Dec 8, 2025
Actual married couple Thomas Borchert and Navina Heyne in the Lüneburg production of Love Never Dies
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Actual married couple Thomas Borchert and Navina Heyne in the Lüneburg production of Love Never Dies
Thomas Borchert (with Anne Gorner)
My Favorite Mayerling Kisses (with Dishonorable Mentions)
This is just my personal opinion. All clips are kept at original speed. Pls inform me of location/dates where they are missing or if they’re incorrect. Thanks <3
• Dishonorable Mentions:
Mark Seibert & Fredrik Andersson (Essen 2015)
Did Mark just headbutt Fredrik??? What the heck was that? It lasted less than 1 second. At least as it looks like a power move on Der Tod’s part? And Mark looks cool, too. But there’s not a lot of intimacy.
Máté Kamarás & Lukas Perman (Osaka 2007)
This is so funny, I love it! But I couldn’t put it into the “favorites” list for obvious reasons. Did they lose the gun? Why is there a knife? They were so discombobulated they forgot the KISS (which is what I’m ranking lol; so this technically shouldn’t be here). I adore the way Lukas arches his back after the stab, and the how Máté drops him like a rag doll. This video is a gem. As a Mayerling it gets 100%, but as a kiss it gets a 0%.
• Favorites (least to most):
8. Thomas Borchert & Lukas Perman (Trieste 2004)
It’s a concert, so they have minimal space, but the kiss is still very good. The head tilt and going straight for the lips? Holding Rudolf by the waist??? Love it! (And more so because of Nautilus das Abenteuermusical brainrot, but that’s not the point).
7. Mark Seibert & Martin Markert (Essen 2012)
I HAVE to give Mark some credit, he has some good kisses in there (despite what some people say lol). This kiss is direct and long with no hesitation. And grabbing Rudolf by the neck is a unique power move, low-key. Usually it’s waist or upper-back. Love how Der Tod aggressively yanks Rudolf’s neck back after the kiss lol.
6. Felix Martin & Thomas Harke (Vienna 1998)
That kiss is so passionate. Felix is GOING IN! And you can actually see Rudolf kissing back this time, which is nice. I have an inkling the kiss would’ve been much longer if the gun hadn’t gone off so soon. You can’t hear the audio (because it’s a gif) but I heard it while making the gif lol. Trust me, they kissed even after it went off.
5. Oliver Arno & Martin Markert (Cologne 2011)
I’m OBSESSED with the way Oliver gently inches his hand from the gun barrel down to Martin’s hand. It brings back some fluidity I miss from Uwe’s og Vienna kisses. The kiss is similar to Mark’s (from number 7): direct, lengthy, and on the lips. But this time Rudolf is held at the waist.
4. Lukas Mayer & Dennis Hupka (China 2024)
The return of the Mayerling Kiss after years of missing it. And in CHINA of all places. Iconic. The way Lukas grabs Dennis’ head so hard that his whole body starts swaying lol. And the kiss isn’t brief, it’s like Tod is devouring Rudolf’s face.
3. Máté Kamarás & Lukas Perman (Vienna 2003)
Lukas really went to the LIMIT on this one. I’ve been mostly talking about Der Tod, but Rudolf really stole the scene this time. Excitedly grabbing the gun, laughing, and pulling Tod into the kiss is brilliant. 10/10. And I like how Máté doesn’t immediately let go of Lukas, but slowly glides his palm across Lukas’ chest first lol.
2. Uwe Kröger & Jens Janke (Vienna 1994)
That kiss is UNBELIEVABLE. It’s like Der Tod was taking five large gulps of water after being in a desert for a month. And the HANDS- I can’t even describe it…wow. I love how Jens kinda slides forward and Uwe is like- WHOA- and backs up. I feel like the Mayerlings increasingly got more stiff as time went on. Love how fluid everything is here.
1. Uwe Kröger & Andreas Bieber (Vienna 1992)
Not the one from the pro-shot (I like it better zoomed-out). Uwe Kröger is the best kisser in Elisabeth, no question (in my opinion). The fluidity in his Mayerlings is unbeatable. The dress and the graceful aura are everything. I love how he slides his hands up Andy’s body and then to the gun. The way Andy arches his back during the kiss and recoils when the gun goes off is PERFECT. I think more Rudolfs need some spine action.
Elisabeth das Musical (2004, Trieste Operetta Festival)
ein meer von gefühl und kein land.
A not so brief review of 2026 JCS concert of Drew Sarich & Serkan Kaya
Summary: Drew’s Jesus and Serkan’s Judas boast a mutually exclusive romantic partnership that is fundamentally identical to the dynamics of McLennon. In other words, they are married.
*a note: this is translated from my Korean blog, and as you can see, it is very lengthy. Therefore I cared less for the grammatical errors as long as it made sense.
I went to see the Drew/Serkan reunion concert of JCS this April, watching it a total of four times: two times in Munich and two times in Vienna.
If you hadn't gone all the way to Europe this year to see the reunion, you wouldn't have had a chance to feel their intense passion that is unprecedented on the history of JCS. Fortunately, I can come up with a very similar dinamic that is popular enough: McLennon from the Beatles.
Briefly put, these two share a bond so intense that it’s impossible to tell where the platonic ends and the erotic begins. It is a mutually complementary relationship that allows for endless creative passion. Specifically, it is the combination of a sensitive and hot-tempered frontman (Lennon, Drew’s Jesus) who drives everyone wild with his powerful charisma, and the rational power player (McCartney, Serkan’s Judas) who places him on his own pedestal and controlls everything from the overall context to the minute details.
But because this summary wouldn’t be good enough for imagining the whole thing, I will go into detailed description from below.
Now, thanks to the improvisational nature of the Drew/Serkan partnership, the emotional drama changed slightly over the four performances from April 3 to 6. While the basic premise of the relationship between Judas and Jesus resembling McLennon remained, the trajectory differed slightly. Broadly speaking, the performances could be divided into Munich on the 3rd and 4th and Vienna on the 5th and 6th, with some differences on each performance. The themes are as follows.
April 3: Love-Hate That Became Desire
April 4: Erotic Love
April 5: Romeo and Juliet
April 6: I betrayed you for your own good
I will explain how those differences arose (when it gets to Act 2), and I’ll start by describing what happened in each number.
overture / heaven on their minds
This year's JCS had a special atmosphere right from the start. Last year's performance featured no stage props other than a single table and chairs. But this year, a large cross lay on the floor with a smaller one on the left side, draped in red cloth. Furthermore, a screen projected the scene behind, and the opening German phrase was clearly a parody of Star Wars' "once upon a time in galaxy far, far away...". It started with "On Earth or another planet, past, present, or future..." Of course, since I don't speak a word of German, I only realized it after reading other people's reviews; but reading something about "planet" and "messiah," I understood it as a space opera about a Messiah appearing on an alien planet. In other words, they suddenly brought Dune AU of JCS.
(I saw a review later that pointed out that 'Messiah' is a term specific to the Jewish people with a very narrow and concrete meaning, so it didn't fit well with the vague and universal setting. It was funny, though, because it didn't seem like they were specifically aiming for universality; they just seemed to want a sci-fi AU.)
Soon after the disciples appeared in matching black jumpsuits. It was the exact opposite of last year, when the actors chose their own casual clothes. When the disciples appeared and stood in a line with their backs to the audience to face Jesus, one person in particular stood out with a dignified physique and shoulders that fell perfectly into the jumpsuit... and that was Serkan Kaya. It wasn't just because I'm a die-hard Serkan Judas fan that I saw it that way; it was really true (....)
Meanwhile, the crazy couple antics of Jesus and Judas began even before the first song. At the end of the overture, the disciples stand in a line with their backs to the audience, then all kneel before Jesus. Only Judas glances at the disciples once or twice before continuing to stand there, staring at Jesus. Then Jesus smiles and blows a kiss to Judas with both hands, and only upon seeing this does Judas slowly kneel on one knee.
What? ?????
I didn't even see this scene at the opening performance in Munich. I thought it was so absurd that my eyes refused to process it. So when my friend said, "Jesus blows a kiss to Judas in the overture," I even firmly told her that there was no way, but.. it turned out to be true.
