Jesus Christ Superstar REVIEW 20 March 2025 *** (3)

THEATRE

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice

At Princess Theatre until 22 June 2025

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars:  *** (3)

This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 5 April 2025. KH

Michael Paynter and Ensemble in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (c) Jeff Busby

 

Jesus Christ Superstar is one of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice’s most successful and enduring collaborations. This new production by Timothy Sheader, originally created for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London, hit the stage at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne to a rousing response from the excitable opening night crowd.

 

Superstar is beloved not only because it is based on the iconic biblical story of Jesus Christ. It is a musical filled with thrilling and memorable melodies, rich harmonies, complex music and orchestrations and passionate characters. The show is sung-through, meaning there is no dialogue so the story and the characters must come to life through the voices, the lyrics, the songs and their performances.

 

This new version of the musical, directed by Timothy Sheader, is vocally strong, with powerful rock singers in leading roles and a skilful ensemble that carries the harmonies. However, this show demands potent interpretation and performance of the songs to successfully express the layers of the narrative and illuminate the characters and their emotional lives.

 

It also needs the vocals to be heard clearly over the music; there were times that the lyrics were totally lost and we had to rely on knowing the song or knowing the story. (Spoiler: he dies in the end!)

 

Michael Paynter, playing Jesus, is a talented rock singer and he propelled the opening night audience to its feet after he belted out Gethsemane. However, he lacks the requisite stage charisma for the role, and his singing is so embellished with bold, vocal acrobatics that the meaning of the lyrics – Jesus pleading with God about not wanting to die – is lost.

 

Previous productions make Judas the focus as it is he who challenges Jesus about losing sight of their original aims and succumbing to his followers’ adulation. Is Jesus believing his own publicity? As the lyrics say, “Do you think you’re what they say you are ?”

 

Jovan King is a passionate Judas, and his voice is rich and versatile, but the character only takes centre stage during his songs. He is overwhelmed by the crowd on stage and almost disappears amongst the crowds of dancers.

 

We need a compelling relationship and argument between Jesus and Judas, or the intention of the narrative fails. I can’t help recalling Tim Minchin as Judas stealing the stage with the subtlety and complexity of his performance.

 

Mahalia Barnes is also a talented rock singer, but her Mary Magdalen lacks the stage presence and the emotional range and depth needed for a song such as I Don’t Know How to Love Him.

 

Reuben Kaye is a show-stealer as Herod, prancing about in his regal, drag outfit complete with gold cape and codpiece and long, black boots. It was worth the wait to see him! Another highlight was Peter Murphy’s solo of Pilate’s Dream and the High Priests.

 

The ensemble of skilled dancers portrays Jesus’ fans and zealots, then his apostles and, finally, the rabid mob baying for his crucifixion. The chorus’s rendition of What’s the Buzz is exhilarating and their harmonies stirring in Hosanna.

 

However, the choreography (Drew McOnie) was busy and bewildering. It not only filled the stage with a crowd of writhing or jerking bodies, but it obscured our view of the lead characters, masked any nuances in relationships and distracted from the  performance of songs.  At the very start and intermittently throughout, a single female dancer took the focus for what seems to be some symbolic reason that remains unclear to me.

 

Much of the horror of Jesus’s abuse at the hands of the persecutors and the High Priests is lost when the mob lashes him with glitter – yes, handfuls of glitter! This is only one example of the way this production undercuts the depth of emotion and the impact of the narrative with its theatrical choices.

 

Perhaps the crowded feeling of the staging suggests that the Princess Theatre stage is smaller than previous iterations of this version and the focus on voices and dancers rather than performance has its origins the first, open air theatre production. Just musing!

 

It is a pity to say that, ultimately, this Superstar falls flat, despite having a cast of super singers.

 

By: Kate Herbert.

 

Michael Paynter and Ensemble in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (c) Jeff Busby

Cast

Michael Paynter - Jesus

Javon King - Judas

Reuben Kaye – King Herod

Elliott Baker - Caiaphas

John O'Hara -  Annas

Mahalia Barnes - Mary Magdalen

Peter Murphy - Pilate

Ensemble and swings: Joshua Dormor, Darcey Eagle, Josh Gates, Samuel Harmon, Melanie Hawkins, Marie Ikonomou, Graeme Isaako, Ethan Jones, Tana Laga'aia, Bella Massey, Danielle Matthews, Calista Nelmes, Gus Noakes, Stellar Perry, Nathan Pinnell, Clay Roberts, Henry Rollo, Josh Spiniello, Bree Tipoki, Jordan Tomljenovic and Nic Van Lits.

 

Creative Team

Timothy Sheader – Director

Drew McOnie – Choreographer

Tom Scutt – Set & Costume Designer

Lee Curran - Lighting Designer

Tom Deering – Musical Supervision.

 

 

 

 

mmm

Peter Murphy as Pilate in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (c) Jeff Busby