987 replies to this topic

[Reich]

Yesterdays matinee started 30 minutes late with no explanation

Take a coat as the venue is freezing and I doubt the production will warm your heart

JCS, lots happens but the characters don't actually develop in anyway. With a good director and in venue that isn't the size of the Hadron Collider these issues can be addressed. Come back Gale Edwards and the excellent Lyceum production ... Still Andrew Lewd Rubber will be making fortune from this so all is not lost!

Mel C demonstrated that she can't sing. Tm Minchin and the Ben Forster are good but it's difficult to rate in a venue like this. Alex Hanson seemed to be an excellent actor who could sing and be heard. I also liked Chris Moyles for the 5 minutes he was on stage

The concept. hmmm. Cheap and nasty set. The live riot footage was forgotten about after the overture. Then we had to rely on some coursework from a pupil in year 7 who is studying CGI animation. The Passion with Michael Sheen and the NT's Timon of Athens is borrowed for the rest of the show. The dancers do lots of back flips sometimes it's seems appropriate other times for example Peter's Denial it just seems dam strange or maybe the director thought it was a boring bit that needed jazzing up. Towards the end we are given Guantanamo Bay and Nazi Prison Camp. I thought Robert Mugabe was going to be wheeled on next ...

Technically it was mess with missed mic cues, the show stopping towards the end (although we did get an apology this time) i wouln't be suprised if lighting cues were also missed. the camera work was shoddy, it was quite rare to get a complete faceshot most of the time the forehead was missing. During the curtain all we got was crotch shots - what a cock up

[bickypeg]

Love it!

[DanielWhit]

Reich, on 23 September 2012 - 12:52 PM, said:

Technically it was mess with missed mic cues, the show stopping towards the end (although we did get an apology this time) i wouln't be suprised if lighting cues were also missed. the camera work was shoddy, it was quite rare to get a complete faceshot most of the time the forehead was missing. During the curtain all we got was crotch shots - what a cock up

That's better than what we got on Friday - no crotch shots or indeed any shots whatsoever during the curtain call.

[*Beatrice*]

SKYWALKER, on 23 September 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

I went last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tim Minchin didn't quite work for me, but that is a nearly impossible part to get right...acting wise, he was fine. Singing wise, not so great for me. His death was very cool though and we're still wondering how it was done...that scene was very effective.

I enjoyed Ben very much and he got far more applause than anyone else which surprised me.  I agree that the size of the arena made it hard to really get into the emotions of the show.

For me, the supporting cast were amazing. I loved all three of the baddies and they did much with so little. True veterans of the stage.

Agree with above poster that I can't see anyone else doing it. I wonder what Tim Rice would've made of it as he was so opposed to the whole contest thing.

Interesting that you didn't like Tim Minchin but I respect your view. It was that he was so different to any other Judas and therefore such a contrast that made him work for me. I didn't even mind his voice. I just can't see an established WE man in the role. The priests were also incredibly diifferent as was Herod. In fact everyone was different, MM included!  King Herod's Song was perfomed well by a cheeky Chris Moyles in TV presenter mode and I liked the references to TV  'Lord or fraud - text now!' There was something quite X-Factorish too but I can't remember what it was. Anyone? IMO it was not ham-fisted. There was actually a hell of a lot going on. It was at times quite suitably loud and in your face. At other times it was more subtle. For example - in Pilate's scenes. I really got his dilemma. In fact I liked the juxtapositions between Pilate, the priests, the media, MM, JI  and JC. The opposition to the 'religious' establishment was well asserted and it worked for me because it showed over time; nothing changes. JCS showed a clear truism. So, overall it wasn't a cosy WE production.  It was far rawer, it was a change and I like it.

[freckles]

*Beatrice*, on 23 September 2012 - 04:16 PM, said:

King Herod's Song was perfomed well by a cheeky Chris Moyles in TV presenter mode and I liked the references to TV  'Lord or fraud - text now!' There was something quite X-Factorish too but I can't remember what it was. Anyone? I

After the Lord/Fraud text vote reference, the big screen flashed "RESULTS", which was very X Factor...

