Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s classic rock musical gets a thrilling steampunk makeover that at times overwhelms the tragic Jesus/Judas drama.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s classic rock musical gets a thrilling steampunk makeover that at times overwhelms the tragic Jesus/Judas drama.
By Mark Naglazas
February 17, 2025 — 2.53pm
MUSICAL THEATRE
Jesus Christ Superstar ★★★½
Crown Theatre, Burswood, February 16
Sometime in the ’60s, the figure of Jesus Christ was wrenched from the conservative conclave into the counterculture, culminating in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1971 reimagining the son of God as the sexy, charismatic frontman of a Woodstock-ready tribe (tellingly, JC was sung by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillen on the original concept album).
This latest production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which began life in London under the direction of Tim Sheader, now pulls the classic rock musical into our darker present, with a grungy post-industrial setting — looming rusted-metal beams, a chunky fallen-over crucifix serving as a runway for the steampunk-ish fashionista high priests — and the apostles dressed in baggy beige urban leisurewear straight out of a hip-hop video.
Even the familiar, somewhat dated music has been pleasingly freshened up with the injection of metal, soul and gospel, creating a pulsating contemporary soundscape for Drew McClone’s muscular street-influenced choreography that adds mystery and threat to Jesus’ followers, who will ultimately turn on their messiah.
While the look and the sound of Sheader’s production enthralled the opening-night Crown audience, the lyrics of much of the show did not come through clearly enough for us to fully engage with the central drama; the battle for the hearts and mind of the Jews between the revolutionary Jesus Christ (Robert Tripolino) and earthy pragmatist Judas Iscariot (Javon King).
This is a sung-through musical (that is, no dialogue) and it is important we hear the words, a problem that would be solved if Perth had that long dreamed-about lyric theatre.
King brings an appropriate level of anguish to Judas, who worries that Jesus’ reckless talk will bring down the wrath of the Roman Empire on his people, but that crucial thread of the story is muffled either by his vocals or the sound mix, or the Crown acoustics (hard to tell what the problem is), leaving those less familiar with the story of Christ scratching their heads.
“I have no idea what’s going on!” cried one despairing punter, who clearly missed out on Sunday school.
But most people come for the hits, which are delivered with power and passion. Mahalia Barnes as Mary Magdalene gives I Don’t Know How to Love Him a wonderful Aretha-ish soulful spin; show-stealing drag sensation Reuben Kaye is so wickedly campy as Herod he might have wandered across from Fringe World; and Elliot Baker and John O’Hara, with their washboard stomachs and Matrix-inspired eyewear, inject a deliciously sinister chic.
And Sheader delivers several stunning theatrical moments, such as Christ being whipped with glitter (sounds silly, I know, but it works marvellously), the last supper played out around a collapsed crucifix, and the suicide of Judas taking place both on top of the metal structure and stunningly echoed underneath (it’s both tasteful and impactful).
While Jesus Christ Superstar is seen by most as a souped-up version of the familiar New Testament tale – albeit one that entwines Jesus and Judas in a philosophically and politically fascinating bromance – watching the story that has fuelled antisemitism over the centuries is disturbing, especially at this combustible moment. Sometimes shows from the past speak to us in unexpected and unsettling ways.
Then again, a musical centred on a suicide and a crucifixion is always going to be kind of weird, especially when Sunday night’s audience cheered at the exact moment of Jesus’ death on the cross. It’s a WTF moment that makes for very interesting theatre.
Jesus Christ Superstar is on until March 8.
Mark Naglazas is a journalist specialising in Perth culture and the arts.
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