Jesus Christ Superstar

Behind every great production there is a great team, words which are particularly representative of BMCDS performance of this intense, iconic musical. Strong discipline and keen precision infiltrated the stage, the majority young cast breathing new life and a powerful reality to the story of the last week of Christ’s life.
Using projection and gauze, opening visual impact was powerful and telling, not quite matched by a slightly ‘sleepy’ overture with low vocal amplification. Within minutes, all taken securely in hand, the apparentness of the show’s capacity captured the audience, with a modern day approach bringing the proceedings into the realms of a possible ‘today happening’.
Sensitively cast with each character clearly defined, they took every opportunity to relay the drama of the fickleness of public opinion and the ensuing inevitability of it all. Lead voices were sublime with musical arrangements a wizardry of acrobatics. Caiaphas and the priests effortlessly jumped from rich bass to strong alto with a fabulous tone, in their powerful ‘This Jesus Must Die’ leaving goose bumps, not for the last time in this production.
Chorus presented as one without losing their individual characters, responsive with great faces, their vocals were generally strong, although there was an occasional tendency to lose power at the end of songs. This was evident in ‘The Temple’, diction needed more attack and to be almost ‘spat’ out, while some one-liners were inaudible. The brutality inflicted on Jesus was powerful, made all the more so by chorus displaying a disturbing air of grim satisfaction in their reality. That really rocked the core!
 Choreography was sporadic as expected in this show without much opportunity offered to let rip! The angelic chorus provided a visual treat during ‘Superstar’, wings and white raincoats!  Nice touch.  
The talents of leading cast were impressive, a demanding score pulls on the strength of voice and singer but all managed the wide ranging octaves satisfactorily, acting with believability and conviction. Jesus (Edward Gist) obviously dug deep to find the maturity and level of emotion shown. An admirable understanding of his tortuous character revealed a depth not usually associated with young years. ‘Gethsemane’ held the audience, a ‘wow’ performance, not totally note perfect, but then why would it be? We wanted to believe every word and it was delivered! In contrast Mary (Elizabeth Williams) showed spirit and empathy, her edgy voice, while different from that usually associated with the character, had a smokiness that suited the characterization. Dare I say, I preferred it to the original!
How to frazzle a brain, take one unimposing steel cross, place Jesus upon it, wait for that expected  surge of emotion which doesn’t quite arrive. Meanwhile the band (magnificent, by the way) gradually and competently whip up a fervent  flurry of notes, completely overtaking what is expected, where is that moment? Relief, crescendo stillness and grief, the silence spoke for itself, leaving a picture that will long remain in the mind. The following quick, understated finale was exactly right, taking nothing away from this moving, gritty production.

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