[SKYWALKER]

*Beatrice*, on 23 September 2012 - 04:16 PM, said:

Interesting that you didn't like Tim Minchin but I respect your view. It was that he was so different to any other Judas and therefore such a contrast that made him work for me. I didn't even mind his voice. I just can't see an established WE man in the role. The priests were also incredibly diifferent as was Herod. In fact everyone was different, MM included!  King Herod's Song was perfomed well by a cheeky Chris Moyles in TV presenter mode and I liked the references to TV  'Lord or fraud - text now!' There was something quite X-Factorish too but I can't remember what it was. Anyone? IMO it was not ham-fisted. There was actually a hell of a lot going on. It was at times quite suitably loud and in your face. At other times it was more subtle. For example - in Pilate's scenes. I really got his dilemma. In fact I liked the juxtapositions between Pilate, the priests, the media, MM, JI  and JC. The opposition to the 'religious' establishment was well asserted and it worked for me because it showed over time; nothing changes. JCS showed a clear truism. So, overall it wasn't a cosy WE production.  It was far rawer, it was a change and I like it.

To be fair, I am a devout Carl Anderson fan, so anyone is going to have a hell of a battle to impress me. he did MUCH better than I thought as I saw him on Jonathan Ross and was appalled at the nasalness...but, but, but, still not the rock singer that I would've liked seeing. I didn't feel any connection between him and Jesus as much as I hoped, which was disappointing. There was a bit in the film that I loved and which always makes me cry during Everything's Alright when Jesus sings "you'll be sorry when i'm gone" to Judas and they're clinging hands before he lets go. It's such a powerful scene and Judas looks so torn. I didn't get that from Tim Minchin. He never seemed torn or feeling anything for Jesus. I thought that was a missed bit.

[Teisted1]

Still think the line god thy will be done. Take your only son during gethsemane very strange. As its a real contradiction to everything that comes after in act 2 during the scenes with Pilate. Anyone else ?

[*Beatrice*]

Teisted1, on 23 September 2012 - 05:00 PM, said:

Still think the line god thy will be done. Take your only son during gethsemane very strange. As its a real contradiction to everything that comes after in act 2 during the scenes with Pilate. Anyone else ?

i noticed it had been changed. 'God thy will is hard.'  Could be seen as a bit rude. Or is it just me?!

freckles, on 23 September 2012 - 04:43 PM, said:

After the Lord/Fraud text vote reference, the big screen flashed "RESULTS", which was very X Factor...

Thanks.x

SKYWALKER, on 23 September 2012 - 04:46 PM, said:

To be fair, I am a devout Carl Anderson fan, so anyone is going to have a hell of a battle to impress me. he did MUCH better than I thought as I saw him on Jonathan Ross and was appalled at the nasalness...but, but, but, still not the rock singer that I would've liked seeing. I didn't feel any connection between him and Jesus as much as I hoped, which was disappointing. There was a bit in the film that I loved and which always makes me cry during Everything's Alright when Jesus sings "you'll be sorry when i'm gone" to Judas and they're clinging hands before he lets go. It's such a powerful scene and Judas looks so torn. I didn't get that from Tim Minchin. He never seemed torn or feeling anything for Jesus. I thought that was a missed bit.

I suppose it's just a matter of preference. I never really cared for that film. It seems to me that the arena JCS was a fast paced piece without time for too much sentimentality. I saw that as representative of the whole modern approach to the show and symptomatic of a dog-eat-dog society  I suppose these different interpretations are what sustains JCS's popularity as a rock opera. For example, there isn't the scope to do it with TR's & ALW's Joseph. Also  Starlight Express has no scope whatsoever.

[johartuk]

What sustains JCS's popularity as a Rock Opera are the music and lyrics.  Productions come and go, but the music and lyrics have endured for over 40 years and will endure long after the current arena tour is forgotten.

[*Beatrice*]

Productions of JCS do indeed come and go.  I've managed to see 6 entirely different productions; 4 on stage and the 2 film versions. Since it was written, there have been countless productions of JCS. Some of the many posters for these diverse and different productions are in the arena tour programme. It's hardly suprising then, that the music and lyrics will most likely endure after the majority of productions and those talented enough to have taken part will have been forgotten.