At second performance I thought, "Nah, he probably didn't just blow a kiss to Judas, but to everyone, including the kneeling disciples." But then I saw Jesus's gaze so clearly directed straight ahead reaching only Judas, who was standing alone. Even now, having watched it four times, I still gape at this blatant choice saying "Yeah, we treat each other as the sole exceptions!”
Jesus soon begins to speak earnestly (silently), surrounded by zealous disciples. Against this backdrop, Judas sings "Heaven on Their Minds." At the start of the number, Judas peels off a red cloth from a cross leaning at the far left and drops it to the floor; I quite liked this movement.
Overall, Serkan Judas's movements this year are much more concise, and he moves while intentionally controlling his body at every moment. On top of that, his vocal volume is also much louder than last year, when he returned to musicals after a 10-year hiatus. While last year he had a casual, field worker vibe dressed in wide-legged pants and a T-shirt, this year he had the opposite vibe of a disciplined former soldier dressed in a jumpsuit. Also, Judas's default posture when observing the situation was the "parade rest" pose. This acting choice resulted in a level-up for Judas's composure and charisma this year. I really love that there can be such a difference even within the DILF category...
In this year's "Heaven on Their Minds," Judas particularly emphasizes the line that Jesus is “just a man.” Given their relationship, it was a perfectly natural emphasis. Of course Jesus is just a man to Judas. Even though Jesus is a leader with steely charisma who makes others think, "He really seems like the Son of God", in front of Judas, he is a husband who trust and rely on him. LOL.
what's the buzz / strange thing mystifying
Once the first song ends, the dynamics of the Jesus group begin to unfold in earnest. First off, Drew’s Jesus was an extrovert equipped with relaxed confidence, commanding everyone's attention within the group. Jesus’s outfit this year—a sleeveless black jacket, skinny jeans with a single chain, and white Dr. Martens boots—made him the very definition of a rock star. Additionally, he wore five or less silver rings and a black wristband on his right hand, and painted his nails red or white. It seemed like he changed the colors for every performance.
With Jesus captivating listeners with his powerful rock vocals, who could help but get overly excited? Furthermore, Drew Jesus inserted the names of Peter and Simon between the lyrics of "What's the Buzz," smilingly answering the question by addressing Peter and Simon once. By specifically targeting the audience in this way, the intimacy of the crew and Jesus's human side increased dramatically.
Behind Jesus, who is stirring up the crowd, Mary and Judas had a serious conversation before moving to the left and right sides of the stage respectively. So Judas and Mary felt like a kind of on-site management partnership; however, the problem is that Judas's acting detail and charisma was so overwhelming that Mary ended up looking like Judas's... subordinate. This is despite the fact that they clearly look to be of a similar age.
While Judas watched this scene, Mary offered to help Jesus relax, and Jesus agreed in a cheerful mood. At this point Jesus's lyrics are "she’s the only one trying to give me what I need right here and now." In most JCS productions these lyrics are heavily emphasized, conveying the context that Mary is providing Jesus with irreplaceable care, unrivaled among the disciples. However in this production, because Judas & Jesus kept acting like themselves, it felt like Jesus was speaking strictly in the literal sense of the lyrics. There is not much of a special relationship between the two; Maria is one of the disciples helping with a brief rest right now.
Upon witnessing this, Judas intervenes between the two and begins to criticize Jesus. His gist of the argument is, "Letting a woman of Mary's background touch you is exactly the kind of behavior our enemies will use against us, and it also goes against your teachings. So, keep your distance from women like her." At this moment, Judas very naturally links arms with Jesus and walks to the right side of the stage, creating a space for the two to speak alone. Jesus not only lets Judas deliberately and blatantly pull him away, but as soon as Judas links arms with him, he urgently gives Mary a look that says, "I'm going to talk to Judas, sorry," and then focuses entirely on Judas. Fortunately, this part made the news... so I can actually show it.
(2:35-2:45 in the video)
I never saw a JCS where physical contact was this natural and taken for granted between the two. Furthermore, in this part, nine out of ten Jesuses would barely listen to Judas's nagging, letting it go in one ear and out the other, while keeping their distance and only showing signs of displeasure. However, Drew's Jesus listened carefully to Judas's words; first he tried to laugh it off as nonsense, and kept staring at Judas, interrupting to persuade him. Then Judas responded as if to say to wait until he had finished saying what he had to say, continuing until the very end. It was very much like a real argument between a married couple, rather than just Judas's one-sided criticism.
After Judas finishes saying everything while subtly disparaging Mary, Jesus immediately loses his temper because of Judas's attitude of exploiting the weakness that Mary was a former sex worker. The gist of his message is: "Leave Mary alone, think about whether you have the right to make such remarks first!" Later, my friend said that considering Judas had the demeanor of a former soldier, this point really hits the nail on the head, which I found really amusing. Indeed, upon hearing these words from Jesus, Judas falls silent with a look of unease on his face.
However, Jesus does not stop there; he gets angry one more time, saying, "I’m amazed a man like you can be so shallow (…) there is not a man among you who knows or cares if I come or go!" It is precisely at this point that Judas elicits a rebuttal. Jesus glares at Judas and directly aims him when he lashes out, so as a husband Judas naturally has to refute those words. LOL. As if to say "With me here, what do you mean nobody cares about you?", Judas strongly rebuts, “No, you’re wrong!” At this point, the other disciples also stand up in unison to protest. But since it is Judas who is rebutting from the closest position to Jesus, and Jesus is showing his anger to Judas again through gestures, "Strange Thing Mystifying" turns into a marital quarrel between Judas and Jesus until the very end.
Everything's alright
Eventually, all the disciples except Judas, Jesus, and Mary exit. I think only three of them remained on stage for this song last year as well... but this year, the atmosphere was particularly funny as if to say, "Now that only three are left, the real fight is starting." Furthermore, because the charisma of Drew Jesus and Serkan Judas filled the stage, their presence was even greater when they were left as a few.
Since Jesus had previously lashed out in anger and two men is currently under real-time stress from the aftermath of the argument, Mary initially tries to persuade Jesus again saying "Try not to get worried." Naturally, Jesus turns to look at the her because she is speaking to him. However, Judas sees this behavior as an attempt to put off an unresolved argument and shirk responsibility by using someone else as a shield, so he snaps his fingers right in front of Jesus's eyes to point out that they are not finished talking yet. I don't think he snapped finger on April 3rd, but he included this action throughout from the 4th to the 6th. It seems he liked it when he added it spontaneously. (I agree.)
Jesus looks back at Judas, but since Mary continues singing (and her suggestion is indeed tempting), he decides to just take a break. It was amusing though, to see that he wore an expression that suggested he didn't really agree with statements like "let the world turn without you tonight" or "everything's fine." Partly because the marital argument hadn't ended yet, but also because I think this Jesus is fundamentally deeply interested in the condition of the world and derives his meaning of existence from intervening in the context of worldly affairs at every moment.
Anyway, Jesus lies down on the floor with his head on Mary's lap, just as Mary leads him. From Judas's perspective, this is absolutely ridiculous. So, with an attitude of "Oh, so that's how you're going to act...?", Judas begins to point out Mary's waste of ointment, eventually concluding by saying, "people who are hungry matter more than your feet and hair!" In this final verse, Judas sings with such emphasis—staring intently at Jesus and pointing at him with his hand—that it really creates the atmosphere of a fight between the two. Plus, since Drew Jesus happens to be bald (...), it looks like Judas is deliberately bringing up the hair. LOL.
Seeing the atmosphere turning hostile again, Mary approaches Judas this time and attempts to mediate. However, Judas is more concerned with Jesus avoiding a fight, so he tries to continue speaking while looking over Mary’s shoulder. This attitude was also quite interesting, as it was a complete 180-degree change from last year. Last year, Judas was clearly focused on Mary, and sexual tension was overflowing between them; Judas even came to accept that there was some truth to her words. Since last year's Judas-Mary pairing was middle-aged and Jesus was younger, it actually felt like Judas treated Maria as an equal rather than Jesus.
