Jesus Christ Superstar - Regents Park Open Air / Barbican

Nope, nothing been mentioned since. I've heard a venue it's looking at but i dont know the likelihood of it. ALW making a decision this week apparently 

You would find it difficult to screw up such a gem but this production has big flaws which make me believe it couldn't possibly be a long runner as it stands.

Some of my comments may not be exclusive to the production ie I don't know for sure if some of the lyrics have been changed before and this production has kept those changes. I have to say practically none of these changes, though they are minor, are for the better.

There are technical problems - Jesus distinctly said "There's no volume!" after one of his lines was not heard - and I wondered why more of the main characters had to carry their own mikes. This affects their mobility and creates a rock-concert vibe on many occasions where the cast are stage front singing at the audience, rather than each other. And this is one of the problems in the production, really not enough interaction between characters. A weird use of space means that even though the Regent's Park stage isn't huge at times the actors are bawling at each other from distance when the moment is supposed to be a close-up confrontation or other moment of intimacy.

Allied to this is the unwillingness to marry some of the singing to the action and to point it. These are not “songs” they are sung dialogue and there is meaning behind them which has to be put across.

The transitions from the flogging to the climactic "Superstar" to the crucifixion were rushed.

There is nothing particularly wrong with the cast but there is little overwhelmingly right about it either. Some good voices, notably Judas (Tyrone Huntly), Mary (Anoushka Lucas) and Caiaphas (Cavin Cornwall).

On the positive side, Caiaphas and the priests as some kind of doo-wop or boy band outfit is an innovation which works. Annas (Sean Kingsley) was very effective and Peter Caullfield's camp cameo as Herod was good as well.

Kudos for the team for delaying the start as there was an explicably long queue to get in - only one person looking at tickets almost until the last minute - and thanks to the weather for the omnipresent rain holding off.

Saw this yesterday and thought it was excellent. It is well staged and most of the performances are outstanding. Took a while to warm to Declan as Jesus as I felt his voice wasn't suited to the role but when I got over the fact that he wasn't going to be singing it as I am used to hearing it I enjoyed his take - he performed an emotional gethsemane. Also wasn't totally convinced with Anoushka as Mary. She has a nice voice but a little too husky and not smooth enough for me. The star of the show is undoubtedly Tyrone Huntley as Judas though, what an amazing vocal from him! Some of the choreography was repetitive and a little out of place in my opinion. Other notable performances were cavin Cornwall as caiaphas, Sean kingsley's Annas and the ensemble guy with the bleached hair. Would probably be better seeing the evening show as I feel I missed out on lighting effects during the day. Overall though, I loved it!

I only just realised now, and it's mostly done, but the BBC Radio version from 1996, starring Roger Daltrey, Tony Hadley, Frances Ruffelle and Julian Clary is on BBC Radio 4 Extra right now. Hopefully it'll be available on demand afterwards.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mqkng

Baz has been tweeting about this transfer again this afternoon.

I'd heard from people involved that it had been abandoned. Even if it does transfer, where is it going?! Unless a show announces an imminent closure, I don't think there's a theatre available.

He's just tweeted that that isn't possible. Also, I gather a play has been lined up to fill. 

He's Herod on that recording. Not exactly singing the role but putting in loads of ad-libs. Makes me wonder what his Emcee was like in Cabaret.

Also the transfer is wanting to happen either late 2016 or early 2017 dependant of theatre availability.

They'd need a very good replacement for Tyrone Huntley though. Isn't he going in to Dreamgirls?

I think that makes sense, and if they could hold on for Tyrone Huntley they'd have some of their best pull quotes in tact. Or just do it again at the Open Air next year.

The thing about the contemporary look is that we don't expect video projections against a backdrop of trees, but in a conventional Theatre we'd ask why they're not there to accompany the rock look/feel (which then starts to head it to the Arena tour). I just wonder if this plays best where it is already, and that should be recognised and preserved.

Irony is that the New London with a bunch of trees would replicate it.

Quite wooden I'd imagine. Saw him in the Lyceum production, admittedly after Steve Balsamo, but much preferred Steve's vocal (if underacted) performance. Found Glenn Carter a bit whiny and wooden. The Lyceum production was excellent, but in my view this production at Regents Park absolutely blows it out of the water. Superb ensemble, several knockout performances, provocative and bold direction and staging, with superb yet subtle new orchestrations. Go if you haven't seen it (and if you can get a ticket). Somebody asked about a cast album on another post - Tyrone Huntley's twitter feed suggests that it isn't in the pipeline. But given the new trailer that came out a few days ago, one could argue that something is afoot...