Jesus Christ Superstar - Regents Park Open Air / Barbican

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2019 8:16:21 GMT Dawnstar said:

Next time I'll post in the Unpopular Opinions thread!

No, this is what forums are for, voicing opinions and maybe even helping each other out.

Seeing as you're resolute in not seeing the show...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
I highlighted the point you made about the Last Supper because they open Act 2 with a Tableau recreating Michelangelo's Last Supper. Both times I saw it, it got an applause. The context of your suggestion did tickle me - in a good way

[ceebee]

Anybody who misses this show will be missing out. I can't wait to see it at the Barb.

[ruby]

Haven't seen JCS live since the 1990s so really looking forward to seeing this production in Aug.

[viserys]

As someone who lives in a country where it's literally impossible to see "classic" productions, I can see both sides of the argument. There are so many classical plays I don't know yet and which, at least for the first time, I would love to see in a somewhat realistic and historical setting and not as some weird bizarre Regietheater nonsense as is par for the course here in Germany. Which is the main reason why I gave up on drama here and most musical theatre many years ago. So I think it's perfectly understandable that Dawnstar would like to see a classical JCS for the first trip. No amount of telling me that it's perfectly fine to go and see a Faust set in a North Korean sausage factory with Mephisto running around in a Trump mask will convince me that it's worth parting with my money for... even if it means waiting another 10-20 years or even not seeing Faust at all.

Of course, once you've seen a musical (or play) 3-4 times, you start wishing for a fresh and different approach so things won't feel stale. I saw the later JCS tour in Gale Edwards' direction which had moved everything to contemporary Palestine (army outfits, machine guns and so on) some years later and it worked fine for me, but I was on my third or fourth JCS by then. Now at this stage I don't really care for the staging (or the weird choreography as seen on WEL) as I'm used to JCS being staged in non-traditional versions and I'm in it for the performers/music. Still I'm glad that my first two times were more traditional versions with people wandering about in biblical wallowing garments and so on, first an international tour here in Germany, later the version at the Lyceum with Steve Balsamo and Zubin Varla.

[ali973]

But what is a historically accurate JCS? Even the most iconic images of what the world perceives as Jesus are based on European attire worn during the Renaissance. The score and its references are anachronistic and "concept" to begin with, and so a literal and "historically accurate" setting would fall flat.

[richey]

The WEL certainly hasn't put me off. Am really looking forward to seeing this, especially as the last version I saw was the stadium tour travesty

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2019 12:50:34 GMT richey said:

The WEL certainly hasn't put me off. Am really looking forward to seeing this, especially as the last version I saw was the stadium tour travesty

Didn't watch JCS in the stadium, but have watched the DVD a few times since and don't feel it's as bad as people make out.
Tim Minchin is great as Judas (would love to see him reprise this role sometime) and I quite liked Mel C's IDKHTLH.

[ali973]

I agree - I really enjoyed the arena tour, and for its time, I think it had a bit of a cool vibe. Cast wise, Tim Minchin was excellent, and I loved his singing. Mel C was great too. Ben wasn't good and couldn't hit the money note.

[scarpia]

I thought this was the best production of JCS that I had seen (when I saw it in at Regent's Park) since the Lyceum production. Only those two have ever done it for me. Otherwise I find the director ruins it or it just doesn't come across as dramatic enough to work on stage. Somehow these two productions were able to conceal its album origins and make it a dramatic work that looked good on stage. I didn't care for the revised Gale Edwards one, or the last Broadway revival. And certainly not Bill Kenwright's awful tour.

[d'James]

Why is it that costumes would make it ‘authentic’ though? For all we know they might have danced exactly like that ‘back then’ (I’ll avoid the obvious can of worms). It seems like people want to find fault with a very brief performance of something and not give it a chance for very flimsy reasons.

I don’t think you can or should say ‘I would accept the anachronistic music and set if it wasn’t for the anachronistic choreography.’ (Disclaimer: this is an opinion.)

Perhaps it’s a good thing, though, and proves that choreography IS more important than we like to let on.

[ceebee]

So, for anybody who hasn't booked yet, get yourself along to the Barbican for a stunning Jesus Christ Superstar. No spoilers, though the intro was fantastic. I'll leave you to make your own minds up, but if you loved Tyrone Huntley, then you ain't heard/seen nothing yet. And Declan Bennett's vocal limitations have been put to bed by a new, better, and more vocally agile Jesus, who possibly even displaces Steve Balsamo as the king of Gethsemane. His acting is certainly better.

Is the new JCS the best yet? Yes. Because Jesus and Judas vocally slug it out on stage like never before. Matt Cardle was a pleasant surprise as Pilate.

This updated version of the Open Air production is the best yet. Go and see it if it's your kind of show - you won't be disappointed.

[justfran]

Wow, high praise indeed if they are better than the Steve Balsamo version. I love the JCS score.

