Well, I was supposed to get this one done before Easter, but things happen. This is an interesting version of the rock opera, a version that Andrew Lloyd Webber claimed was how he had 'originally' intended the show to be performed. This is a recording of a stage performance that was done as sort of a rock concert. The 'stage' is a terraced platform where the band is off to the sides and the actors/singers do their bit on the steps. I've never seen anything like it before, so it had that uniqueness going for it.
Of course, the key to any performance of this nature is the singers themselves. This version stars Tim Minchin as Judas, Mel C from the Spice Girls as Mary Magdalene, and Ben Forster in the role of Jesus. Forster got the part by winning a reality show called 'Superstar,' which was explicitly done for the purpose of finding someone to play the part of Jesus in this performance tour. I'll get to his performance later.
The original stage and screen version of the show had a 'modern' feel; the movie has Roman soldiers walking around with spears and machine guns, with tanks rumbling in the desert and fighter jets flying overhead. The sets are very abstract, the apostles are wearing jeans and T-shirts, and it's incredibly anachronistic.
This version 'updates' that concept, moving the setting to even more modern day; cell phones and online polls play a part, the Pharisees are Illuminati/businessmen, and Pilate looks like a judge. When he's not working out. Herod is a talk show host, and the soldiers are riot cops. But the most striking conceit is that Jesus and the Apostles are portrayed as an Antifa-style group. This is in the years before Antifa was the big news it became during the Trump administration, but it's still very, very jarring to see this performance portraying that movement as Christ-like.
Be that as it may, the story is unchanged from the other versions; Judas is torn and conflicted, Mary has the hots for Jesus, Pilate just wants to keep the peace and prevent any riots, and the Pharisees want to ensure that no one threatens their power. You know the drill. One of the songs added in the movie remains (Could We Start Again, Please), while the other (Then We Are Decided) is dropped. As far as I know, that one only appeared in the movie. Too bad; it's a nice tune.
So, let's look at the leads. Minchin has been praised for his performance as Judas; it was a lifelong dream of his to sing the part, and he handles it capably. His Judas is quite snarky, having quite a few literal eye-rolling moments. He gives a sense of 'I know better than the rest of you,' and he is antagonistic toward both Jesus and the other apostles, shoving them aside when they try to talk to him and sitting at the far end of the stage to brood. This develops over the course of the performance; his initial song (Heaven on Their Minds) is excellent, showing Judas as a man who just doesn't really believe that Jesus is what he claims to be.
Mel C is excellent. Her portrayal of Mary Magdalene is a highlight, combining the world-weary wisdom of an 'experienced' woman with the uncertain fears of a woman confronting a man she loves but totally doesn't understand. It's a delicate line, but she walks it well. Her performance of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" is fantastic. She doesn't hog the spotlight, either; she fades into the group of disciples when she's not soloing, never wearing out her welcome.
Now, we come to Ben Forster's performance. First off, his "Gethsemane" is absolutely incredible. The raw emotion he puts into that song just jumps off the screen. Jesus is scared and angry at the same time, desperate to understand why he has to go through the upcoming passion and death. Forster puts everything he's got into this song, and it totally works. One part that especially stands out is the changed line near the end. Originally, Jesus sings, "God, thy will is hard/But you hold every card." In this version, the lyric is changed to: "God, thy will be done/Take your only son." It's quite the change, and I like it a lot. Forster somehow ramps up the emotion in that lyric, to powerful effect. Thumbs up all around.
The problem I have with the rest of his performance is, up until that point in the show, Jesus has been very...off. What do I mean? Well, this Jesus is pissed. And arrogant at times. And he blows off his 'right-hand man' (Judas) multiple times. No wonder Judas finally handed him over to the Pharisees; Jesus was being a complete dick to him from the very start. When Jesus rampages through the temple, overturning the tables and kicking out the moneychangers, the sense is very different. When you watch the 1973 version, or just read the Bible itself, it's a shocking moment; this calm, peaceful rabbi and healer suddenly goes postal in the temple, shocking everyone with the sudden violence. But in this version, it's more like walking into the temple was the trigger point for a man about to become a mass-shooter. It's not surprising that he tears into the merchants and moneylenders; what's surprising is that anyone is surprised that he finally snapped.
The other problem I had with this performance is that Jesus is a little too appreciative of Mary's attentions. Sure, Mel C is still a whole lotta woman in her late 30s/early 40s, but this is supposed to be Jesus Christ, not his horny cousin Randy Christ. But this performance doesn't shy away from the idea that Jesus is just as into Mary as she is into him. It's a bit uncomfortable in a couple of spots.
Overall, I would have to say that this version is a bit disappointing. "Gethsemane" is the highlight, as it should be, and Forster nails it. The rest of it, though, doesn't really work. It's not that it's bad, and the musical performances are excellent, but the production leaves a lot to be desired. Forster's "Gethsemane" is available on youtube; the rest of the show is just so-so, and you won't miss anything if you miss it.
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