Jesus Christ Superstar - U.K. Tour

[richey]

Well that was literally breathtaking.
This tour just gets better. I had initial doubts about Charlie as Jesus at first, he still had a bit of the goofy mannerisms of Larry from last week but he really fulfilled the role in Act 2. Gethsemane was stunning and he pulled off some incredible notes.
There were quite a few covers on tonight- Pilate,Peter,Simon as well as Jesus. Luke Street sang Pilate brilliantly but he seemed too young for the role and didn't quite have the authority. Little fluff with his lines too, repeating "misguided martyr" instead of "innocent puppet"
Having previously seen the tour with Clary as Herod, it was good to see the role played and sung properly this time.
Also being close to the stage I noticed details I'd not seen before- Simon and Mary posing with outreached hands at the side of the stage after the flogging and Judas having a silver mark around his neck when he reappears for Superstar.
Absolutely love this production. I may have got a little carried away enthusing about to to a group of ladies on the tram who had also been there tonight and thought it was incredible.

[141920grm]

richey I believe Tim Roberts was Pilate tonight

[richey]

May 23, 2024 22:36:09 GMT 141920grm said:

richey I believe Tim Roberts was Pilate tonight

Apologies, you're right. Luke was playing Simon.

[141920grm]

May 23, 2024 22:56:35 GMT richey said:

May 23, 2024 22:36:09 GMT 141920grm said:

richey I believe Tim Roberts was Pilate tonight

Apologies, you're right. Luke was playing Simon.

no worries, just so happened a friend was at the show tonight so wanted to let you know

[Deleted]

Saw the show yesterday at the Lowry, the sound quality was far better than when I saw it at the Palace last year, the vocals where much clearer.

Gutted that still haven't seen Luke as Jesus (or Judas) as he has been amazing in everything I have seen him in. Tim Roberts as Pilate was great, can't believe I haven't heard of him before. Hannah Richardson was 100 times better as Mary than when I saw her last year. So happy that didn't get Julian Clary as Herod again, once was enough.

Charlie as Jesus did a decent job, there where still signs of the blood from the Friday night show on him (that stuff must get everywhere and a pain to wash off), not 100% sold on his performance, but equally wouldn't be disappointed if I saw him perform the role again.

Still confused by the choreography, it feels like a performing art student production, trying to be edgy, but instead confusing the audience.

[andrew]

If you’re sitting in the front stalls, is there any preferred side to sit for this? I recently sat on the left side (looking at the stage) and the view was great, but now I was looking at tickets on the opposite side and I was wondering if the cross would be blocking anything…

[CG on the loose]

May 29, 2024 12:19:50 GMT andrew said:

If you’re sitting in the front stalls, is there any preferred side to sit for this? I recently sat on the left side (looking at the stage) and the view was great, but now I was looking at tickets on the opposite side and I was wondering if the cross would be blocking anything…

For me, the staging definitely works best from the left (looking at the stage) or centre, but unless you were far right in the front couple of rows, I don't think the cross would actually block your view of anything.

[richey]

I'd agree that left/centre works best. There's more action on that side of the stage plus you get a better view of the Last Supper at the beginning of Act 2. Having said that, I watched it from the extreme right of the stage last week and it still looked good, nothing was blocked out.

[djdan14]

Anyone know anything about what looks like the last week of the tour been cancelled in Blackpool? Just went to check dates and the link from the official website takes you to a page that doesn’t exist no more.

[CG on the loose]

Jun 16, 2024 20:08:28 GMT djdan14 said:

Anyone know anything about what looks like the last week of the tour been cancelled in Blackpool? Just went to check dates and the link from the official website takes you to a page that doesn’t exist no more.

I know someone who's booked for the final show that week and they've heard nothing yet from the venue. I think it was pretty well sold too, so seems odd that they'd cancel, but I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[blamerobots]

I was umming and ahhing about seeing it in Southend and checked the availability there, and it is looking dicey. I know there's a few weeks til then but it seems like a painfully slow seller there at least.
I think the money is really made in that week prior for touring shows, so I'll likely check back around then, but maybe they haven't been making as much money on advance sales as they hoped?

[CG on the loose]

Jun 16, 2024 20:36:51 GMT CG on the loose said:

Jun 16, 2024 20:08:28 GMT djdan14 said:

Anyone know anything about what looks like the last week of the tour been cancelled in Blackpool? Just went to check dates and the link from the official website takes you to a page that doesn’t exist no more.

I know someone who's booked for the final show that week and they've heard nothing yet from the venue. I think it was pretty well sold too, so seems odd that they'd cancel, but I guess we'll find out soon enough.

My friend called the Box Office and apparently the Blackpool 'disappearance' is a website glitch of which they're aware... it seems JCS is not the only show to have gone walkabout!

[CG on the loose]

OK - so apparently the Box Office were themselves in the dark. The Blackpool stop has been cancelled (email just received) and has now been removed from the tour website.

