word on the street is jcs is making a comeback …. of course i am obligated to share my opinions on the new adaptation, so here we gooo - forgive me for any confusing takes im a very yappy person :p
okay so to start this off I DID NOT GO SEE THIS IN PERSON this is all from clips i was able to snag on tiktok etc because im very. broke .
number one - cynthia erivo is absolutely the best choice that the casting directors could’ve gone with for jesus and even THAT is an understatement. i know everyone has said it a thousand times now so i wont dwell too long, but HOLY SHIT!!! that was the best version of gethsemane that ive ever heard since the original film !!! full body chills. i have no words. having a black queer woman play jesus is so symbolic for this day and age - i’m so glad that the people that are bashing her is only a vocal minority. god cynthia the woman you are!!
adam lambert is an EXCELLENT judas. seeing clips of him in cabaret as well only exemplifies his talent. i was worried initially with the direction that they were going to let him take the character in but i’m SO GLAD i held out. never would i ever have expected how much of a presence this man has theatrically!!
however i do think that judas’ death was. lacking. adam’s acting was FANTASTIC - my main gripes come from how they portrayed his su1cide. i feel like it simply could have been more impactful if the visuals were laid out differently. i feel like theater is afraid to show the cruel realities of su1cide and death, and i’m not surprised that they took the route they did when it comes to the hollywood bowl, but i really wanted more. not many productions do this scene justice in my eyes (but maybe i’m just morbid). i really would have loved to see something more hard hitting and visual rather than him just climbing away and the background flashing to red. once again, lambert’s acting is phenomenal - i just wish that this production took more risks.
extending onto my gripes - i have to say i DIDNT REALLY LIKE CAIAPHAS …. you can shoot me dead if youd like but to me personally bob bingham will always be the #1 chest outer haver ever and im highly considering buying that autographed picture from ted neeley’s website still. im not entirely sure what turns me off about him in HB’s production but it just doesn’t really …?? idk. his voice doesn’t stick with me and its not as powerful as some other actors. annas was pretty good, not many words about his acting - singing was absolutely crazy i looveee tenors 🥹🥹 whenever i hear an annas that isnt afraid to sing high and loud i almost cry /vpos
adding to that i didn’t really like pilate either …….. PLEASE DONT KILL ME ………. i have just seen better more desperate acting in this role before and i feel like making pilate more emotional and fearful is the way to go with his character rather than what this production did ………… IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN IT BUT I NEED MY PILATE TO BE SOPPING WET SAD AND PATHETIC ok thank you
also MARY??? HELLOOOOO ONE OF THE BEST MARYS IVE EVER SEEN. IM GENUINELY SO GEEKED OUT PHILLIPA SOO YOU ARE MY QUEEN. not enough people talk about mary and soo’s performance OHHH MY GOD WHATS THE BUZZ MADE ME ASCEND. i havent heard i dont know how to love him yet (considering its.. one of the lesser songs imo i just havent actively searched for it) but i am almosr 110% sure that soo did it justice. i dont like many mary actors for how they portray her and how meek or out of character they make her but soo might just be my new fav performance of her next to yvonne. GOD so sososo good
overall though i do think they could have been a bit more gruesome with some things. maybe its just me but i really would have loved to see some more visual violence in general - and it doesn’t have to be bloody or show too much !!! for example - the 2023 tour (with elvie ellis as judas, my personal favorite production of this show EVER but i may be a bit biased because it was one of my first exposures to jcs) is an excellent example of the whipping scene. i dont have a video on me BUT the main dancer they had the entire show was throwing glitter with each whip, and it covered his back by the end.. i just really wish that this performance added a bit more oomph to a couple of scenes that are MEANT to be violent and hard to watch. that is entirely just me though and i think this is a very good production regardless.
closing thoughts - i am in love with phillipa soo and cynthia erivo also this is now in my top 10 productions of this show of all time thank you and good night
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