there is a clear development of character and complexity to her, although I would have preferred to have seen more of her on stage.
Sian Couture’s direction keeps the production at a more simple level than one might expect, but this works very much to its advantage. The stage is not huge or bright and none of the songs or dances are overplayed, allowing for the focus to remain on the characters, where it should be. A certain piece of direction that works very well is the cyclical use of the crown of thorns, appearing on the stage at the beginning before being picked up by a member of the cast, and being placed back in the same place by Jesus at the end. The choreography is exciting and clearly well-rehearsed, going hand-in-hand with the songs. The conduction of the band and performers by musical director Mark Jefferson is done with great precision.
The main problems with Jesus Christ SuperStar are not in fact the fault of the Irving Stage Company’s production, but actually with the show itself. There are two aspects which don’t really work, at least not for me. The first is the fact that whilst a rock opera is an interesting and unusual form for a musical, it sadly seems inappropriate in this context. The drama of what Jesus says, for instance, is brought down by the actor having to sing very high notes, as if they were in a rock concert; this is certainly apparent in the moneylenders scene when Jesus tells them to leave. It’s as if the show is trying to be very modern and popular, which instantly makes it feel dated. On top of this, the songs, whilst far from bad, aren’t particularly memorable. Being a rock opera, they all sound very similar, and I just feel that it’s not appropriate for a musical that has so much drama and character development, particularly one based on the Gospels.
The second problem is that there are no scenes of dialogue. Each scene is defined by the song which is performed during it. Whilst this is still able to present the character developments and progressions, it makes the whole show a bit more hard-going. Just a few scenes which purely have dialogue would allow the show to have a better pace and wouldn’t bombard the audience with song after song, which can get rather tiring and demanding. The story could have been made much clearer had there been scenes in which the actors and the director could have presented through dialogue.
Yet, despite a disappointing score and a lack of simple dialogue, this production is worth seeing if only for the performers and for the subtle and simple design of the show. The Irving Stage Company does Bury St Edmunds proud and I look forward to seeing more of their work.
Produced with the kind assistance of the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and the Irving Stage Company.
The Sixth Form Journal 
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