WOS TV: Behind the scenes with Jesus Christ Superstar

Ahead of the premiere of the new arena tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Chris Superstar on Friday (21 September 2012), Whatsonstage.com went behind the scenes to find out what audiences can expect from this blockbuster revival.

Ben Forster, who won the ITV casting show Superstar (see video interview below), plays the title role, and is joined in the cast by Tim Minchin as Judas, Melanie C as Mary and Chris Moyles as Herod.

Tim Minchin (Judas), Ben Forster (Jesus), Mel C (Mary) & Chris Moyles (Herod)

Laurence Connor's production is set in the present day, and features Herod reimagined as a talk show host, a grunge-inspired Mary Magdalene and Judas with dreadlocks. Connor's stated aim was to get back to the 1971 musical's rock opera roots, and from the glimpse we saw in rehearsals, he certainly seems to be doing that.

Speaking to Whatsonstage.com at a break in rehearsals in Acton, Chris Moyles, who recently retired from the Radio 1 Breakfast show, said it was a "novelty" having to work after 10am in the morning.

Moyles, who has slimmed down significantly ahead of the tour, added: "I've got the best role in the show - one song that I’m going to nail and everyone else has got at least two! I’m the luckiest one ... I just want to get on with it now."

Of the concept, he said: "I’m like a Saturday night, cheesy television host who looks fabulous and is doing a show with the Jesus of that particular week. I get to play with all the cameras, but I don’t get to look at the audience, or anybody in fact ... it's completely different."

Mel C, who was last on stage in Blood Brothers (for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award), described her latest theatre role as "a fantastic experience".

"We've got a wonderful cast, a great band, amazing director; it’s been so lovely and such a fun show to work on because there’s not been any stress, it’s been very productive in a very positive way," she added. "Now we just want to get out there and see the audience’s reaction."

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said recently: “Tim (Rice) and I have always wanted to take Superstar back to its roots and we are both delighted that it will finally play an arena tour in the UK in venues where many of the world’s great rock acts have gone before. We’re thrilled to have such great talent in the cast for the new show – they are all true ambassadors of UK entertainment.”

The Jesus Christ Superstar tour kicks off at London's O2 Arena tomorrow (21 September), before visiting: Glasgow SECC (25 September), Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (28 September), Manchester Arena (30 September), Cardiff Motorpoint (2 October), Birmingham NIA (4 October), Belfast Odyssey (9 October), Dublin O2 (12 October), Liverpool Echo Arena (16 October), Wembley Arena (17 October) and Sheffield Motorpoint (21 October).

The last major London production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which tells of the political and interpersonal struggles of Judas Iscariot and Jesus, was at the Lyceum Theatre in 1997. The show includes hits such as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, “Gethsemane” and “Superstar”, and has proved one of the most popular of the Lloyd Webber/Rice collaborations.

- by Theo Bosanquet

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
	Jesus Christ Superstar Listing Page

Internal Links
	Review Round-up: Are Forster, Minchin, Moyles & Mel C Superstars? - 24th Sep 2012 roundup
	Jesus Christ Superstar - 24th Sep 2012 reviews
	1st Night Photos: Lloyd Webber praises cast at Superstar premiere - 22nd Sep 2012 photos
	Superstar Update Mel C, on Playing a Modern Day Mary - 12th Sep 2012 interviews
	Superstar Update Ben Forster, Living the Dream - 7th Sep 2012 interviews
	You could still be Jesus – and Judas - 28th Aug 2012 features
	Superstar Interviews -The Winner: Ben Forster - 6th Aug 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Rory Taylor - 30th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Roger Wright - 29th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: David Hunter - 26th Jul 2012 interviews
	Ben Forster wins ITV's Superstar to play arena Jesus - 26th Jul 2012 news
	Superstar Interviews: Jon Moses - 25th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Jeff Anderson - 25th Jul 2012 interviews
	Are there really 'few leading men' in the West End? - 25th Jul 2012 features
	Superstar Interviews: Tim Prottey-Jones - 24th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar blog: Tweetgate - 24th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Semi-final time - 24th Jul 2012 blog
	Mel C spices up charts with Superstar showtune? - 23rd Jul 2012 gossip
	Superstar Interviews: Niall Sheehy - 23rd Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Dirk Johnston - 23rd Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar blog: You nailed it - 21st Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Who does the Lord want? - 20th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Another one bites the dust - 19th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The second evictee - 18th Jul 2012 blog
	Matinee performance added for Superstar at the O2 Arena - 17th Jul 2012 news
	Superstar blog: The first exit - 17th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: First live show - 16th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The final ten - 14th Jul 2012 blog
	Jesus: Have you checked out the new Superstar app? - 9th Jul 2012 gossip
	Superstar blog: Episode two - the island - 8th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Opening show auditions - 7th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The search for Jesus Christ is almost complete - 1st Jul 2012 blog
	Lloyd Webber's Superstar confirms first broadcast, 7 Jul - 28th Jun 2012 news
	First Superstar UK tour to play in Newcastle - 20th May 2012 news
	Superstar blog: Jesus Christ & other miscasting - 17th May 2012 blog
	Chris Moyles & Mel C join Tim Minchin in Superstar - 16th May 2012 news
	Minchin makes another musical debut as Judas in Superstar - 8th May 2012 news
	Dawn French returns to pious performance with Superstar? - 17th Apr 2012 gossip
	Will Amanda Holden host ITV's search for a Jesus Christ Superstar? - 28th Mar 2012 gossip
	Lloyd Webber & ITV team up to search for Superstar - 18th Jan 2012 news
	Lloyd Webber Readies Jesus Christ Superstar for World Arena Tour??? - 10th Mar 2011 gossip