But this year was absolutely not like that at all. Instead, when Mary kept trying to persuade him, he tried to brush it off with a lighthearted "Yeah, I get it" attitude. On days 4-6, he even caressed Mary’s hand and placed it against his cheek to make her touch it. Anyone could see that this was him looking down on Mary; she also pulled her hand away forcefully, showing her disgust. While the difference in Judas's backstory between last year and this year likely played a role in this change, most importantly this Judas views everyone except his partner as inferior to him. I think it’s "marital supremacy" or something like that.
Now Jesus jumps up again and snaps, "Do you mean we have the resources to save the poor from their lot? There will be poor always, pathetically struggling!" According to my friend, when Judas first heard this, he pointed to the ground with the attitude of, "Yeah, of course we can't save everyone, so we're doing what we can right now." However, after hearing the remark that "there will be poor always" he reacted with a bewildered "What? Why are you saying things like that?" attitude. Since he is showing reactions that fit Judas's character perfectly—not just passively accepting the lyrics, but actually engaging in a real argument—minute by minute, there is no way not to be captivated by this detail.
When Jesus didn't stop there and went so far as to say, "you’ll be so sorry when I’m gone," Judas knew something was off and immediately let Jesus gain the upper ground. As Judas gently held Jesus's hand, said words of reconciliation and looked into his eyes, Jesus accepted his olive branch. He even cupped Judas's cheek and pressed their foreheads together. At this moment, beyond their embrace, Judas met Mary's gaze and raised his palm, signaling her not to intervene for now. It felt like he was saying, "I'll handle this myself; it is a moment between us."
Anyway, having succeeded in soothing each other, the two were satisfied with this conclusion for a time. On April 5th, when the Judas-Jesus dynamic was practically Romeo and Juliet level, after the two touched foreheads Judas playfully nudged Jesus's chest; Jesus laughed and retaliated by nudged Judas's chest back. Then, Jesus turned to Mary with a look that seemed to say, "Phew, husband soothed, success!" LOL. Eventually, by mutual agreement, the two exited to opposite sides of the stage. Judas kept singing the chorus "Everything's Alright" to Jesus as he sent him off to rest with Mary, while Jesus continued to exchange glances with Judas even as he left with Mary before exiting. I never dreamed that in my lifetime I would witness "Everything's Alright" resolving the Judas-Jesus conflict to this extent, while completely leaving out Mary...
That is precisely why it feels like Judas's concerns were buried in a "I love you, you love me too, right? Ok, we’re cool" style of reconciliation. What Judas initially pointed out to Jesus was that he shouldn't give the enemy an easy pretext to attack. However, as the marital argument escalated with raised voices and all sorts of words being exchanged, his original objective ended up being glossed over. In other words, while Judas tells Jesus that "everything's alright" in terms of resolving the marital conflict, he knows that the problem hasn't really been resolved within the larger context in which Jesus's group is situated. Isn't that why he kept worrying and eventually ended up betraying him? As will be shown later, this is all the more the case because no matter how much he tries to persuade his husband, if Drew Jesus uses this "You love me, right? Believe me" style killer move, Judas has no choice but to yield, even though he knows better. LOL.
This Jesus must die / Hosanna
The actor of Caiaphas was the same as last year, while Annas was a new actor. Perhaps because of this, it was a bit disappointing that Annas lagged slightly behind the priest duo. His gestures were overly forced, making him look like a Stormtrooper trying to act imposing on purpose (...). It was a relief that Caiaphas offset this with his excellent baritone. The duo has had a Disney villain vibe since last year, but with Annas losing some of that coolness, their charisma diminished even further. On top of that, this year, the pair of Jesus and Judas exuded such overwhelming charisma that the priests, Pilate, and Herod had no way to stand against them in a battle of wills. I have seriously never seen such a power couple before...
This difference in presence was evident from the moment the "Hosanna" number began. While Jesus was acting like a rock star again, reveling in the crowd's cheers, Caiaphas blatantly threatened him, claiming that too many people had gathered and that signs of a riot were looming. Judas, observing the situation from the opposite side as usual, took note of Caiaphas's warning. He nodded, and gave a thumbs-up before returning to Jesus's side to try and calm the crowd down. However, the crowd was already too enthusiastic to listen. When he spoke directly to Jesus, Jesus told Judas it was ok, which was of no help whatsoever. To make matters worse, Jesus looked at Caiaphas with pity and bluntly said, "why waste your breath moaning at the crowd?" leaving Judas frustrated. LOL.
I really liked how Jesus looked down on Caiaphas at this moment—treating him worse than just a random passerby—as the very embodiment of a confident superstar. He very naturally adopts an attitude that priests, judges, prosecutors, kings, and all that are just the same men; authority is merely a facade, so screw it. Judas must have clearly been attracted to this aspect as well. It aligns with the concept of marital supremacy mentioned earlier, and I could sense that Judas shared this confidence of Jesus. Judas takes the warning seriously because he is concerned about the Jesus group suffering harm; it is not that he is intimidated by Caiaphas himself or afraid of him. Last year's Serkan Judas was also somewhat like this, but this year, his confidence has increased even more. Of course; they are McLennons.
Judas, realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, returns to Caiaphas only to find that Caiaphas has already left. So Judas stands with his hands behind his back, continuing to watch Jesus and the crowd. Just then, Jesus takes the hand of a follower standing near Judas and says, "sing out for yourselves for you are blessed." Then, gazing intently at Judas and smiling, Jesus sings the lines, "There is not one of you who cannot win the kingdom / The slow, the suffering, the quick, the dead." Judas, making eye contact with Jesus as he listens, lets the corners of his mouth curl up. With a satisfied expression, he then begins to sing the "Hosanna" chorus along with the crowd.
At this part, I felt the power of the Judas-Jesus marital bond surging through the roof. First off, Jesus, who absolutely had to flirt with his husband during an impromptu speech, is one thing. And to think of Judas, with a look of contentment like, "of course, this is whom i chose to marry," after hearing a line summarizing Jesus's egalitarian philosophy? I really am defeated.
On top of that, within the moment of singing just two verses, Judas-Jesus is vibing with political philosophy. It clearly shows through their acting that the two are a team ideologically. It was so good....
After this brief moment, Hosanna transitions into a somewhat ominous passage—specifically, the part where the crowd goes so far as to say, "Hey JC, won't you die for me?" Judas, who had been singing Hosanna with a big smile, falls silent at this point, realizing that something is going wrong. Meanwhile, Jesus appears slightly surprised by these words and scans the crowd before turning his gaze toward the audience. Then, amidst the silence before the next song, he suddenly wears an expression as if possessed by a spirit.
In Wicked the musical, there is a scene where Elphaba sings "The Wizard and I" and rejoices over a prophetic hallucination in which she believes all the citizens of Oz are celebrating her, only to find out it was not a good future. The hallucination Jesus saw seemed to be of this kind. As Jesus briefly falls into a state of ecstasy, Judas immediately approaches him, places his hand on his chest, and asks if he is alright. Jesus regains his senses and very happily explains to Judas what he saw. Judas frowns with a questioning look and follows Jesus looking up to the sky, but there is no such thing. Moreover, since Jesus had this hallucination right after being asked to die, Judas couldn't help but feel uneasy and worried. I don't know exactly what Jesus saw at that moment... but considering the subsequent development where Jesus dies alone in despair, it seems his expectations were spectacularly betrayed (just like Elphaba, who thought the citizens of Oz were celebrating her, only to find out they were actually happy to kill her). I did speculate that perhaps Jesus saw an honorable death where he was remembered as having died for the people, but only he knows for sure.
Judas slowly moves back to his original spot, feeling that Jesus is completely out of his mind at this moment. In this step backward, it struck me that Judas is now feeling a sense of distance from Jesus for the first time. An ardent follower might run their wishful thinking like "Jesus must really be the Son of God seeing prophetic hallucinations..." but Judas is not like that at all. Not only would running such thoughts not solve any problems, but as emphasized in the first song, to Judas, Jesus is just "a man." Imagine my most beloved spouse suddenly seeing hallucinations one day and being overjoyed. That might actually be quite scary.
