My Jesus Christ Superstar Quarantine Weekend, Easter 2020

One thing I'll say for him: Jesus is cool.

This weekend gave me the opportunity to watch two live recordings of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar back to back: a recording of the 2012 Jesus Christ Superstar: Live Arena Tour (directed by Laurence Connor) was made available on YouTube for 48 hours, and the 2018 NBC live recording Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (directed by David Leveaux and Alex Rudzinski) was televised again. These two productions, differing completely in conception and execution, have given rise to many questions, first and foremost: What is most important about a Jesus Christ Superstar production for me?

Is it a new and exciting arrangement? A hitherto unseen choreography? A cast whose members are all vocally equipped to handle the demanding parts? Or is it little directorial details that work very well in closeups and intimate theatre spaces?

New arrangements are not a must-have

... but they are always thrilling to listen to. Both the Live Arena Tour and the Live in Concert production have rather traditional arrangements, except for an unfamiliar guitar solo in Damned for All Time in the Live Arena Tour version. However, the creative teams behind both productions understood perfectly how exciting it is to have the band onstage with the actors. At the edges of both stages scaffolds have been raised which allow the musicians to be very close to the action unfolding onstage, and yet, to perform their pieces undisturbed by it. Both productions occasionally include the guitarists in the action, and in the Live in Concert version three violinists and one cellist are now and again among Jesus' followers. The quality of both recordings is pretty impressive, although a few microphones in the Live in Concert version were turned on too early or too late, and there are a few strange moments in the Live Arena Tour production that I hope are glitches in the recording and not what I actually fear is auto-tune.

Settings and the message they might convey

The second thing one notices about Jesus Christ Superstar is the production's setting. The Live Arena Tour version uses massive projections during the overture to make it clear that it is set in our very troubling times, emphasising this point by showing shots of civil unrest and by having TV hosts report ill news about the state of our society. In this production, Jesus is likened to Che Guevara, leading a band of ragtag followers into the territory of a couple of “suits”, who monitor every socio-economic change. King Herod has got his own TV show in which he lets his audience vote for or against Jesus' credibility. Following his arrest, Jesus is constantly hounded by journalists, even after his flogging has left him bloody and unable to stand. 

In contrast, the Live in Concert production takes an entirely different approach and sets Jesus Christ Superstar nowhere in particular. Some of the characters (namely the Pharisees and Pontius Pilate) even wear quite eccentric costumes which add to the feeling of timelessness. The creative team behind this production was clearly more interested in entertaining the audience than in alluding to any parallel goings-on in the real world, which in my opinion is just as well. As important as I think theatre as a mouthpiece can be, I doubt that anyone who saw the Live Arena Tour production with its painfully obvious message about the poor state of our world rethought their life afterwards. Furthermore, I have seen so many productions of Jesus Christ Superstar in the last few years that have tried to shove an allegorical message down my throat that I am now and again grateful for a production that is taken out of time and simply tries to entertain me.

Rethinking choreography and camera work

The choreography of the Live in Concert production of which we get a first taste during the overture is unlike any Jesus Christ Superstar choreography I have seen so far. The lively movement gives the entire production a wonderfully natural flow that practically glued me to the screen. I guess if I had seen this production live that I would have been overwhelmed by all the action on the massive set during specific scenes, so I am all the more grateful for the mostly very neat, though sometimes a bit trippy camera work. 
What the Live in Concert production does another great job of, is to clearly separate the amusing scenes from the harrowing ones. For instance, during King Herod's Song the director of this production successfully centres everyone's attention on the music and King Herod (the fabulous Alice Cooper). I always feel very bad for the actor who plays Jesus during this scene, because I cannot imagine how he keeps from rolling his eyes at the shenanigans he witnesses at the King's court. In the Live in Concert production, Jesus can pull as many faces as he wants, because the camera, and thus, our attention is never focused on his face. This smart decision makes this scene thoroughly enjoyable because for once, I do not feel the need to emphasise with a distressed Jesus.
A further example is Superstar from the same production, which feels like a huge party, celebrating this energetic music and the amazing vocals by Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas Iscariot. Jesus can only be seen for a very brief moment during this celebratory scene, and again, we do not see his battered face. The audience's attention remains focused on the singers and dancers, and this liberating moment can be fully enjoyed before the bitter end.

