The Crucifixion and Resurrection

Last night, I watched the rebooted Jesus Christ, Superstar!

Here's what one of the critics (Variety) said:

This musical threw together glitter, sequins, leather, writhing hotties, a few big performances pitched to the last row, and camerawork that often felt as though it was hopped up on too many lattes. Actually, the ragged edges of a unifying concept did emerge over the course of the NBC musical’s two-hour-and-20-minute running time: If that philosophy could be summed up in one word, “excess” would just about cover it.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But this live show was a lot.

I have to agree. It was too much emphasis on production, glitz, show-stopping performances (not that they were technically that great, for the most part - the voices were often drowned by the music), and a frenzied amping up the pace with gyrating dancers whenever possible.

The singer playing Mary Magdalene was fine - not quite up to the original, but fine. It was the staging that disturbed me. Her hands were all over the Christ - caressing, wandering into spaces that hands should not, overly seductive and inappropriate. At one point, Jesus lays down for some sleep, and Mary caresses the length of him, seemingly fondling him to a sated state.

Not only weird, but - wrong, just wrong.

Jesus, as played by John Legend, had an acceptable voice. He was miked, as were all the cast (I remember those Broadway days when singers could PROJECT!). Too many of the casts' songs were drowned out by a too-loud orchestra, even with the technical assist.

It was his interpretation of Jesus that I questioned. He seemed to display puzzlement at all the events of Passion Week - hadn't he been the Master Planner, and not just a passive Follower of Whatever Happened? You couldn't' tell from his expression.

He did not seem to be in control of his followers, either. Instead, he ineffectually pleaded with them to get along. Come on, man! Show some spine! Jesus, despite his 70's image, was not some Ghandi-like believer in passivity. He acted. He defied. He lead.

Did I like it? I wouldn't have paid for it. If I had, I'd be in the manager's office, demanding my money back.

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