While the two of them were at odds like this, Simon had become so happy thanks to Hosanna that he started singing the next song very excitedly, without ever imagining what his dads were thinking.
simon zealotes / poor jerusalem
Simone was the same actor as last year, but he was one of the badly affected by this year's changed costumes. I mean, how could his style look so dead... (Sorry, Mr. Vincent Bueno)
However, his singing skills and stage presence definitely shone through the jumpsuit. It’s just that Judas and Jesus were on a whole other level, but Simon also delivered a very intense performance. Personally, along with Pilate, Simon was one of my top two most satisfying supporting actors.
Taking advantage of the atmosphere heightened by the chants of "Hosanna," Simon asks Jesus to listen as he sings. Jesus happily hands him the mic and turns to Judas, displaying an attitude that seems to say, "Look at him. Isn't our son cute?" Since Judas had been deeply worried just moments before, he responds with a vague "Uh, yeah, I guess so." Anyway, Judas cares for Simon just as much, so even though he is gripped by ominous anxiety, he observes the two of them. At this point, Simon encourages the audience to respond with claps. I, clapping from the audience, become one of those fifty thousand. Since Simon is so eloquent and Jesus responds joyfully, Judas, who had been watching this scene while leaning comfortably against the wall, shakes off his worries slightly and wears a gentle smile.
However, the moment Simon says, "Let's add a touch of hostility toward Rome," Judas's smile vanishes completely, and he strides toward Simon to stop him. Jesus's expression changs precisely at this point as well. Judas tries to restrain Simon because, given that Caiaphas had already threatened them during the Hosanna, it is obvious that if Simon acts this way openly, they will all be shot for treason. Jesus reacts this way because diverting the followers' aspirations toward a power struggle accompanied by military force runs counter to his own ideology. (In fact, considering the charisma of Drew’s Jesus, he could have easily formed a resistance force if he really wanted to, so I fully understood Simon's reaction...)
As Simon continues singing intoxicated by the excitement, Judas tells Jesus to do something about him, and Jesus exchanges a serious look with him as he gazes at Simon. Then, when Simon finishes singing, he takes the mic and sings a song that throws cold water on Simon's performance.
While Jesus changes the atmosphere and dampens the spirits, Judas stands with his hands behind his back. Here, once again, the peculiar couple-like antics unique to this production appear. When Jesus says, "Neither Simon, nor the fifty thousand, (…) nor Judas... understand what power is," Judas, having raised his head because he was mentioned, tries to approach him, but Jesus stops him, telling him to stay where he is for now. From this point on, everyone except Judas and Jesus exits, leaving Judas alone to listen to Jesus' words from "If you knew all that I knew, my poor Jerusalem" until it ends with "to conquer death you only have to die."
... If the only listener at this part is Judas, isn't it essentially "my poor judas" rather than "my poor jerusalem"? (Half-joking, half-serious)
Well, seeing how Jesus went out of his way to do this... it seems like he wanted to tell his husband, Judas, that death is just death and there is no need to be too afraid of it (at least he definitely wasn't saying "don't worry because I’ll be resurrected" lol). The problem is... this statement is perceived as quite ominous by Judas. Judas was already deeply worried because, on one hand, the Jesus group was increasingly exposed to danger, and on the other, Jesus kept saying naive things and even started seeing hallucinations of martyrdom(?). So when Jesus bluntly said, "To conquer death, you only have to die," it seems highly likely that Judas thought his husband had either truly given up on the future or gone mad.
Upon hearing these words, Judas exits, lost in dark thoughts. Later, he appears in "Damned for All Time," where he meets the priest and betrays Jesus; however, unlike last year, he does not meet Mary and Jesus immediately after "I Don't Know How to Love Him." In most productions, including last year's, Judas encounters Mary and Jesus resting intimately during "I Don't Know How to Love Him," and consumed by jealousy or the feeling that things cannot go on like this, goes to betray them. However, this time, Jesus exits right before "I Don't Know," and Judas appears only after Mary sings alone and leaves. By abruptly cutting off the interaction between the three, the production guides the audience to find Judas's motive for betrayal entirely within the "Hosanna" to "Simon Zealot" sequence.
Pilate’s dream / the temple / I don’t know how to love him
This year, Pilate was played by the same actor, Thomas Borchert, as last year; however, unlike last year when he appeared wearing a floral shirt like an old man, he wore a velvet coat befitting his position. Yet the character's personality had softened considerably compared to last year, making him seem like a grandfather in a slightly different sense. This difference was particularly evident later in act 2.
Throughout “the temple”, Drew Jesus's insane charisma is displayed so clearly that I was somewhat overwhelmed. To begin with, he is tall, has a completely shaved head, wears a sleeveless rockstar outfit with his tattoos showing, and wears white Dr. Martens boots—his visuals alone are formidable. On top of that is the combination of his massive vocal volume and rock vocalization with just the right amount of raspyness. It makes perfect sense that Drew Jesus drives away merchants with just a single shout. Furthermore, seeing that even such an energetic person gets tired shows just how exhausting it is to be the Messiah. (LOL) Even in the part where suffering people reach out for help, Jesus gestures as if to say, "Come on over," and shakes as many hands as possible one by one. Although, the song does end with him screaming to be left alone and struggling because too many people are seeking him out.
Just then, Mary appears from behind and sings "Everything's Alright" again, and Jesus goes to rest alone with a look that says, "Yeah, you have a point." Wait, where on earth is there a Jesus who goes to rest alone here? But there he is. LOL
Afterwards, Maria sings "I Don't Know How to Love Him" with a worried expression. There is also a scene where she tries to wipe away the blood Jesus shed (the red cloth Judas removed from the cross during the first song, which is laid out in the center of the stage at the end of *The Temple*), but finds there is too much and sadly drops it onto the floor. I liked this detail but... Maria's acting ability and vocal volume issues were so blatantly exposed during her solo song that it left me feeling uneasy as well. Still, it was fine in Munich because the theater was only moderately sized, but once we moved to the Vienna Stadthall, it was clear that Maria's presence could not fill that vast venue. Moreover, the Viennese audience noticed this all too well; the moment Maria sang a few lines, they immediately started looking at each other, whispering, and shaking their heads... The middle-aged couples sitting on either side of me were doing exactly that, and I thought to myself, "Wow, a city that knows rock really well is scary..."
Anyway, let's stop talking about that and move on to the last song of Act 1, "Damned for All Time."
damned for all time
After Mary exits, Judas strides toward the center of the stage and knocks the red cloth visible over there a few times. When there is no response, he knocks again. Since no one comes even after waiting a while, Judas shakes his head with a resigned attitude and is about to leave, but just then Annas and Caiaphas appear, leaving him with no turning back.
Judas soon begins to explain why he came. He says that Jesus has lost the ability to control the crowd and that he probably wouldn't even care if he came here. Considering that, from Judas's perspective, Jesus is currently in a death drive mode, it makes sense that he would say that (...). At this point, thanks to the characterization of Serkan Judas this year, I really liked how every single one of Judas's lyrics made sense with such seriousness.
'It’s taken me some time to sort out what to do, I weighed the whole thing up before I came to you' <- You can already tell from the beginning that he is a meticulous organizer and a planner. 'I have no thought at all about my own reward' <- He is about to betray his one and only soulmate husband, so a reward couldn't possibly be his motive. 'Just don't say I’m damned for all time’ <- Likewise, since he came to betray his one and only soulmate husband, it is only natural that he is suffering as if he himself is damned.
When Judas, tormented by the sensation of betraying his husband, finally kneels in the center of the stage and finishes singing, Annas and Caiaphas offer a reward, demanding that he reveal the whereabouts of Jesus. Usually, Annas and Caiaphas speak in a very intimidating tone and attitude at this moment, but despite their best efforts, they simply looked like a pair of Disney villains due to the sheer presence emanating from Judas. At the final performance in Vienna, it momentarily felt like two hyenas surrounded a wolf. This is understandable, as this Judas is currently so consumed by the fact that "I am betraying my husband" that the presence of a high priest is not really registering. Furthermore, Judas controls his movements only as much as necessary this year. Even when Annas shouts, "Get up off the floor!" he does not rise (...), and when Caiaphas says the reward will be given in cash, he waves his finger to stop him. At this point, Annas pulls the red cloth behind Judas to form a circle that traps him. It is literally the image of Judas being trapped in the blood of Jesus.