[ceebee]

Virtually full house tonight in Canterbury - great show again though the sound was underpowered. Think a YTS boy was on the sound desk.

[CG on the loose]

Jun 18, 2024 22:17:38 GMT ceebee said:

Virtually full house tonight in Canterbury - great show again though the sound was underpowered. Think a YTS boy was on the sound desk.

YTS ... that takes me back!

[greenandbrownandblue]

I saw this at the Marlowe in Canterbury on Monday, having previously seen this production at the Open Air in 2016. I wasn't too keen on it then, much preferred it now. I'm not sure how much it has changed as a production, but this felt tighter, fewer gimmicks, and a generally better cast. Still wish Jesus didn't have the guitar for the first half of Gethsemane though - it hampers his movement too much.

And the sound was very good - not underpowered at all with a decent bass. And I often complain that things are too quiet, especially at the Marlowe! Might've helped that I was sat row G stalls.

[ceebee]

Does anybody know whether Ian McIntosh is still in this show? Two understudy Jesi today - mat and eve. I think I've seen McIntosh once in the role. If they need to use an u/s at least put Luke Street on who is head and shoulders above everybody else vocally.

[BVM]

Jun 22, 2024 15:17:44 GMT ceebee said:

Does anybody know whether Ian McIntosh is still in this show? Two understudy Jesi today - mat and eve. I think I've seen McIntosh once in the role. If they need to use an u/s at least put Luke Street on who is head and shoulders above everybody else vocally.

Certainly I think Ian did all his scheduled Wimbers and Lowry shows!
But he does seem to have been off all this week.

Yes it’s interesting they seem to use Luke as a scheduled alternate but not an understudy? Think Jesus has mostly been Tim this week. (Wouldn’t mind seeing him if only to complete my Jesus “collection!”)

But yes Luke Street is the strongest vocalist in the ensemble no doubt! Sorry I never saw his Strat!

[theatrefan62]

Ian didn't do Southampton, even though he listed on his social media he was (with one performance off).

[greenandbrownandblue]

Jun 22, 2024 15:17:44 GMT ceebee said:

Does anybody know whether Ian McIntosh is still in this show? Two understudy Jesi today - mat and eve. I think I've seen McIntosh once in the role. If they need to use an u/s at least put Luke Street on who is head and shoulders above everybody else vocally.

Ian was on in Canterbury on Monday. And very good he was too. Luke Street was on as Simon, iirc. 

[ceebee]

I've seen Ian once in seven shows - he was excellent. I just seem to get unlucky with him being off. Luke Street is beyond words as both Jesus and Judas - he is wasted as Simon, though he sings his song well. Have seen Tim twice as Jesus - good but not remarkable. Couldn't bear the regular alternate Jesus - nearly left at the interval.

[richey]

Ian didn't do all the Lowry ones, he wasn't on the night I saw it (we got Charlie McCullagh fresh from 42 Balloons there a few days earlier)

[colelarson]

Saw this today in Canterbury and have to say my friend and I were disappointed.

The sound wasn't great in parts and it felt very poor quality compared to the Barbican/Open Air Theatre production.

We left in the interval as we were not enjoying it and we were not the only ones to leave. Kudos to the cast as they we're putting their heart and soul into it but not great when we did not have good sound to hear the classic songs.

Such a shame as we were looking forward to the show.

[ceebee]

Jun 22, 2024 22:46:30 GMT colelarson said:

Saw this today in Canterbury and have to say my friend and I were disappointed.

The sound wasn't great in parts and it felt very poor quality compared to the Barbican/Open Air Theatre production.

We left in the interval as we were not enjoying it and we were not the only ones to leave. Kudos to the cast as they we're putting their heart and soul into it but not great when we did not have good sound to hear the classic songs.

Such a shame as we were looking forward to the show.

I saw it again tonight and - like on Tuesday - the sound was hit and miss. No excuses for this in a theatre like the Marlowe. Bass was non-existent, even the guitar solos felt muted, lacking the raw edge that they had in Regent's Park / Barbican. Sound was also an issue in Bromley. The cast work hard though. It is ironic that the prices in Canterbury are some of the highest of the whole tour, but yet again the advertised Jesus has gone awol... Several talents are wasted in this production and deserve much bigger roles afterwards.

[galinda]

Jun 22, 2024 15:17:44 GMT ceebee said:

Does anybody know whether Ian McIntosh is still in this show? Two understudy Jesi today - mat and eve. I think I've seen McIntosh once in the role. If they need to use an u/s at least put Luke Street on who is head and shoulders above everybody else vocally.

I saw the show in Woking a few weeks ago and didn’t see Ian the day I went (Saturday) I missed him in WWRY last year too. I didn’t specifically see the shows to see him so wasn’t bothered either way. Is the alternate Jesus Northern Irish? I thought I could detect an accent! Really enjoyed the show but could do without the choreography- that got really tiresome pretty quickly!