Jesus Christ Superstar – Ipswich Regent until 20th January
When no one would stage a new and daring musical about the last week of the life of Jesus, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber released the songs as a concept album, which quickly caused a buzz in not just the charts but the musical theatre world.
Jesus Christ Superstar is the musical that changed musical theatre. Part rock concert, part theatre, it shows those last days of Jesus’s life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, with a raw energy and passion not seen before in the theatre world when it was first staged in the early 1970s.
Ian McIntosh goes through the physical and emotional wringer as Jesus and gives a spellbinding performance. His physical demeanor on stage sums up the contrast in the character at that time, still magnetic and charismatic but worn down with the responsibilities and demands put upon him. When he sings the jaw dropping Gethsemane in the second half, the power in his voice and performance stops the show.
Shem Omari James is a man torn apart by love and betrayal as Judas. You can see the pain and torment in his performance as the story unfolds. The tension between him and Jesus builds perfectly and you can feel and see Judas’s frustration. His death is very cleverly done within the set using superb lighting techniques. Shem is another strong vocalist – in a cast of amazing singers – and he exudes power in his songs – including the world famous closing number Superstar, which he sings with a trio of gospel singers, filling the stage and auditorium with sound.
Hannah Richardson as Mary Magdalene sings three of the most beautiful numbers in the score, Everything’s Alright, I Don’t Know How To Love Him and Can We Start Again Please, with the most sweet soulful voice. She radiates love and compassion for Jesus and is fearless against Judas’s jibes; this is a very modern Mary who doesn’t hang back in the shadows and I loved that about Hannah’s performance.
The whole cast were incredible. I have mentioned the vocals but the energy of movement and dancing was extraordinary. The evangelical quality to the disciples, whipped into a frenzy by ‘the buzz’ of Jesus’s teachings was shown in their movements and you felt swept up in that feeling, heading frantically to the heartbreaking conclusion.
I must also mention Ryan O’Donnell as Pilate with a fabulous performance, blasting out amazing rock vocals and Timo Tatzber as Herod with a scene stealing song that strayed into elements of the Emcee in Cabaret and Busby Berkeley-esque high camp.
The set, lighting and costumes design were all very well done, with crosses in every part of the rusty metal staging contrasting with the soft muted greys and whites in the cast’s clothes. When the reds and blues for the last supper scene came you noticed them all the more and the lighting effects – especially for the crucifixion scene – added so much to the emotion.
As the show ended the audience were in emotional, stunned silence just for a second and then erupted into applause and a well deserved standing ovation.
This production of Superstar is outstanding and will stay with you for a long time to come.
Jesus Christ Superstar is at the Ipswich Regent until Saturday 20th January – for more details and to book tickets visit the Ipswich Regent Website or call the box office on 01473 433100
SUFFOLK THEATRE 