About the casting
There are singers in both productions who make you feel sure that they are vocally equipped for their role a soon as they open their mouth and sing their first note, like Brandon Victor Dixon (Judas Iscariot) in the Live in Concert production, and Alexander Hanson (Pontius Pilate) and Giovanni Spano (Simon Zealotes) in the Live Arena Tour version. Then there are singers who either first have to prove themselves to your acquired taste or who have such vocally challenging parts that it is initially hard to believe that they can pull it off, like Ben Forster (Jesus), Tim Minchin (Judas), Pete Gallagher (Kaiphas) and Gerard Bentall (Annas) from the Live Arena Tour production. Then there are those whose acting is quite engaging, but whose vocal range is disappointing, like Ben Daniels (Pontius Pilate), those who you thought could sing anything until you see them in a role that is beyond their vocal capabilities, like Norm Lewis (Caiaphas), and lastly, the ones whose voice simply does not work for you in their respective role, like John Legend (Jesus).
Sadly, the cast of the extraordinarily staged Live in Concert production, which the last three examples are from, cannot be compared to the cast of the very sombre Live Arena Tour production, in which every lead performer is vocally equipped for the role they have been cast in. I prefer Jesus Christ Superstar as a rock opera with vocals that pierce my ear drums and make my heart bleed, which Ben Forster as Jesus in the Live Arena Tour production manages superbly, while John Legend in the same role in the Live in Concert version sounds “nice”, which is per se not bad, but also not what I am looking for in Jesus Christ Superstar.

In the end, both productions have their merits: one triumphs because of its excellent casting choices while the other one keeps me hooked thanks to its creative setting and unusual choreography. One breaks my heart and the other one entertains me. I therefore conclude, that what is most important for me about a Jesus Christ Superstar production is a healthy mix of new and daring arrangements, setting, choreography, directorial choices and a cast that is vocally suited for the demanding parts this rock opera has in store. I am very grateful that I got the chance to watch these two outstanding productions that satisfied me in completely different ways this weekend!

As a side note: It is interesting that in both productions mentioned above Caiphas' line “One thing I'll say for him: Jesus is cool” in This Jesus Must Die was replaced with “Infantile sermons, the multitude drools”. A pity, because those odd, out of place lines always made me smile.

The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre, London

Can there be miracles?

The Prince of Egypt, currently running at the Dominion Theatre, is the musical adaption of the 1998 DreamWorks movie of the same name, which featured songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. Stephen Schwartz reworked his songs for the musical and added ten new ones, of which Footprints on The Sand and Never in A Million Years have already been released on YouTube. 

A cast recording has not yet been released, which is a pity, because it was sometimes only with great effort that I could forget the well-known score that accompanies many haunting movie scenes and get accustomed to entirely new tunes on the spot. But apart from the feeling of unfamiliarity that fans of the source material might experience as well as a handful of inexplicable creative decisions that changed some characters and their motivations, The Prince of Egypt is a musical well worth seeing, owing to its dedicated cast, the extraordinary choreography by Sean Cheesman, and the skilful use of the Dominion Theatre stage.

February 22nd, 2020

Although the massive stage of the Dominion Theatre is devoid of scenery for most of the evening, the world of the Book of Exodus is expertly brought to life by a talented dance ensemble of roughly 20 people. The dancers portray everything from the Nile that bears baby Moses to his destiny to the burning bush that he encounters in the desert. Additionally to the lively staging, projections of scenery onto every available surface in the audience’s line of sight and a stage floor that is sloping towards the stalls give the impression that the action might take place amongst the audience itself at a moment's notice, which it eventually does at the end of the show. The tilted stage furthermore allows for well-conceived entrances from the very back of the spacious stage.

