Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐
For full disclosure, I think Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the finest musicals ever written (and I was also in a school production of it, which is less important). I know that Lloyd Webber’s contributions to musical theatre in the intervening five decades are controversial (as are his politics) but whatever you think about the man, the powerful score brings the emotion of the days leading up to the crucifixion to a secular audience in a masterful way.
The challenge of staging Jesus Christ Superstar is that it treads an extremely fine line between rock concept album and musical theatre classic. I’m yet to see a rendering that entirely does it justice, but I suspect that tonight’s show will be the most disappointing version I ever see.
The costume, set (both Tom Scutt) and direction (Timothy Sheader) is non-specific to the point of blandness. The evening is characterised by actors repeatedly missing cues on their own or others’ microphones. The cast is filled with skilled vocalists, but with voices so far outside of their comfort zone that you begin to wonder whether the casting director had ever heard the music before embarking upon auditions. Taken together, this all lends the evening a clumsy, unrehearsed air which is difficult to forgive.
There are occasional highlights – Hannah Richardson as Mary Magdalene is exemplary. Her soulful, characterful vocals suggest that someone in the production knew what they were aiming for, but she is a rose in a crown of thorns and doesn’t have nearly enough stage time to begin redeeming the evening.
As Jesus, Ian Macintosh has some strong vocal moments, but not once did I feel anything approaching a messianic presence from him.
Jesus Christ Superstar relies heavily on Judas as a framing device in the plot, and as a hugely demanding vocal role. In this role, Shem Omari James’ limited experience shows and does him a huge disservice. He is obviously a talented vocalist, but unconfident and unsuited to the vocal style of this role.
Much is made in the marketing of Julian Clary taking the role of Herod, but here it represents the absolute worst in star casting being used to get bums on seats. I have no doubts about Clairy’s abilities and feel sure that he was capable of more than a breathy whisper devoid of any conviction or personality – hardly suitable for a man damning Christ to crucifixion, even if it is in the form of a campy show tune.
Perhaps the worst aspect though is the choreography (Drew McOnie), which is absolutely abysmal. Again, the dancers are technically proficient, but the moves are so deeply unsuited to the show that it becomes an almost physically jarring experience having to watch them throughout the night. I had cringed multiple times before we made it through the first number.
I tend not to take any notice of marketing copy, but to describe this show as “a reinvention for this millennium” is frankly insulting. There isn’t a single second that shows any conceptual awareness of the 21st century, nor does this strive to be a faithful, technically impressive production. Whether you’re a long-term fan of the show, or looking to be introduced to it for the first time, this version is best avoided at all costs.
-Daniel Shipman
Jesus Christ Superstar runs at The Palace Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 23 September 2023.