It is at the end of the song, when he is told the time and place to arrest Jesus, that Judas experiences the terrifying despair of the fact that he is betraying his husband in real time. After a brief silence, Judas begins to sing this, but when he reaches the part "far from the crowds, in the garden of Gethsemane," his throat tightens, and he cannot utter the location all at once. After repeating "in the..." once or twice, he finally says "Garden of Gethsemane" all at once, at which point the priests exit, and Judas, surrounded by the blood of Jesus, sheds tears that are close to wailing.
In this production, even the silver coin props were completely removed, making it clear that whether or not Judas receives the money is of no importance to him at this moment. His guilt and despair stem solely from his decision to betray Jesus. Afterward, Judas stands up, raises both arms momentarily and slowly walks out. This explicitly portrays that Judas is experiencing the same thing before Jesus is crucified. (Of course, at this point, Judas likely did not foresee that Jesus would die.)
the last supper
The section from the Last Supper in Act 2 to the Kiss of Betrayal is the most improvisational part of this production. When performing this sequence, the interactions between Judas and Jesus were never perfectly identical. The emotional nuances of the day's performance are concentrated here and lead to Judas's improvisations in the subsequent 'Judas’s Death’ and 'Superstar'. The beginning of Act 2 is a highlight where every minute and second is precious, and the actors delivered performances unleashing such tremendous emotion that it made me focus like crazy.
When the Last Supper begins, the unsuspecting disciples sit in a long row along the edge of the stage, right in front of the first row. (Seeing this, I thought, "Wow, I should have gotten a seat in the first row...") Judas is sitting right in the center when Jesus enters and begins to shake the disciples' hands. The disciples greet Jesus one by one and head toward the tables at the back, while Judas alone remains motionless, staring at the audience. Soon, Jesus, seemingly seized (again) by the thought that he might die soon, begins to rebuke the disciples who appear to be completely oblivious.
Jesus first speaks angrily to his disciples, saying, "One of you denies me," but after shifting his gaze to take in Judas's profile, he gradually speaks in a tone of disbelief, saying, "One of you... betrays me." It was the first time I had seen Drew Jesus's voice lose this much strength. It felt like he wanted to deny reality, belatedly piecing together the truth in real-time, thinking, "Is this why my husband has been acting strangely lately—how could he...?" At this moment, Jesus's expression becomes blank, the life drains from his eyes, and he looks much younger. I am truly speechless... Drew Jesus making this face because of Judas???? That Jesus with steely charisma??? What on earth is a soulmate...
Jesus barely regains his senses and snipes at Peter, accusing him of denying him three times (Peter looked quite tearful this year, so I felt a bit sorry for him), then says, "One of the twelve will leave to betray me," and turns toward the approaching Judas to glare intently. At this moment, Jesus was so blatantly trembling with betrayal as he sniped at Judas that it felt just like a divorce court. Judas, responding to this, is quite the husband, too. In Munich on the 3rd, just as Jesus sang "One of the twelve," Judas interrupted him with "blah blah blah blah," and cut him off by saying, "Cut out the dramatics!" It was really funny. In subsequent performances, Judas is less sarcastic and responds more directly, so the "blah blah blah blah" part is missing. Ah, it feels a bit lacking, but the later performances were good too... Couldn't they just record all six shows and compile them into a Blu-ray?
When the two start fighting, Jesus constantly cuts off and deflects Judas's words with an attitude of, "I don't even want to listen to a betrayer husband, so get lost." The original lyrics is already in such direction, but Drew Jesus sang it with such emotion and flair that it resonated even more. In particular, when Judas tries to explain his motive with, "If you knew why I do it", Jesus cuts him off by shouting, "I don't care why you do it!" The emphasis on the "I don't care" part is incredibly addictive. It was so real to see Judas's voice getting louder and louder as Jesus turned his back on him and acted so sharply out of a sense of betrayal.
Eventually, Jesus grabs Judas by the collar and throws him across the stage (this action is identical to last year), and the disciples swarm in to break up the fight. At this moment, Mary, along with the other disciples, is the first to look out for Judas. Just looking at this, there was room for their peculiar relationship to become more concrete, but oh well.
While the disciples frantically sing the chorus, Jesus takes Peter's hand and hugs him, apologizing for sniping him earlier. Then unable to bear the hurt and anger, he kneels and begins to pray. He seems to be attempting to compose himself, but it is obvious that it is not working well. Judas, witnessing this pathetic state, becomes even more speechless, while his hurt and anger intensify. Even in this situation, Jesus is once again trying to avoid a fight, escape reality, and retreat into his own world; to make matters worse, he even personally comforts Peter, who got sniped fewer times than him, so it is impossible not to get angry. When Peter is being comforted by Jesus, Judas reacts by asking, "Hey, what about me?" but when their eyes meet, Jesus glares at him as if to say, "What do you expect?" and goes off to pray... Seriously, so much divorcing energy LOL.
Judas, enraged, goes over to Peter (who happens to be right in the middle of his path as he approaches Jesus), appears to pat him on the head, and then pushes him away. From Peter's perspective, he must have been utterly bewildered, getting caught in the crossfire between this damn couple having a crazy marital spat without knowing the reason. ....Hahahaha. Both of them are disqualified as dads.
Then, Judas approaches the kneeling Jesus and kicks him hard in the back, beginning the second verse.
(3:15-3:25, Judas taking out his anger on Peter and kicking Jesus in the back)
From this point on, Judas unleashes his pent-up rage, gritting his teeth and emphasizing every line of the lyrics. "You sad pathetic man, look where you brought us to; our ideals die around us all because of you." <- It makes sense, considering Jesus was so confident that everything was fine without grasping reality, only to rejoice at some hallucination and speak as if he didn't care if he died. (...) Honestly, considering the kicking scene and Judas's attitude, the line sounds closer to "You pathetic bastard," which is really great. Furthermore, the "our ideals" Judas speaks of are the ideals of the entire Jesus group, yet they also sound like the ideals Judas has shared with Jesus based on their deep partnership—and that is truly delicious.
Judas finally points at Jesus, who is slumped on the ground, and insists to the other disciples, "Look at this man; he’s really a jaded mandarin!” Jesus, finding Judas utterly repulsive, shouts at him to get out of here immediately. From this point on, Judas transforms his anger into deep sorrow, and (though the degree varies from performance to performance) begins to sing while choked with tears. Singing with a drawn-out end to the verse, Judas kneels before Jesus. In every performance, applause erupted at this moment, causing the play to pause for a beat; the acting and chemistry were truly worthy of such a reaction.
From the point where the two remain silent and the final chorus begins, their interaction varied drastically each time. On the 3rd in Munich, when Judas knelt and grabbed Jesus's leg, Jesus froze and reflexively took a step back. Just as Judas had previously stepped back feeling a sense of distance from Jesus who was hallucinating, Jesus also felt a distance from the Judas who had betrayed him. It was a sense of unfamiliarity, wondering, "Is this really the husband I know?" The two remained silent for a long time, and eventually, Judas rose and exited. It was only after Judas had left that Jesus’s legs gave way and he collapsed. Judas’s "blah blah blah" on that day, as well as this distance and their uncompromising attitude of going their separate ways, seem to have resulted in Judas and Jesus feeling less pity for each other. Thanks to this, Judas delivers a very flavorful performance of sarcasm in "Superstar."
At this point, as Judas leaves, he exchanges a few words with Mary and even pats Peter on the shoulders while apologizing, taking care of the group until the very end. Conversely, while Judas is exiting, Jesus is lost in his own thoughts, unable to even think about looking after anyone else. This aspect was consistent across all performances, except for the one in Vienna on the 6th. It clearly shows that Judas has internalized the roles of organizer and caretaker (in other words, husband and father).
