So I first listened to Jesus Christ Superstar as part of my ALW listen through a few years ago and enjoyed it fine but over the last little while I've been listening to it religiously (no pun intended) and oh my god I think it's jumped up my list to being one of my favourite musicals ever.
If you're from a Christian background (Roman Catholic for me, hi) then no doubt you can recite the stages of the cross in your sleep but somehow the interpretation of Jesus's final days as a bombastic, heartbreaking and utterly camp musical is the only one that's truly resonated with me.
Here's my ramblings in no particular order.
(I like a lot of the versions so I'll be using whatever GIFs I can find)
Jesus
Give this man a hug, please.
There's often a lot of tie-pulling over whether humanising Jesus is blasphemous or not but that's a theological debate for another time.
On a personal level?
I adore how JCS portrays how fatigued Jesus is. He knows his ultimate fate and that he can't change it but that doesn't mean that every step towards it is agony. You feel his relief when Mary Magdalene encourages him to just relax and just wants him to take care of himself for once; likewise you feel how overwhelmed he is when he's swarmed in the temple by or his frustration at his disciples not being able to grasp the weight of his words. And after he's screamed at Judas to leave him at the Last Supper and is alone at Gethsemane begging God to just tell him why he has to die after all he's already done, you realise that at the end of the day it's just as Judas says "He's a man, he's just a man, like anyone I know."
Mary Magdalene
While the musical goes with the common pop culture depiction of portraying Mary as a sex worker instead of just another one of the apostles, the effect it has is wonderful. Mary's confused about her feelings but regardless, she comforts Jesus and tries to make him feel at ease. While Judas is in knots about whether Jesus associating with a prostitute contradicts his teachings and that expensive ointment is being wasted, all Mary wants is for the person she cares for to get a good night's sleep.
And I see you "I don't know how to love him" reprise.
Mary is a needed parallel to Judas and serves as one of two people who love (romantically or platonically) Jesus as the man he is.
Speaking of whom-
Judas
Oh my dear, dear Iscariot.
Judas's story raises one of JCS's most poignant questions of "If Jesus had to die, then were Judas's actions truly evil or was he just fulfilling a role in the divine plan?"
From the moment "Heaven on their minds" sounds to the Gospel melodies of "Superstar" you are along for the ride. His disillusionment with Jesus comes from a deep love mixed with the fear for both their people and that the 12 chosen are forgetting their original beliefs. Yet, along the way we see him fighting against his role. In 'Damned For All Time/Blood Money', he struggles both physically and mentally with his conscience. During 'The Last Supper', he threatens to just stay and not carry out the betrayal and it's only when Jesus screams at him to leave that he finally goes.
And don't get me started on the arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Ouch, my heart.
Both of them are ultimately doomed but while Jesus is aware of it and accepts his fate (albeit in a defeated way), Judas only comes to realise his place as a pawn when it comes to the time of his death.
And he is broken. He's disgusted.
What on earth was it all for? Why did God have to choose him of all people?
This is a story of love and grief and the inevitability of life and death but you're along for every step, knowing that you, like the characters are unable to change anything. But regardless, you're invested every step of the way and you hope that maybe things, just once, could be different. But it can't, you know it can't.
Finally the music is absolutely wonderful and I for one would like a return to allowing anachronisms if it's just for fun. (Tim Rice's lyrics, mwah). They can ride on bikes and tanks if they want to.
(Also the 12 getting drunk at the dinner while Judas and Jesus are singing their hearts out at each other makes me laugh.)
Thanks for listening to a bored Bi talk about one of her favourite things. Have a good night.
