JCS - interpretations

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 5:31pm

I'm just putting some ideas together for a local production of JCS and was wondering about different approaches to the show. What have you seen that has worked? Have you seen any imaginative/bizarre interpretations that you enjoyed? Although I loved the 1996 authentic production, I also enjoyed Gale Edwards' version, with the Roman soldiers dressed as Nazi-Storm troopers. What other ways have you seen the soldiers portrayed?
Finally, Herod. What are your thoughts on how this character is best played?
I'm just bouncing ideas around for now.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 6/20/10 at 6:38pm

As a resident JCS expert for many years, you've come to the right place if you want to hear me pontificate on the show. Now the first thing you're doing wrong is asking about the bizarre versions that people have enjoyed. This is opening the door for a production that is setting out to be different from everything else ever done with the show for the sake of being different.

Imaginative, that one's more on the right track. And speaking as someone who's been/done/seen tons of variations, the most inventive way to do this show is to set it in its original period. People for years have seized on one lyric in "Superstar" (namely, "If you'd come today...") and run with it as a premise to explore the effect of Christ on a modern world. That's not what the show is about; the show is about the last seven days in the life of Christ as seen from the POV of Judas, and that line in that song is from a Judas who is trying to explore why Jesus had such an effect on the ancient world in spite of the lack of "mass communication."

Drawing connections to the modern world is not done by setting it in the modern world. The connections are made by the use of an anachronistic score written in the earthiest, most democratic, most populist language of all -- rock and roll. The use of a modern rock score and intentionally slangy, unpoetic lyrics (they sure didn't speak King James English in Israel, 4 B.C.) is what makes the story accessible to modern audiences and puts flesh and blood back on the cardboard characters of religion.

With this in mind, my advice to you is: do it period, the soldiers are soldiers. The stamp is put on it with the performances. For Christ's sake don't imitate Steve Balsamo and the new breed; go back to Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson's performances, or even further to Ian Gillan and Murray Head. That's how that score is supposed to be sung. Too often this rock opera has had more emphasis put on the operatic part of it lately. This show is rock and roll, so sing it like rock and roll.

As for Herod, this is a particular sticking point with me. IMHO, they've been getting it wrong since 1971, when Tom O'Horgan initially staged the piece at the Mark Hellinger. Herod's number is often played as silly, comic relief in most productions, and inexplicably making Herod gay! (Apparently, for some folks, Herod's decadence in the Bible is easily expressed by homosexuality because we all know how decadent those gays are!) But the truth is that there is far more substance in this material than is usually apparent. For this great philosopher and political leader (Jesus) to be treated so disrespectfully, so grotesquely (by Herod) should be deeply upsetting, particularly with the extra baggage of two thousand years of Christian culture we all have. And for crying out loud, Herod wasn't gay! Even Tim Rice described Herod as "a bit of a debauched bloke, who sat around smoking and drinking all the time with a lot of women around him."

That's not saying don't make the number ridiculous, but don't skirt the scary, dangerous, disturbing side either. This is often helped by a change in arrangement; drop the British music hall vaudeville **** and do it as a 1950s rock number in 6/8 like the 1994 recording JCS: A Resurrection; not only is it stronger dramatically, it also fits better into the score.

Hope I helped!

Updated On: 6/20/10 at 06:38 PM

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/21/10 at 3:37pm

Thanks so much for your opinions gvendo, they're much appreciated.
If we had the money to spend I'd love to do the show period. But our costume budget is very limited and infact set budget, so to be done effectively I would like to approach it as an allegorical tale that is still very much appropriate today.
I agree what you say about Herod, I'm a little fed up of seeing him portrayed as acamp vaudeville star. If I could make it obvious enought I would like to have him and Pilate as George Bush and Tony Blair, but I feel it wouldn't be clear enough to the audience. I'm inclined to go for Hitler-type figure, with perhaps blonde haired/blue-eyed dancers supporting.
The Apostles I am aiming to cast as male and female. After all didn't The Davinci Code claim that Mary Magdalene was an apostle, after being chosen to be the messenger of the gospel.
All thoughts are greatly received.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/10 at 4:10pm

I don't agree with that at all. The original production in London was staged with the cast wearing clothing that reflected the current time period, which in this case happened to be the 70s. It seems as though the initial intent was to make the story more accessible, and so to take it now and stage it in period costumes -- or even 70s attire doesn't make a lot of sense to me. To me, Superstar should always be what it was intended to be: current. I know the fans will argue about it forever, and there always seems to be a line drawn between them, but I'm definitely on the other side.
Updated On: 6/21/10 at 04:10 PM

[Renart]

Posted: 6/21/10 at 4:20pm

See also this thread: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?page=1&thread=1001957&boardname=bway&boardid=1

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/21/10 at 4:21pm

CATS... thanks for your input, so would you have the followers in current/contemporary clothing? How about the Roman soldiers and Herod? What contemporary approach would you consider for them?

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/22/10 at 6:46am

I agree with many of the comments in the above thread about Superstar being a problematic number. I was thinking of doing it as a talent show number e.g. Britain's Got Talent number, with the 3 backing singers dressed as judges and Judas can be the head judge; casting his critical eye over Jesus' performance.
I'm thinking of going to down the contemporary route and comparing the Roman soldiers' behaviour to that of the few corrupt members of the military that commit unjust and immoral war crimes. Crimes that violate the individuals basic rights to life and human safety. I'm thinking of referencing the terrible and inhumane torture against Iraqi civilians, the Vietnamese war crimes e.g My Lai Massacre.
I think George Orwell's comment: 'Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give the appearance of solidity to pure wind.' is a useful starting point.
Any thoughts?