On the 4th in Munich, the emotional distance between Judas and Jesus is closer compared to the previous performance. When Judas finishes his final verse, they both slump to the floor side by side, staring at each other. In the eyes of the two men, who have fought to the bitter end and now remain silent, lies a worn-out and weary sorrow. Eventually, they rise, lean against each other, and embrace for a long time. However, since they cannot stay like that forever, Judas has no choice but to pull away from Jesus. Even then, Judas seemed to want to stay close for a little longer, but... this time, Jesus points to the exit and waits for Judas to leave, and Judas follows silently.
Here, as feelings of compassion for the other, the sense that they brought each other to this state, and an inability to hate the husband any further begin to sprout, Jesus becomes even more enraged at the fate destined for ruin in Gethsemane, while Judas is unable to maintain his sarcasm to the very end in superstar. Both have begun to mourn each other. If I were to divide the themes for Munich days 3 and 4, I wrote "Love-hate turned into desire vs. Erotic Love," and I felt that this stemmed from this difference in emotional trajectory.
In the fifth day, when Judas and Jesus reach the level of Romeo and Juliet, their mutual compassion grows even stronger. As Judas slowly crawls toward Jesus on his knees, Jesus wraps his trembling hands around him and kisses him on the head. This time, they don't even stand up; they just keep embracing in that position. Honestly, they would have been perfectly happy if they had hugged forever, but since they both know that is absurd, they inevitably separate. Thus, these two end up as star-crossed lovers against the cruelty of fate. So... Judas's betrayal is essentially the poison Romeo mistakenly drank and died from.
Finally, on the 6th, when Judas and Jesus weren't really communicating, even though the two performed similar actions to before, it seemed less like they were sharing pain and more like it was due to the last remaining affection they had as ex-soulmates. (To be honest, my memory is hazy.) This is because Judas on the 6th had his plan to betray Jesus formed too early; by the time Jesus got angry in Act 2, it looked like he had already run through all the simulations in his head and gone through the five stages of mourning. No wonder Jesus was bewildered and annoyed. What kind of husband suddenly says, "Here, I'm giving you up for adoption. It's all for your own good," and hands the leash over to a euthanasia doctor to see him off? Of course, from Judas's perspective, it probably meant he had already tried everything to persuade him but nothing changed, so he had given up early. That is why, during the final performance on the 6th, Judas just walks out, immersed in such despair and sadness, unable to even take care of the Jesus group. The disciples ended up looking more pitiful than ever.
gethsemane
Since everyone unanimously praises Drew’s Gethsemane as the greatest highlight of Jesus Christ Superstar, I can't easily think of any words to describe it other than "overwhelmed." If you were to say that I just watch Jesus's solo comfortably thinking "Wow, he's good" because I'm such a die-hard Judas fan... that's true, too (...). Still, I want to make a note that the emotional depth of Drew Jesus's Gethsemane is so unique that absolutely no one else could pull it off. There is no way you could find a combination like this: an iron-willed, charismatic Jesus who shows weakness only in front of Serkan’s Judas.
At the Last Supper, Jesus unfilteredly revealed his emotional vulnerability, but when left alone to confront Fate, he transforms this wound back into rage, rebelling ferociously against God/Fate. I liked that even this seemed to align with Drew Jesus's signature confidence—a defiant attitude that never backs down when fighting against authority. In the lyrics demanding to know what on earth is going on inside that all-powerful head, he hits his head so hard that his skin turns red. As Fate neutralizes human free will, Jesus unleashes his rage with the sharpness of a knife, concluding coldly with a grinding tooth, "Fine, go ahead and kill me."
What is interesting is that the point of Jesus's anger in Gethsemane felt different depending on the emotional state at the preceding Last Supper. The more compassion Jesus and Judas felt for one another, the more it felt like Jesus in Gethsemane was angry not only at his own miserable end but also at fate for exploiting his relationship with Judas in such a way, causing him to be killed by the hands of his beloved husband. In fact, from my perspective, while they both created this situation for each other, the compassion had grown too great to continue hating the other, so it felt like he was directing that much of his anger toward fate instead.
With such dramatic emotional explosions perfectly combined with insane vocal talent, long bursts of applause always erupted immediately after Gethsemane, and on April 5th in Vienna, the entire audience even gave a standing ovation. It seems Jesus's rage intensified even more because that moment perfectly captured the emotional trajectory of Romeo and Juliet. Since this pair of Judas and Jesus are a power couple—and the more you love him, the angrier you get at fate—it really makes you think they are a perfect match. To think that betrayal polishes Gethsemane(?)—this truly is a creative relationship.
the arrest
Once the long applause ends, Judas finally appears on stage for the kiss of betrayal. This part was really interesting because it varied so much from performance to performance.
At Munich on the 3rd, I barely took any notes because I was busy processing the unfamiliar emotional arc, so I don't remember much about the moments before and after the kiss. To describe only what I can: First, Judas softly whispers "there he is, they're all asleep, the fools," then approaches Jesus, who is standing still. He shrugs his shoulders as if to say, "Well, since things have come to this, what can be done?" before cupping Jesus's cheeks with both hands and kissing his forehead. However, Judas doesn't stop there; he continues kissing, sliding his lips down Jesus's temples, cheekbones, and cheeks. He takes his time, pressing his lips slowly each time. His mouth moves as if he is deep-kissing. Furthermore, since Drew Jesus is bald, it looks as if Judas is simply covering his entire head with kisses. So, this isn't really a kiss; it's more of an oral foreplay of a sort.
Since Judas and Jesus parted ways that day after a massive fight at the Last Supper, completely disconnecting from each other and sinking into their own abysses, it was very striking to see Judas openly and unilaterally pour out his desires at the end. This contributed to the feeling that the love-hate relationship between the two was transforming into desire. (Even if it is unilateral, it is only unilateral compared to other performances; after all, Jesus was quietly accepting Judas caressing him for quite a while while keeping his eyes downcast... You can't explain this without mutual desire lol)
After caressing Jesus to the fullest until the very last moment, as Judas reluctantly walks past Jesus, Jesus suddenly grabs his arm. They remain still in that position for a few seconds before letting go and parting ways. I felt they were holding on tight, but it turned out they were actually holding on less than they did during the performance the next day.
On the 4th in Munich, just like the day before, Judas kisses for an incredibly long time. Whether it was because I had become more accustomed to the emotional arc of this pairing, or if the kiss was actually more intense, I remember that on this particular day, amidst the complete silence, only the sound of kissing echoed through the theater. When the kiss ended and Judas was about to leave, Jesus grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. Coincidentally, the direction Judas walked past Jesus was to his right, so Jesus gripped Judas's hand tightly with a hand adorned with five silver rings, creating a truly peculiar visual effect. Furthermore, seeing Jesus act this way, Judas stopped and gently stroked Jesus from the back of his head up to his shoulder. After offering a silent touch of comfort, Judas left. In other words, the combination of an erotic kiss and a sentiment of compassion resulted in a classic erotic development that didn't escalate to perversion.
On the 5th and 6th in Vienna, in stark contrast to Munich, the kisses themselves were brief on the forehead, and the silent interaction preceding the kiss increased. As a result, the eroticism completely disappeared, making it closer to an intense platonic affection. While this might have been quite sexual for someone seeing it for the first time in Vienna, it wasn't to the point where I felt slightly flustered watching it in Munich. However, it flustered the viewer in a different way.
April 5th: Judas, who came to kiss Jesus, stares intently at him, smiles with tearful eyes, and begins to comfort him. Then, after a long, quiet conversation to soothe each other, he finally gives a light kiss on the forehead and pulls away. Afterward, Jesus interlocks his fingers with Judas's to stop him as he tries to walk past, just like in the previous performance. In other words, watching this behavior, you can feel the emotional arc of the tragic Romeo and Juliet defying fate being completed in real time.
.. Does this even qualify as a Judas-Jesus dynamic in the first place? Why is there a version of Judas who, beyond pitying and having become resigned to fate, smiles at Jesus as if to say, "Even in a situation like this, you are as beautiful as ever," while exchanging a final farewell?
