Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Tim Rice
PeeWee Productions
AIS Arena
2 – 7 June 2015
Reviewed by Samara Purnell
Photograph by Samara Purnell
Everything’s alright, yes,
everything’s fine:
Grand finalist from The Voice and one of the Ten Tenors to play Jesus – check
Michael Falzon in the role of Judas –
check
Ginormous, neon, flashing Cross –
check
Jesus suspended two storeys off the
stage – check
Enough heating to silence even the grumbliest
of cold Canberrans – check.
Staging a show at the AIS Arena, one
may worry that the production will lack atmosphere or rich, full sound, or lighting
and staging dramatic enough to fill the cavernous space, especially when not
packed to the rafters. However, this production of Jesus Christ Superstar, produced
by the newly formed PeeWee Productions, and with Stephen Pike directing, has
managed to overcome these hurdles.
Jesus is portrayed (blonde and
youthfully clean-cut) by Luke Kennedy, who gives an understated and controlled performance.
Pike’s direction has several of the leads perform solos with relatively little
movement and drama, which firmly plants the attention on the singing and production
elements.
In Kennedy’s case, this reaches a
crescendo in 'Gethsemane', where his incredible vocal range and beautiful
timbre is starkly on display. By the time he hits tenor top C the wow factor
has definitely set in.
Opposite Kennedy’s Jesus, Michael
Falzon gives an intense performance as Judas, tortured and unpredictable (to
all but Jesus). Falzon’s singing was strong, assured and rich and his dramatic,
slightly maniacal interpretation of the role built the suspense before his
dramatic demise.
Jenna Roberts, a local performer
becoming well established as a leading actress and singer, gives Mary Magdalene
a clean-cut twist, delivering her solos with a pretty vibrato and bringing
empathy and vulnerability to the role. Her duet ‘Could we start again please?’
was beautifully sung and staged, complimented by the smooth, warm voice of Nick
Valois as the repentant Peter. It was quite poignant and one of the highlights
of the evening.
Max Gambale’s ‘Pilate’s Dream’ was definitely
another and startlingly beautiful. It took a glimpse at the programme to
discover he’s a local with a job at Questacon and studying physics, not a full
time singer!
Another stand-out was Will Huang,
whose assured, albeit brief solos and stage presence in the role of Simon
Zealotes, impressed.
There were a few minor pitch issues
here and there in some solos and on occasion the timing between the singers and
the orchestra at the end of numbers, was a fraction out. Not enough to detract
significantly from the show.
‘Hosanna’ and ‘Heal me’ were highlight
ensemble numbers, both vocally and choreographically - the latter staged to
great effect.
The choreographic challenge is to
take what was created as a rock opera, written in a psychedelic, hippie genre,
performed primarily in Roman, biblical garb and make it cohesive, or to modernize
it. Jordan Kelly’s energetic choreography succeeded in this, for the most part,
utilizing the multi-level stage well. In patches though, the choreography was
too sharp and precisely executed for the looser, hippie origins of Jesus Christ
Superstar, so it came across as juxtaposed with the lyrics and genre.
The costumes had an impressive
palette of both muted and regal colours. The High Priests looked like
Intergalactic beings, imposing, with rubber smocks and blue mohawks. Jesus’
sneakers and Mary’s ballet flats seemed incongruous.
It was a strong ensemble performance
all round both physically and vocally but toward the end of the show, the dramatic
tension that had been building was broken by the ensemble’s change into
stock-standard black pants and coloured t-shirts, and the choreography of the
title song.
Musical Director Ian McLean, who was
instrumental (pardon the pun) in getting the production staged, has updated the
score considerably, to great effect, and when the first orchestral notes of ‘Jesus
Christ Superstar’ fill the arena, it’s a goosebumps moment. Chris Neal has
ensured good sound balance between the performers and the orchestra.
It’s an impressive light show by
Phil Goodwin, notably so in the Garden of Gethsemane sequence, and culminating
in the full kitsch, flashy crucifixion scene.
A really well rounded show and a very
engrossing night at the arena!
So. That’s the buzz – that’s what’s a-happening…