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 12:56pm

In case no one's guessed, I give less than a crap about O'Horgan's, Jim Sharman's, or anybody's viewpoint. They can dress it up however they want, but if you look at the booklet for that original record and follow the liner notes and synopsis of scenes, it very definitely takes place back then in Jerusalem during the final week of Christ's life. Like it or hate it, that's what was written.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 1:40pm

I'm not a huge fan of the overly-leather S&M versions.

The Australian cast recording is my favorite, I love how they captured the contemporary soul of the music

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 9:13am

The Australian production if I remember correctly was rather leather-clad, with bikers. But, I agree, I do like the new orchestrations on the cd.

[newintown]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 10:11am

Ooo!

You should set it in a bathhouse in New York in 1985!

Mary M could be like Bette Midler (I know, Bette did her stuff in the baths a decade earlier, but theatrical license, people).

Herod can be Ed Koch! The soldiers can be NY cops!

And (for most of the cast) all you need are towels for costumes! Think of the savings!

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 10:46am

I love this musical because there are so many interpretations you can run with. Since I always saw Jesus as a political figure as much as a religious figure I have always imagined a camo-wearing Jesus along with the 12 disciples as revolutionaries on a campaign all taking place in the same location but an indefinite time period. But I think the clothing can definitely be modern except the lepers and outcasts who I do think do need to be covered in black without any sight of their faces.

Herod is not just some fat, jolly man with a sadistic streak but he would torture Jesus (not 39 lashes torture but kick him, punch him to essentially say he is 'King of the Jews') while singing "King Herod's Song" (think of the 'Singin' In The Rain' bit in A Clockwork Orange), Pontius Pilate is still the same ambitious politician wanting to make a name for himself, Mary is not a prostitute (such a tired character arch) but the fact she is among women in the group makes Judas uncomfortable, Caiaphas and Annas are not priests but leaders that are a shadowy quasi-political/military/economic group who see Jesus as a threat. Judas is a pragmatist who is getting more and more disillusioned by Jesus' leadership getting in the way of what he feels needs to be done.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 10:50am

"Herod can be Ed Koch!"

You mean he wasn't?

[Neverandy]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 10:54am

Scott wise staged a version at the Helen Hayes center in Nyack about 15 years ago that was set in Aprtheid South Africa. I think Billy Porter was JC

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 2:58pm

Strummergirl - I like the idea of Jesus and the disciples being revolutionaries, dressed in combat/camo clothing. How would you dress Caiaphas and the priests as 'a shadowy quasi-political/military/economic group'?
I watched an interesting documentary on Mary M last night, debating whether or not she was a saint or a sinner. It claimed that she wasn't a prostitute at all, that it was something that Pope Gregory created this false allegation in the 6th century. I like the idea of her being a revolutionary, supporting Jesus' cause/movement.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 3:10pm

Sunglasses and black suits. Basically look like Agent Smith from The Matrix. Their guards would be in black fatigues and body armor.

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 3:21pm

Thanks, Yeh, I like that idea.
Perhaps, as Mary M becomes more involved with the disciples/revolutionaries, she could start to wear similar clothing; highlighting the fact she is a woman having to exist in a man's world.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 4:54pm

I would personally be wary of putting Jesus in camo/combat fatigues. That would imply a certain level of action that pretty much is opposite of the "Simon Zealotes/Poor Jerusalem" sequence. That song suggests a frustration that Jesus is not taking more aggressive, militaristic action against the Romans, with Jesus basically responding that that is not why he is there or what his message is.

[Boredathome]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 8:40pm

I don't have a lot of time to reply to the posters very well formed essay, but as far as his incredulity of portraying Herod as gay I can say this. There is historicity to back up Herod's unwillingness to be a warrior which translated in his own time period to him being 'unmanly' which is easy to see how in the 1970s that could be re-interpreted as homosexual.

Oh, and just an idea. I always thought that it would be interesting to set JCS in a High School setting, highlighting the social strata that is often inherent in the high school social microcosm, with JC and the apostles as outcasts or (trenchcoat mafia, if you will) and the pharisees as Varsity Jocks. It's flawed, but I think it would be effective. Updated On: 6/24/10 at 08:40 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 9:31pm

Oh I am not trying to imagine Jesus as some John Rambo character. He knows his fate, has ideas, Judas has his own ideas but lacks anything close to the human connection Jesus has with anybody, while Simon is definitely the man of action who would love to take it to the next level. I have read a lot about revolutionary campaigns in the 20th century and it was as much about telling people their ideas and message as it was action but of course the only action is directed at one individual in this case.

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/24/10 at 9:59pm

The good thing- or the bad thing depending on your point of view- about Superstar is that there are NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS as to the staging. People can say "Well, that doesn't/wouldn't/didn't work," but they can't legitimately say "That's wrong!

[AngusN]

Posted: 6/25/10 at 9:49am

AEA AGMA SM - how would you dress Jesus to show his lack of action?