Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Watermill Theatre

Judas defiantly shreds his electric guitar versus Mary Magdalene’s gentle strums on the acoustic. Rory Beaton’s breathtaking lighting offers heavenly beams of gold versus the harsh neon greens and reds in "The Temple" and "King Herod’s Song". The ensemble is adorned in black robes and PVC versus Jesus’ humble white tank top. It’s easy to assume Hart wants to tell a story of black and white morality, but he instead dives into the nuances of character relationships and their values.

Billed as ‘semi-immersive,’ the Watermill’s space is utilised at every turn, even as we enter the venue greeted by a giant JCS sign. David Woodhead’s beautifully constructed church set seamlessly blends with the auditorium’s wood foundations, yet carry a modern edge with graffiti and projections haunting images courtesy of Daniel Denton’s video design. The action outdoors is reserved for the start of act two, we being invited to The Last Supper around a fire pit and Jesus’ Gethsemane up close and personal. Anjali Mehra’s high energy choreography further complements the space.

Michael Kholwadia (Les Miserables) Jesus’ is not the all-knowing King of Kings, but more the ‘cool kid on the block (almost) everyone looks up to’ – and notably setting himself apart pby not playing an instrument. Max Alexander-Taylor’s Judas is among the production’s highlights, painting a desperate man who loses himself as he becomes a literal outsider. Parisa Shahmir delivers a warm and soulful Mary Magdalene in her impassioned "I Don’t Know How To Love Him" and "Everything’s Alright".

In the rest of the cast, Olugbenga Adelekan (Choir of Man) crisp bass - both voice and guitar - booms as Caiaphas. Christian Edwards’ Pilate creates a conflicted character filled with anguish and despair. However, it’s Samuel Morgan-Grahame’s Herod who delivers the song of the night, milking his hilariously camp and kinky namesake number for everything it’s worth.

The Watermill Theatre may be small, but this Jesus Christ Superstar is epic on biblical levels. Exuberant, dynamic yet intimate, the work put in onstage by the actor-muso ensemble across the board is complemented by the beautiful work put in visually. If you’re on the lookout for an alternative stripped back Andrew Lloyd Webber revival this summer, this one is worth taking a holy pilgrimage.

Jesus Christ Superstar runs at the Watermill Theatre until September 21