Act 1 Scene Breakdown

 
The musical's opening number Deliver Us may be lacking the sense of a monumental Egyptian city populated with hundreds of people that the movie conveyed in its first scene, but it is nevertheless a captivating sequence, with Mercedesz Csampai in the role of Moses’ mother. A little additional dialogue explains Moses' name – “Deliverance” – after which the song ends with an impressive crescendo, just like in the movie.

However, the first scene’s movement and energy is nearly outshone in the musical by the second number in which a more or less grown-up Moses (Luke Brady) and Ramses (Liam Tamne) race each other through the marketplace in chariots (new song: Faster). The chariots are solely comprised of (if I remember correctly) six agile dancers, who move the two protagonists in ways across the stage which make it difficult to believe that the two men are barely covering a distance of (at a guess) five meters throughout the entire scene. They even crash very impressively through a temple wall.
At this moment we get a first glimpse of Hotep, the frosty high priest who thankfully is all that remains of the annoying duo of high priests from the movie. Adam Pearce who plays Hotep has got one of those growling bass voices which is perfect for this kind of villain role. His vocal range reminded me instantly of Norbert Lamla's menacing Claude Frollo voice (Der Glöckner von Notre Dame, 1999). 

Unfortunately, during the next scene in which Ramses is reprimanded by his father for his recklessness, my excitement for the show faded because it now becomes clear that writer Philip LaZebnik tried to create a very easygoing atmosphere. His script is apparently supposed to appeal to today's audiences with ill-fitting words like “snob” that have been added to the ancient Egyptians’ vocabulary. Additionally, the costumes of this particular people are more reminiscent of military officers’ gowns in very light colours and adorned with scores of golden trinkets than of the traditional Egyptian garments that the makers of the original DreamWorks movie animated for us.
A further apparent deviation from the source material in this scene is the personality change of Ramses' farther, who is just as overbearing in the musical as his movie counterpart, but at the same time not half as intimidating and most of the time unsuitably jovial. For me the movie’s once-only mentioned “One weak link can break the chain of a mighty dynasty.” had more impact than an entire song in which the phrase is repeated several times by a character who switches constantly between severity and mirth (new song: One Weak Link). 

After the scene in the throne room, Luke Brady as Moses sings the new song Footprints on The Sand, which is quite a memorable ballad about wanting to leave one’s mark on the world, and about wanting more in life than just being the pharaoh’s second son.

Next, an entirely new character and a side story pop up, which in my opinion exist partly because the creators of the musical wanted to have more women in leading roles – which is really commendable – but also because they had to extend a one-and-a-half-hour movie plot to the usual two-and-a-half-hour runtime of a musical. The new character, Nefertari, is Ramses future wife whose heart he is trying to win in a scene that adds nothing to the story of The Prince of Egypt. Nefertari is only interested in the political importance of their arranged marriage, and the single time she is portrayed as a human being is in her last scene, in which she griefs for her child. A scene that would have been far more effective, if she had shown her capability for tenderness earlier on. Nefertari gets her only song towards the end of the show (new song: Heartless) after which she does not reappear on stage, which makes the ballad as superfluous as Pity the Child in productions of Chess in which this masterpiece is scheduled just before the final showdown (e.g. Oper Graz, 2016). These ballads are inserted too late into their respective shows to add anything to the character or the musical’s plot. 