Unfortunately, since I watched the Vienna performance from the left side, I will never know what expression Jesus made toward the smiling Judas at that moment. Now that I'm writing this, I'm getting so curious... but I can only take relief that it's better than the people who watched from the right side, who wouldn't have been able to see Judas's expression properly anyway.
Meanwhile, on the 6th, as Jesus looks toward the audience, Judas appears from behind and stands beside him. After a long silence, Judas turns toward Jesus to comfort him. At this moment, Judas looked directly at Jesus, whereas Jesus seemed to avoid eye contact and kept looking at the floor. I don't remember the details clearly, but it felt like there was absolutely no harmony during the Kiss of Betrayal on this day. (Even though it is normal for there to be a lack of harmony), so the final performance felt like the most heartbreaking farewell among the four. If he had at least poured out his desires like he did in Munich, it would have conveyed that Judas cherishes every single moment just as much as he does. However, the Judas on the 6th had already come to terms with his situation and tried to see him off simply, while Jesus, feeling resentful that Judas had already moved on, did not try to hold onto him any longer. Well, it looks like the two of them are destined to bicker and fight for the rest of their lives in the afterlife.
According to a video of the actors at the stage door on Xiaohongshu, Serkan Kaya changed the kiss scene during the Vienna production because Gethsemane had provoked such an enthusiastic reaction. His intention was to keep the kiss itself simple instead of dragging out the pause leading up to it, thereby calming the audience and regaining their focus. Upon seeing this, I thought, "It's a pity we couldn't see the erotic kiss just because the Vienna audience gave a standing ovation." (LOL) Look. Judas who is honest about his erotic desires is precious. Judas who openly expresses that during the kiss of betrayal is twice as precious.
Sigh... We really need to preserve this historical Judas for posterity and spread it far and wide, but it looks like Pearman Productions won't release a Blu-ray. That just means the people who weren't in Munich are the ones suffering a defeat.
Anyway, when the kiss ends Judas walks to the cross installed diagonally on the left side of the stage, slumps to his knees, and is swept up in swirling emotions. Thus, from a distance, it looks as if he is carrying the cross. Just as Judas raised his arms and exited at the end of Damned for All Time, the message conveyed here is that although Judas was not physically nailed, the suffering itself is the same as if he shared the cross with Jesus.
Meanwhile, Jesus, for his part, wipes away the tears streaming from his eyes as Judas leaves. To be honest, I was slightly shocked when I first saw this acting detail. This is because Drew Jesus has never once openly shed tears in either Act 1 or Act 2. Both the whips and Gethsemane failed to elicit any tears; yet, he wipes away tears when receiving a kiss from Judas and parting ways forever. Although this emotional arc is natural and expected, I cannot help but keep thinking, "You... were really that kind of person?" Are you going to keep showing this side only when you are alone with Judas?
Well... Serkan Judas is largely to blame for this this year. Which Judas in the world would look after Jesus this thoroughly, even during the kiss of betrayal? And he is doing it by openly displaying his heavy affection, acting as if he can't bear the love any longer. By that point, most Judas would usually be consumed by guilt and try to end the kiss quickly and distance themselves.
.... As expected, it is the warm sun, not the biting wind, that makes a traveler take off his coat. (To think that Judas-Jesus would even make me say something like this....)
Honestly, I think even the Jesus group would have been shocked if they had seen Jesus wiping away tears alone at that moment, but since they were just waking up from sleep, it seemed like everyone missed it. (Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate) Jesus bitterly rebukes the disciples—who, still half-asleep and unable to grasp the situation, shout, "We will save you!!"—asking if they don't realize it's all over now and telling them to go fishing instead. At this moment, the expressions on the faces of Judas and Jesus on opposite sides of the stage clearly revealed that they were sharing deep pain, making it seem even more as though they possessed a world of their own that the disciples were unaware of.
Judas and Jesus make eye contact for the last time when the priests appear to arrest Jesus and thank Judas for his efforts. Immediately afterward, Judas exits and Jesus is dragged away to Pilate, so this is effectively the last time the two saw each other on stage. By this point, the weight of their emotions is so palpable that even I, as an audience, find myself thinking, "Ah, it shouldn't end like that..." (Although I suppose they will meet again during Superstar?). Sigh... Who made this old-married couple like this?
pilate and christ / king hero's song / could we start again please
From the moment of his arrest, Jesus maintains a composed demeanor toward the authorities. Regardless of what the other party says, he generally remains indifferent, and his reaction of surprise is merely a slight raised eyebrow. This is partly due to his style, and partly because being pushed to the brink has actually made him calmer. Furthermore, having already suffered a massive loss due to Judas's betrayal, he gives the impression that he has nothing left to lose, no matter what happens next. This feeling was overwhelmingly strong, especially during the Romeo and Juliet emotional arc on the fifth day. One can only imagine what Judas must have been thinking to himself upon seeing his husband act that way... It was a moment that truly made one let their imagination run wild.
Anyway, since Jesus maintained this "So what? Are you here to gawk?" attitude, Pilate couldn't even have a conversation—let alone threaten him—when he appeared. It was hilarious to see him get slightly flustered in the face of Jesus's nonchalance. Honestly, to engage in even a slight power struggle, Pilate should have worn a floral shirt. That would have made him look a bit of a crazy man within this world. But he wore a coat like a very ordinary Galaxy Governor, so.
On top of that, he amplified his compassion even more than last year, making him feel genuinely sorry for Jesus much faster. As a result, the only person capable of matching Jesus's spirit in Act 2 was once again Judas.
There is a moment that really stands out in the one-sided back-and-forth between Pilate and Jesus. It is when Pilate, after spouting off some fancy words, asks, "You say you are the King of the Jews?" and Jesus retorts in a sarcastic tone, "That is what you say." Then, when Pilate looks on wondering, "How can you be so cool about your fate?" Jesus gives him a look that says, "This guy really knows nothing." Honestly, this was the first time I felt such immediate empathy for Jesus in this number. I mean, imagine you had just finished going through a legendary Love and War drama with Judas, and gone through all five stages of mourning, and being asked this question by a governor who looks so vanilla-looking and has aged so gracefully. LOL.
Furthermore, as Jesus is being escorted to King Herod, some middle-aged man comes out sneezing after having enjoyed skiing at an indoor ski resort for a while. I saw in a review from a Vienna audience that Herod was a "typical Austrian resort tycoon" character, and while reading it, I thought, "Is this what a typical Austrian tycoon is supposed to look like??"
No matter how much Herod tries to liven up the atmosphere from behind, urging Jesus to act like a clown, Jesus just sits there until he gives up, so Herod ends up being the overwhelming clown throughout the entire song. It is supposed to be like that, but it was even worse because Drew Jesus was so indifferent. LOL
Meanwhile, the song "Could We Start Again Please" sung by Peter and Mary as they regret how things have turned out... is skipped because there is nothing left but Peter's tearfulness.
I was impressed by this shift in atmosphere though, as it effectively built up emotions of serious regret and affection with this song immediately following a saccharism-filled track like the Herod song. Then it explodes with Judas’s death right on top of it.
Judas's death
This number is the most improvisational and far removed from the original melody in the entire performance. Since Serkan Kaya’s way of expressing Judas’s despair varies so widely each time, it is impossible to predict what notes he will sing, which lyrics he will bring to life, or what facial expressions he will make until you actually hear it. There are also many instances where he lets out notes bordering on screams. In a musical that is already revolutionary—as the actor himself put it—the fact that he is delivering a performance akin to modern art in real time gave me chills every time. Furthermore, because this version of Judas follows a very simple and clear emotional arc, the weight of his despair was actually amplified even further.
