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Christ is very stressed, man
The Connecticut Repertory Theater has restored the raucous rock opera of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to its 1970s origins, with a chorus of hippies, some interpolations of Motown-esque and an implacable. Anti-authoritarian vibe.
It's a rather dark vision – dark and nasty rather than fast and noisy. The show, which concludes CT Rep's 2018 Nutmeg Summer Series, continues until July 22nd.
In this eye-catching production, the iconic characters of this modern take on the arch-Biblical attitudes of the New Testament and hold it
Reviewer: Willesden Pianist Lane & # 39; at Hartford Stage »
Some of the most original interpretations work much better than others. Sasha Renae Brown brings Soul / R & B techniques to Mary Magdalene's soothing love songs – songs that, in the '70s and' 80s, were the realm of folk-pop and soft-rock singers such as Helen Reddy and Judy Collins. Brown's solos of "All is well", "I do not know how to like it" and "Can we do it again please?" Are uplifting just when you need a break from all the darkness and pain.
Jonathan Cobrda a spirited performance like Pontius Pilate. He screams and waits and seems very bored of having to be in the same room as Jesus Christ. It's a consistent, focused and energetic representation with high doses of comedy and brutality. Yet, Pilate is a character we are used to seeing transformed by his interactions with Jesus, as the crucifixion of the savior comes closer. Cobrda's Pilate is also perplexed and repelled when seen for the first time, as it does many scenes later. No development, yet entertaining nonetheless.
The most problematic is Jesus himself. Tim Rice's booklet is brilliant in the way it allows us to see Jesus differently from what he is usually represented on stage. Here he is full of contradictions, has a variety of human flaws, and his leadership qualities are openly questioned.
But most of the time, he is upset and angry and anxious. Alex Prakken plays this edgy and edgy angle up to the hilt. But it rarely shows the beatific behavior, the calm and contemplative way or the convincing rhetorical skills that presumably made Jesus popular in the first place. In this production, you wonder very early why he still has followers. When he visits the uncontrollable temple of Jerusalem, Jesus panics, kicks and shouts before properly explaining his problems. ("My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!")
The first character to sting Christ and incur his anger is of course Judas Iscariot, who is the true star of "Jesus Christ Superstar". Ryan Vona sings loudly and brings an 80s rock star touch to the role, but is not strong enough to withstand God's evil prokken son. When Jesus and Judas enter a jostled match, Jesus is by far the most menacing character.
Prakken sings some of the most vulnerable and intriguing numbers of Christ through clenched teeth and with a scowling expression. He is defensive rather than thoughtful. When he intones "Why should I die?", He acts more as an open question than a philosophical statement.
Who would think that you should worry about establishing the character of Jesus Christ? It turns out that you do. I've seen a lot of dark and incessant productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" but never one where I cared so little about the title character
That does not help that director Terrence Mann has transformed the character. opening of the show in encapsulation. of all the plot, with the apostles of Jesus dancing while Pilate, Ciaphas (Tyler Grigsby, quietly menacing) and Annas (Bryan Mittelstadt, amusing weaselly) arch their eyebrows and point their fingers with contempt. It's too heavy and busy an image to hit with right away. The whole show becomes about the persecution. We are unfortunately distracted from thinking about hope, peace and the afterlife.
It is always nice to see a fully featured "Jesus Christ Superstar". So many productions nowadays are concert-style with minimal decorations and accessories. Some of Mann's most enjoyable directional touches are a Leonardo DaVinci-esque Last Supper painting and a first-act ending that turns the croon villain from "Bravo Judas, Good Old Judas" into a chilling choral harmony.
Begin when a guitarist takes out a guitar from a box on stage and plays the first memorable notes of Lloyd Webber's score, the seven-piece orchestra does not finish as low as possible. There are some awesome drum solos and occasional bursts of creativity on the keyboards, but otherwise the band is cautious and stable.
During the July 13 performance, Simon Longnight (just as keen and kind as he was this season at CT Rep in "Disaster!") Pitched in his big act number one act as Simon Zealotes ("You'll have power and glory") with a dysfunctional microphone. The band immediately adjusted their game so Longnight's voice could be heard over the music.
This is the kind of moment that made this clbadic rock music work better as "rock" than "musical". with the instinct to look good to the singer. The songs sound better as isolated showcases than when they are overtaken by the "game". The crowd numbers (choreographed by Christopher of Amboise) are filled with a joyful abandon, as if these first generation Christians were frolicking in an outdoor festival.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR plays until July 22 at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theater, 2132 Hillside Road on the UConn campus in Storrs. The remaining shows are Tuesday to Thursday at 19:30, Friday at 20h, Saturday at 14h and 20h. and Sunday at 2 pm Tickets are $ 15 to $ 60. 860-486-2113, crt.uconn.edu.
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