Jesus Christ Superstar

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular rock opera is quite a curious beast, starting its journey to the theatre back in the early ‘70s as a form of concept album (remember those, vinyl fans?!) and then becoming a concise rock opera on the stage. Tim Rice’s wonderfully witty lyrics work very well alongside Lloyd Webber’s light rock inspired music, the subject matter adding an interesting element to the enterprise too. It’s a popular show which packs a punch despite its relatively short running time, the lean and propulsive narrative managing to encompass an impressive exploration of the underlying thematic material. Clitheroe’s take on this classic tale proved to be a strong and impressive production with solid performances across the board. It was also perhaps one of the more colourful productions I’ve seen in a long time too, which was refreshing and different. The stage bustled with life throughout and there were some particularly nifty dance routines thrown in for good measure too. This is a show which demands a large degree of focus and commitment from all those on stage bringing their characters to life - there’s absolutely no question of fluffing a line, missing a cue or putting a foot wrong without upending the entire show - and everyone at CPCAODS is to be congratulated for working so well together to bring off this challenging show successfully. 

The band got things off to an uneven start - perhaps unfair of me to say so, as it was the first night and they very soon got into their stride - but Robbie Waugh’s Judas hit the ground running from the first note. This was a very powerful performance and Robbie’s vocal strength matched the intensity of his characterisation throughout the show. The ensemble similarly fizzed with an intensity which bubbled away with their every appearance with some solid characterisations and a  heartfelt engagement with the material. Some very energetic choreography- take a bow Lindsay Pollard - with a hint of the ‘Bollywood’ here and there filled the stage with life and the dancers are to be commended for their pin sharp moves which beautifully demonstrated the commitment of the whole cast to the weighty themes inherent in the piece. 

With Judas opening the show, we’re soon propelled at a whipcrack pace into the final days of Jesus’ life on Earth and this production moved at a steady rate and without pause. Ryan Coe’s Jesus was a very well rounded characterisation which had real depth and soul, making the most of the opportunity to offer up much more than merely presenting the character as just a character in a musical who sings a few range-stretching songs. Ryan’s Jesus was a very well rounded and believable creation, thoughtfully expressed. The trio of Priests who are alarmed and threatened by Jesus’ potential for disruption set the wheels in motion for his eventual fate. I didn’t think they were quite the powerfully antagonistic force they might have been in this production but the vocal contrast was well displayed: Simon Thompson’s bass notes as Caiaphas suggesting his gravitas and depth and Fletcher Illingworth’s Annas much more ‘top end’ vocals giving his character a more hysterical edge. Bob Cleeve as the other priest gave a masterclass in the art of ‘looking confused’ which - fortunately in this case - worked well!

In a cast list heavy with male roles (the Bible isn’t really the place to go for female empowerment or gender equality) Mary Magdalene stands out in JCS and fortunately, Rachael Dootson really made the most of the part. Great vocals and a very different take on ‘that song’ (you know the one!) than I’ve seen before, which was interesting. Add Rachael’s strong showing to the aforementioned dance team’s sterling efforts and this production made a virtue of the talented team of ladies present on stage. David Hulme’s Peter was another well drawn character, especially believable and guilt ridden in Act Two with his denial and Matt Haworth proved to be very zealous in his enthusiasm as Simon. I particularly enjoyed the treatment given to the ‘Simon Zealotes’ number in this production; lively, exuberant and really bringing in the whole ensemble to good effect. I wasn’t as keen on the fact that we had a few female apostles however (and it might be my poor maths at fault here but I’m sure we were an apostle short?) Making the Last Supper a little more gender balanced is one thing but it was a step too far for me! The rafther nifty set of Roman soldiers helped to make up for this however - and very well kitted out they were too. In fact, costumes across the board were colourful and made a lovely change from the usual ‘dark’, ‘urban’ look favoured by many modern productions.

It is when we reach the giddy heights of the top of the social and political ladder of the cast list that we were presented with two very different character interpretations. John Ormerod’s Pilate had a good more steely determination than I’ve seen before and he embodied the pomp and power of Rome very well indeed. Chris Clarke’s Herod was perhaps a little ‘too much’ for my taste; so much flouncing, stomping and twitching in such a short space of time was rather overdoing it for me but there was no denying his brazen enthusiasm! 

As we move through the story, each scene and musical number carries with it a forward momentum which needs the whole cast to be fully behind bringing out the show’s powerful message and the good folk of Clitheroe scored highly here. Jesus and Judas between them are the driving force of this rock opera and once again, it’s worth repeating that Ryan and Robbie gave very impressive performances throughout. Changes of scene were smooth and speedily done with no let up in the action and if I did initially think that the stage looked a little flat and lifeless without a few bodies on it to fill it up, the lighting and staging became much more dynamic in the second act. The crucifixion was handled well too and didn’t outstay it’s welcome by being too ponderous and overwrought, with the eventual resurrection and finale having a celebratory feel which worked well. 

This production scored highly in many areas and gave the appearance of being a labour of love from all concerned. Ryan Coe and Robbie Waugh led from the front with a pair of impressive, committed performances and the ensemble work was also of top notch quality. Taken altogether, this was a very strong production which made the most of the strengths of the cast. My thanks go to all involved for providing a suitably celebratory ending to my tenure as District 3 rep and for giving myself and Stuart a show to remember.  

 

 

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