[dontdreamit]

Jul 6, 2019 21:26:31 GMT ceebee said:

So, for anybody who hasn't booked yet, get yourself along to the Barbican for a stunning Jesus Christ Superstar. No spoilers, though the intro was fantastic. I'll leave you to make your own minds up, but if you loved Tyrone Huntley, then you ain't heard/seen nothing yet. And Declan Bennett's vocal limitations have been put to bed by a new, better, and more vocally agile Jesus, who possibly even displaces Steve Balsamo as the king of Gethsemane. His acting is certainly better.

Is the new JCS the best yet? Yes. Because Jesus and Judas vocally slug it out on stage like never before. Matt Cardle was a pleasant surprise as Pilate.

This updated version of the Open Air production is the best yet. Go and see it if it's your kind of show - you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for this. I loved the production the year before last, and we have tickets towards the end of the month. It had been quite quiet on this thread, but glad to read it’s as good as ever 🙂

[xanady]

ceebee,when you say this production is the ‘best yet’,what do you mean?The best version YOU have ever seen or the best of all-time leading all the way back back to the 70’s if you saw the original...just curious?

[ceebee]

Jul 6, 2019 21:57:50 GMT xanady said:

ceebee,when you say this production is the ‘best yet’,what do you mean?The best version YOU have ever seen or the best of all-time leading all the way back back to the 70’s if you saw the original...just curious?

Good point xanady. To clarify, I'd say it's the best production certainly of the last 25 years. Personally I love the film and the original sound track. I wasn't born when the original production hit the stage so guess my view is that it's the best I've ever seen.

The reason I was so wowed by yesterday's show is that there is a vocal and physical maturity to the characters of Judas and Jesus. I loved the original Open Air version(s), but my humble view is that the two actors were born for these roles. The comparison to Steve Balsamo was because he is widely recognised for consistently nailing Gethsemane.

Robert Tripolino has an unbelievable range from a growling "heal yourselves" after a piercing "there's too many of you" to a soaring "why should I die" (which Declan Bennett could never hit). Above all, his acting was believable and emotionally weighted. Far less internal than DB (who wasnt a bad Jesus btw).

Ricardo Afonso is on another planet as Judas. Tyrone Huntley is a very hard act to follow, but Afonso has a physical presence, height and appearance which contrasts with Huntley's boyishness. Yet despite his very obvious manliness, Afonso peppers his performance with deft vulnerability, fragility and frustration. It has been a while since an actor took my breath away with such a complete performance. If this sounds like high praise or overegging then go and see for yourself. It's a mindblowing interpretation of Judas and one which deserves more than 10 weeks.

I'm less effusive about Sallay Garnett as Mary, who has a beautiful tone but is underpowered and underplayed. Possibly a preview sound issue but she never gets out of second gear. I want a stronger Mary, somebody who is empowered and alluring.

Matt Cardle was very good as Pilate. Not Thacko by any stretch but certainly very good. I loved his indecision over how to handle Jesus and the baying crowd, and he nailed the "innocent puppet" section well.

The priests are fab, Annas is good. Not as good as Sean Kingsley who brought sinister campness to the role, but vocally strong. Caiaphas remains as last year. His diction was off yesterday and he was slightly behind the beat at times. Samuel Buttery as Herod was flamboyant with a nice dangerous edge. Not my favourite interpretation but harmless enough. I prefer the physical gymnastics and energy of previous interpretations. Mr Buttery is on the large side and somewhat restricted by comparison. Physically dominant, vocally competent, but I prefer a higher energy Herod.

And finally, if you're in the stalls, nothing quite prepares you for the clever use of the Barbican doors/lighting in the intro which was a magnificent way to open the show. A moment of subtle magic.

[Deleted]

So while Joseph was something of a mixed bag and certainly not definitive*, this, for me, was.

A perfect Jesus Christ Superstar and a creative vision that comes together to create something sensational. Every bit as good as the two runs at the Open Air this is one class production. The simple but physically imposing set, Drew McOnie's bizarre but stylish and evocative choreography, an incredible band lead once again by Tom Deering, a brilliant lighting design, benefitting from a lack of daylight for the first half and as Ceebee has mentioned the most wonderful cast.

Robert Tripolino and Ricardo Alfonso very strong as the two leads with some sublime vocals. Matt Cardle increasingly showing he is a cross over talent as Pilate and Sallay Garnett was a good Mary (although her soulful voice sometimes struggled against the amplified orchestra).

If anything, I enjoyed it more than at Regent's Park.

If you are a fan of ALW or JCS (or both!), definitely one not to miss.

(*In terms of finding it definitive, I confess that JCS was not one of the ALW musicals I was particularly passionate about previously; so unlike Joseph, I came to this production a few years ago in Regent's Park without a production I already loved - the only version I had seen before was the Gale Edwards tour).

[xanady]

Many thank,ceebee...on your recommendation I will definitely check this out as it is one of my all time faves.

[daisy24601]

I'm going in a couple of weeks and now can't wait!