The following scene marks Tzipporah's entrance, which has been turned into a dance number about freedom (new song: Dance to The Day). Christine Allado as Tzipporah is certainly one of the best things about this musical. Her vocal agility and range are indescribable; her character is strong-willed in an unexaggerated way, and the skilled actress even moves like her movie counterpart. Even her costume looks very similar to Tzipporah's garments in the movie.
But here the story once more deviates from its source material. In the musical Ramses, whose movie counterpart gives Tzipporah to Moses as a slave, is angry when he finds out that Tzipporah escaped through Moses' room and makes his brother promise that he will bring Tzipporah back to Ramses. Moreover, Moses does not help Tzipporah escape like his movie counterpart. She only escapes him and his guards by sheer luck. Again, a scene and character change that does not contribute anything to the story, as far as I am aware of. On the contrary: it makes both protagonists temporarily very unsympathetic. The only thing this scene results in, is a remark in the second act, with which Ramses reminds Moses of the promise he once made to the son of the pharaoh.

The following scene in which Moses leaves his brother and Egypt is once again not as effective as I had hoped, mainly because Moses does not answer Ramses' questions with the chilling movie line “Go ask the man I once called father.” in the musical. But what the creators of the musical understood, is, that the relationship between the two men is the cornerstone of The Prince of Egypt, which is demonstrated by ending the scene with the well-crafted new duet Make it Right, which makes Luke Brady’s and Liam Tamne’s intertwined voices resonate gorgeously throughout the theatre.

After Moses has successfully crossed the desert and arrives at Tzipporah’s camp, he is introduced to the Midianites’ culture by Jethro (Gary Wilmot) and the dance ensemble in a scene which gives the dancers another opportunity to show their amazing skills. Through Heaven’s Eyes is so energetic and infectious that it received probably the heartiest applause of this evening’s show. Contrary to what happens in the movie, Tzipporah and Moses do not get married during this scene. In the musical the timespan that the song covers is not weeks or months, but (at a guess) only a few minutes, because Moses hardly manages to put on a shirt before he has to join the dance that ends the scene.

The following new song Never in A Million Years is about the love between Moses and Tzipporah that blossoms gradually in the musical, and it works very well with Luke Brady’s and Christine Allado’s outstanding voices. 

Sadly, after this quiet and pensive moment, the next scene in which God commands Moses to return to Egypt and free his people is very rushed. It is a scene you might miss if you had a coughing fit right there and then. One of the most emotional scenes in the movie which often leaves me as well as Moses breathless, looks and sounds very good in the musical – with the ensemble voicing God and posing as the burning bush – but is so short that I had no time to feel anything. Thus, I could not grasp at all what Moses might have felt in this moment, and it hardly made sense why he felt obligated to return to Egypt to rescue his people all of a sudden. But return to Egypt he must, so Tzipporah and Moses quickly get married and ready themselves for their journey through the desert.

Interspersed throughout scenes that take place in the Midianites’ camp are glimpses of the Egyptian palace in which Ramses succeeds his father on the throne. Both protagonists have now reached the mindset and developed the personality which they need for their reunion in the second act and the ensuing devastation (new song: Act One Finale).

Act 2 Scene Breakdown

 
The only scene that has not made the transition from screen to West End stage is the demonstration of the high priest’s powers, with which they hoped to intimidate Moses after his return to Egypt. The audience in the Dominion Theatre nevertheless gets to witness a handful of Hotep’s obscure illusions which are sprinkled throughout the evening.

After a very joyful reunion, Ramses and Moses celebrate their bond that is still strong with the new song Always on Your Side, after which Ramses surprisingly and contrary to his movie counterpart’s decision grants Moses’ request to free his people, provided that Moses stays in Egypt and takes his rightful place as prince of Egypt to which the latter grudgingly agrees. As anticipated, shortly after Moses has informed the Hebrews of the pharaoh’s decision and they have started celebrating their freedom (new song: Simcha), a royal decree arrives that revokes Ramses’ promise. Plotwise, this scene is another rather uninspired attempt to stretch the runtime of the musical.

