The much anticipated revival of Jesus Christ Superstar – a restaging of the recent London production – has arrived at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre in a blaze of publicity befitting its rock star lineage.
The show has a legacy of fine rock singers in its lead roles, including Jon English, Marcia Hines, Jon Stevens and John Farnham – to name but a few of the stellar talents to interpret this piece of musical theatre in Australia.
This production introduces us to Michael Paynter and Javon King in the roles of Jesus and Judas, and they rise to the occasion magnificently. Both have incredible voices and take the music to another plane entirely as they showcase their immense vocal prowess. Focused, appealing and immensely talented, these two men carry the show with the confidence of true stars.
They are impeccably supported by the legendary Mahalia Barnes (as Mary) who shines with an honest, earthy and touching rendition of the character, landing some of the better-known numbers of the show with the ease of a truly seasoned professional. And Reuben Kaye as Herod is an inspired piece of casting, particular given his previous comedic controversies with the church. He is every bit as fabulous as you would expect. Genius at work.
The rest of the ensemble are for the most part impressive enough, although there are a couple of missteps in the vocal casting of the minor principals that are surprising given that the production appears to be focused primarily on vocal skills rather than acting experience or storytelling.
And that, I think, is also this production’s key weakness. It doesn’t quite know if it is a concert or a stage show and Timothy Sheader’s production has elements of both without ever really being either. This is also reflected in Tom Scutt’s set, which has elements of traditional staging and then a few stacks of road-cases thrown in for good measure. It’s obviously intentional, but also not particularly successful.
The design just feels confusing and full of missed opportunities. The production has also chosen to use handheld mics, which references both the legacy of the work’s previous incarnations and its rock concert nature and, while they are handled with great skill, they also limit the staging opportunities.
Then there are the inexplicable guitar props that are never really used convincingly and just seem to clutter the performers and get in the way. Paynter’s ‘Gethsemene’ is unique and wonderful, but never really gets off the ground until he ditches the unnecessary guitar.
So musically, this production certainly succeeds in a number of ways and is worth a visit for the vocal talent alone. But given they are working with one of the ‘greatest stories’ ever told, the storytelling is much less successful.
The journey of this musical’s tale is surprisingly incomprehensible despite its general familiarity. This reviewer knows the show well, but my companion did not and found it rather confusing. Diction is often sacrificed in favour of hitting the big note, so unless you know the songs – and let’s face it many do – then some of the nuance is lost. The staging while visually inventive at times, does little to actually support the action of the scenes.
The choreography does rather feel like we are at a poor man’s Sia concert and Judas’ death simply doesn’t have any impact. The talent is certainly more impressive than the directorial choices.
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So, if you are familiar with the story, and want to hear some amazing voices, you should rush to get a ticket. It really is an episode of The Voice on steroids and is immensely satisfying on that level. But if you aren’t familiar with the show or are more interested in the storytelling magic that theatre offers, then you may feel less rewarded.
Jesus Christ Superstar
Capitol Theatre, Sydney
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Tim Rice
Director: Timothy Sheader
Choreographer: Drew McOnie
Designer: Tom Scutt
Musical Supervisor: Tom Deering
Lighting Designer: Lee Curran
Sound Designer: Nick Lidster for Autograph
Cast: Michael Paynter, Robert Tripolino (Perth) Javon King, Mahalia Barnes, Reuben Kaye, Peter Murphy, Elliot Baker, John O’Hara, Joshua Dormor, Darcey Eagle, Josh Gates, Samuel Harmon, Melanie Hawkins, Marie Ikonomou, Graeme Isaako, Ethan Jones, Tana Laga’aia, Bella Massey, Danielle Matthews, Calista Nelmes, Adam Noviello, Stellar Perry, Nathan Pinnell, Daniel Raso, Clay Roberts, Josh Spiniello, Bree Tipoko, Liam Wigney
Tickets: $99-$149
VIP Packages: $193.90-$274.90
Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed in Sydney until 26 January 2025 before touring to other Australian capital cities.