[jgblunners]

So glad to hear all the praise - seeing this at Regent's Park in 2016 was one of the theatrical highlights of the past few years for me, can't wait to see it tomorrow in its new home at the Barbican. If it's really as good as these early reports suggest then I may have to return multiple times!

[viserys]

I was at the same performance as @sharpe12 on Saturday (hi!) and also loved it. Admittedly I struggled a little in the first act as it was all nearly overwhelmingly crazy, but I agree with all the praise for Robert Tripolino who did an incredible version of Gethsemane, followed later by an equally impressive Superstar by Ricardo Afonso. If Sallay Garnett sounded a little underpowered, I think it was just an attempt to somehow try and put a fresh spin to a song that's been done to death over the years. I wish I could see this again when it's less overwhelming the second time round (sort of how I felt about Bat out of Hell, too, LOL).

[ceebee]

Out of interest - viserys and Dom - were you at the matinee or evening performance yesterday? I was at the matinee, and the crucifix hoisting mechanism temporarily failed at the climax of "Superstar". (I appreciate however that previews are to iron out the glitches...) Did you like the fact that the larger cross is now moveable? I think if they've gone to the effort of giving it wheels, the designer could have allowed a little extra swing upstage to enable the Last Supper tableau to face the audience a little more. I felt the set could have used the depth of stage a little better, but I think it's just because the set is so much taller than the Open Air set. Also, the lack of stage monitors caused a little loss of context when the disciples are building the cross out of the speaker stand. Appreciating it was a preview, the matinee felt a bit heavy on bass which seemed to drown the mid-range somewhat. I noticed many additional speakers wired into the auditorium along the slips too. Oh, and the spot operators need to up their game - a couple of critical moments for Judas and Jesus were played in relative darkness until the spots caught up.

These are minor technical points of a production still in preview...

I forgot to mention the soul girls, who were vocally sensational.

[Deleted]

So we were at the evening performance!

Technically seemed pretty good - no issues with follow spots, though a few missed mic cues or very transient mic failures!
No problem with the crucifix.

So I was far right on aisle as you look at stage (cross side) so although I liked it being movable it took it away from me lol. It took it towards Viserys however so she probably appreciated it!
(Overall for the audience it is definitely a good thing though!)

Sound sounded pretty well balanced from where I was sitting....

Oh how I WISH they would do a cast album (I can dream all I want - never gonna happen! If this were NYC......)

Edit - oh and overall the transition from outdoor to indoor surpassed my expectations. In fact I might go out on a limb and say I think I preferred this version. The lighting was just so effective. Sound was also better. And (yes I know I am old lol) not having rain anxiety for the week leading up to the show was wonderful. 

Honestly couldn't rave about this production enough!

I now have incredibly high hopes for Evita! It also cements what I often suspect that ALW shows can sometimes truly shine when he has no creative involvement (well, apart from writing them, obvs).

[SamB (was badoerfan)]

Jul 7, 2019 20:09:23 GMT @sharpe12 said:

So I was far right on aisle as you look at stage (cross side) so although I liked it being movable it took it away from me lol. It took it towards Viserys however so she probably appreciated it!
(Overall for the audience it is definitely a good thing though!)

How is it, being on the far sides? Is it particularly restricted?

[Deleted]

Jul 7, 2019 21:15:18 GMT SamB (was badoerfan) said:

Jul 7, 2019 20:09:23 GMT @sharpe12 said:

So I was far right on aisle as you look at stage (cross side) so although I liked it being movable it took it away from me lol. It took it towards Viserys however so she probably appreciated it!
(Overall for the audience it is definitely a good thing though!)

How is it, being on the far sides? Is it particularly restricted?

Not too bad - couldn't see far right of set but could see all main action fine. And it's reflected well in the price (think was 40 ish instead of 60 ish). Which in the West End probably it wouldn't be. 

Barbican another one of these annoying theatres with no central aisles....

[ceebee]

Jul 7, 2019 20:09:23 GMT @sharpe12 said:

So we were at the evening performance!

Technically seemed pretty good - no issues with follow spots, though a few missed mic cues or very transient mic failures!
No problem with the crucifix.

So I was far right on aisle as you look at stage (cross side) so although I liked it being movable it took it away from me lol. It took it towards Viserys however so she probably appreciated it!
(Overall for the audience it is definitely a good thing though!)

Sound sounded pretty well balanced from where I was sitting....

Oh how I WISH they would do a cast album (I can dream all I want - never gonna happen! If this were NYC......)

Edit - oh and overall the transition from outdoor to indoor surpassed my expectations. In fact I might go out on a limb and say I think I preferred this version. The lighting was just so effective. Sound was also better. And (yes I know I am old lol) not having rain anxiety for the week leading up to the show was wonderful. 

Honestly couldn't rave about this production enough!

I now have incredibly high hopes for Evita! It also cements what I often suspect that ALW shows can sometimes truly shine when he has no creative involvement (well, apart from writing them, obvs).

Like you Dom, I can't rave about it enough either. This production is definitive in my humble opinion. They should just record it, film it, and be done.