However, the next scene in which Moses turns the Nile’s water to blood is once more a visually striking one, with the entire stage tinged crimson and many garments turning from white to blood-red in mid-scene. The only thing that puts a damper on this moment is Moses’ sister Miriam (Alexia Khadime) who is blessed with “the gift of prophecy” in the musical, which leads her to frequently spout visions in an over-the-top voice that is probably supposed to sound intimidating. Not only endowing Miriam with this peculiar habit but also choosing to make her an outcast among her own people for having visions about the Hebrews’ freedom is a very strange creative decision. In the movie it was simply Miriam’s faith which she held on to all the years she waited for her people’s deliverance. The explanation why the creators of the musical omitted such an important character trait in a story based on the Book of Exodus eludes me.

After the first plague, the rest follow in multitudes in a scene, which does the amazing animation in the respective movie scene credit. I believe that the scene in the musical has even been extended, because although the ensemble gets to sing the original choir lyrics to the tune from the movie soundtrack, Moses and Ramses sing fresh verses accompanied by an unfamiliar, overlapping melody. And even though this means that I did not get to hear the line that cuts straight through my heart every time I hear it in the movie soundtrack – “This was my home. All this pain and devastation, how it tortures me inside.” – the new version of The Plagues works exceedingly well, which is due to a combination of marvellous choreography, breath-taking vocals and stellar lighting.
The only thing that is unnecessary in this scene is the appearance of Ramses’ deceased father who seemingly is the sole reason for the pharaoh’s inhuman choices in the musical. The decision to make Ramses appear human throughout the entire show is clearly foreshadowing a final reconciliation between the two brothers. Apparently, the movie ending with an enraged Ramses who seems to have lost everything was too dark for a musical adaptation.

Next, a new scene is added in which the ensemble acting as God supplies Moses with information that will help all the Hebrews survive the final plague. This is a powerful addition that really got under my skin, because it heavily foreshadows the devastation that is to come, and depicts a spine-tingling meeting which is only briefly mentioned in the movie.

After the last plague has wrought havoc among the Egyptians, Moses griefs for all the lives lost and wonders how he can ever live with the knowledge of all the pain he has caused. The new song For The Rest of My Life has heart-wrenching lyrics, but it cannot live up to the image the movie has forever burned into my mind: a broken prophet sliding down a cracked temple wall, shaking with sobs that are only accompanied by the wailing of countless women.

Fortunately, Miriam and Tzipporah come to console Moses and the audience with When You Believe. The staging here is quite simple, which gives even more weight to this powerful song: Moses and the two women among a few pieces of ruins. The lyrics are first sung only for Moses, and as the scene unfolds, also for his people, who are finally freed from bondage. When You Believe has, except for the orchestration, hardly been altered and exceeds expectations, especially once the entire ensemble has joined in.

The parting of the Red Sea which allows the Hebrews to leave Egypt in the next scene can be counted among the visually most imposing scenes of the musical. With the help of projections the stage of the Dominion seems to stretch back forever, while its sides become the towering masses of water that form a gulf in the Red Sea. After the flight of the Hebrews straight through the audience Moses with Tzipporah at his side stays back to try to appease Ramses, who, as expected, is easily swayed. He lets Moses and Tzipporah go, after Moses has foretold him a bright future for his kingdom. The former brothers part as friends.
It follows that in the musical the solders under Hotep's command attempt to hunt the Hebrews down, which causes the towering water to cave in. Very impressively, the stage begins to tilt at an ever steeper angle until most of the Pharaoh’s soldiers have either been flung off into the “sea” on both sides or slid helplessly towards the audience until they have landed in front of the first row. 

After this scene, the show closes with Act Two Finale.

Tanisha Spring, Adam Pearce, Gary Wilmot, Christine Allado,
Luke Brady, Liam Tamne, Alexia Khadime, Joe Dixon,
Debbie Kurup and Silas Wyatt-Barke

Sadly, The Prince of Egypt is a show that overall has not touched me the same way as its source material. I dearly hope that a cast recording of this production will be released soon, because I have already forgotten what some of the new songs that Stephen Schwartz wrote for this musical sound like. And I furthermore hope that this musical will run long enough at the West End for me to catch it a second time, so that I may find in it what I could not find the first time.