Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR: the 50th Anniversary Tour rocks the Queen Elizabeth Theatre!

This month, Broadway Across Canada brought JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR: the 50th Anniversary Tour to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. This musical phenomenon is a rock-opera showcasing Jesus Christ's final days leading up to his crucifixion. The story borrows from the Gospels' telling of the Passion depicting Judas' betrayal of Jesus and all of the conflicts and repercussions associated with it. With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, the musical made its Broadway debut in 1971 and was the longest running musical in the West End at one point. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was a high energy musical with outstanding music and visual effects.

The music of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was outstanding. As it was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, I wasn't surprised that I was drawn to it immediately. Right from the start with the "Overture" and "Heaven On Their Minds" the show is immediately high energy. Being completely sung through, the musical's placement of fast and slow songs matched the flow of the story and allowed for smooth transition between scenes.

Looking back on the musical as a whole, I think what really captivated people's attention were the upbeat numbers featuring catchy rhythms, loud singing, and heightened emotions. Seeing those numbers unfold on stage with the large cast were breathtaking to watch. In addition, the lighting design by Lee Curran and hair and costume design by Tom Scutt helped those numbers become modern in contrast to the old time period of the musical. The neutral and simple tones of the basic clothing each cast member wore combined with the use of spotlights and dim toned lighting caught my eye multiple times. As we see a lot of this vibe and tone used in the fashion industry and popular media currently, I think it was an interesting direction to go with.

The cast was led by Jack Hopewell (Jesus), Elvie Ellis (Judas), and Faith Jones (Mary). To say they performed well would be an understatement. Their singing, acting, and overall performance was incredible. The passion they put forth during their solo moments and during the larger numbers was genuinely remarkable. Jack Hopewell's vocal range was incredible. Hearing him effortlessly produce high notes was insane. In addition to his outstanding vocals, his passion and emotion was very powerful to see, especially at the ending of the show. Elvie Ellis was a powerhouse from the start. I appreciated his tenacity with his relationship with other characters and his emotion during his peak solo moments. Lastly, Faith Jones' strong voice had me hooked right away. Her strong stage presence reinforced her confidence in both her acting and vocals. She did an excellent job of maintaining calmness amidst the chaos of the other characters.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was an exhilarating show to watch. From beginning to end, it was captivating, exciting, and dynamic. For those not familiar with Jesus Christ and the religious stories associated, the musical can be hard to follow. Additionally, it is easy to get distracted by the intense musical performance, resulting in the story getting lost in the chaos. I think that the show would definitely be appreciated more by an older audience due to the complexity of the subject matter.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR: the 50th Anniversary Tour played at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver from November 15th to 20th. The tour will play next in Knoxville, Tennessee from November 29th to December 4th at the Tennessee Theatre.

Photo: Jack Hopewell in the North American Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

 

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