Usually, Judas reveals their complex inner turmoil by denying their desire for Jesus, only to acknowledge their love in this song and ultimately fall into regret and despair. However, this year's Judas betrayed Jesus for reasons that were 100% his own, while still loving him without a shred of denial, leaving no room for complications. Consequently, the line "my mind is in darkness now," which appears when Judas truly falls into deep despair, felt quite different this time. While the usual feeling of succumbing to darkness comes from the realization of the weight of the deed after all of his complex layers have surfaced, this Judas falls into deep despair simply because he realized, "I, his husband, led Jesus to be tortured and killed, all under the pretext of doing it for his sake." Furthermore, as he exits he walks away with heavy strides, as if he were convinced he would take his own life right away. I think he might have ended it all with a single gunshot offstage.
(For reference, I heard at the stage door that Serkan’s favorite line from Judas is "my mind is in darkness now.” I thought his taste is seriously something else lol. No wonder he delivered such a damn good performance as Judas.)
Of course, just because the motive is clear does not mean there is no abyss of psyche. In Munich on the 3rd, where love-hate transformed into desire, Judas sweetly sang the "I don't know how to love him" part while grasping a red cloth representing Jesus's blood and rubbing it against his chest and cheeks. He was savoring and feeling it as if he were caressing. In terms of theatrical license, this seemed like an act equivalent to licking blood. A vampire fetish... I do like that kind of thing, but the real problem is the context. Licking the blood in despair which was shed by the spouse he personally led to be tortured and crucified. <- Just reading the sentence is no joke.
Isn't it actually more striking for the husband to act like this than for someone who isn't? Considering that Serkan’s Judas didn't show this kind of fetishism at all last year, it seems this was added because he became Drew Jesus's husband (...). Thank you. You mercilessly objectify even this 187cm, steel-charismatic rockstar Jesus in one go. It conveys the sensation that Drew Jesus has become a bloody prey; unless it was a Judas this bold, who would have dared to think of licking Drew Jesus's blood? (Usually, people wouldn't even conceive of licking blood of course).
.... But the most infuriating part is that if Drew Jesus saw this, he probably wouldn't be particularly shocked. He would likely just think, "Well, my husband can have a bit of a fetish for me." I hope the two of you have a great afterlife….
trial before pilate
After Judas takes his own life, "Trial Before Pilate" begins, as if to say that Jesus is also drawing closer to the end by the minute. In fact, aside from the ending song, which is off the charts in making the audience uncomfortable, this song is the one that most unfilteredly displays the bizarre kink of JCS. Why does a number even exist that goes, "No matter if your Jesus is tall or short, strong or weak, let us whip him realistically 39 times"? I suppose it can't be helped since Christianity was sadomasochistic first.
Drew Jesus is not particularly affected when powerful figures try to intimidate him. But he does not go out of his way to suppress screams or groans when he feels physical pain, which felt quite human. Because of this, Pilate's emotional state shifted moment by moment as he counted from 1 to 39. Compared to last year, this Pilate definitely wants to save Jesus from the very beginning. So, halfway through the song he tries to persuade Caiaphas, asking if this isn't enough, but when Caiaphas refuses, he has no choice but to give up. Even as he counts, he feels tormented, thinking that this is a sight that no sane person can bear to watch. Therefore, when the count of 39 ends and Jesus collapses to the ground, he supports his head and asks if he doesn't realize that he holds Jesus's lifeline in his hands, and if there is anything he can do for him. At this moment, Pilate's tone is quite gentle, creating a good contrast with Jesus's fierce retort that "You have nothing in your hands."
Especially on the 5th, when the storyline hit the emotional tone of Romeo and Juliet, this line felt like he was thinking of Judas. "Do you think you have something in your hands that even Judas couldn't control? No way..." <- That was exactly the vibe. I mean, why does this emotional tone even exist? But it does (...).
As Jesus answered firmly, Pilate truly had no choice but to lead him to crucifixion. Since Drew Jesus sang with such vocalization and volume that he completely overpowered most of the standing actors even while lying down (lol), Pilate cannot be swallowed up by that while standing, right? I could feel Mr. Borchert pushing his capabilities to the limit at the ending verses. Thanks to that, I was extremely satisfied with the battle of the great singers.
superstar
"Superstar" is a song where Judas teases Jesus while he is being crucified, asking, "So if you were going to end up like this, why did you do it? Is that gossip attached to you even real? They keep talking about sacrifice, but what exactly did you sacrifice?" Up until last year, I must have seen about six versions of Serkan Judas's "Superstar" (including the three from last year), and without missing a single one, he thoroughly enjoyed making fun of Jesus as a talented clown, a master of teasing, and the embodiment of sarcasm. So, naturally, I thought it would be the same this year.
In the Munich on 3rd, Judas was definitely a master of sarcasm. You could say it was over just by his entrance chewing a gum. Not only that, he blew a kiss toward the audience in the middle of the show and even danced for a moment in front of Caiaphas, who was standing with a frown. That was really funny, but it was also hilarious that he absolutely refused to do it again once the emotional tone shifted starting from 4th. It really makes you feel like everyone who missed the first Munich performance has suffered another defeat.
On the other hand, from the Munich performance on the 4th to the Vienna performance on the 6th, Judas consistently feels pity for Jesus. After mockingly singing the solo part in "Superstar," he sits before the cross with a solemn expression, checking on Jesus as he undergoes the execution process while the chorus finishes the refrain. It feels like the minimum duty of a soulmate husband who has already gone to the afterlife.
(He wears an expression like this)
Moreover, the lyrics of the refrain happen to be an endless repetition of, "Jesus, who are you, what have you sacrificed? Do you think you’re what they say you are?" It seems Judas cannot help but feel even more troubled upon hearing this refrain. Judas has consistently emphasized from his entrance to his exit that Jesus is merely a man. Is there anyone who knows better than Serkan’s Judas who truly is Drew’s Jesus, what he sacrificed, and how absurdly the gossip has been inserted? ... As I write this, I get a little scared thinking that Paul McCartney might have worn that same expression after John Lennon's death.
john 19:41
When the song "Superstar" ends, the cross is complete, and all the characters come out to look up at the hanging Jesus motionless. Judas also stands below and to the left of Jesus, fixing his gaze on him in his signature parade rest posture. I mentioned earlier that this song is an ending track that makes the audience incredibly uncomfortable. Since Drew Jesus was the type who wouldn't deliberately endure the pain, his acting was doubly realistic. Furthermore, with all the characters remaining motionless with their gazes fixed, the terrifying sense of loneliness—that Jesus is effectively dying alone—was palpable.
... But whenever Jesus spoke a word, Judas would come into his field of vision whenever he turned his head. I wonder if that was a coincidence or if he did it on purpose.
Come to think of it, when Jesus asks for water, it feels quite natural that he is pleading after seeing a vision of Judas...
In any case, when Jesus finally loses his strength and his life ends, all the characters exit, leaving only Judas and Jesus. At this moment, Judas finally slowly approaches the cross and strokes Jesus's foot with his hand, as if comforting or mourning. Then, he turns around and exits the stage.
As Judas disappears, Jesus soon follows suit and takes his place down from the cross. He gazes at the empty cross for a moment and exits. Well, seeing the two of them disappear into the same place only fueled my imagination, thinking, "Ah, of course, they will meet in the afterlife..."
curtain call
I originally didn't intend to include a curtain call, but Drew Sarich and Serkan Kaya were rubbing it in so much that I thought I couldn't be the only one suffering, so I added it.
(Look them sharing on Instagram with their own accounts, and the blatant thank you post from Drew Sarich to Serkan Kaya.)
They kiss like this at every curtain call, what can I do.
Anyway, I am very relieved to see that the two actors seem to be 2,000 percent satisfied with this reunion performance after 20 years. Doesn't that mean they can perform with the same cast next year?
Actually, at the final performance in Vienna, my friend and I waited until 11:30 PM for the cast to leave and met Serkan Kaya (again). When I asked if he would perform with Drew Sarich again next year, he implied that they were totally willing but that the Perman Productions had to do it, which gave me a slight hope. Last year he said he wanted to do Judas again but that the Perman Productions had to do it, and he ended up doing Judas this year. Given this, if even one person drops out, I should just believe that Perman Productions has no intention of making money. (This pair sold out both days of performances at the Vienna Stadthall, so we can't miss this....)
Now, I will start ardently wishing for some months. We really need to establish this Drew/Serkan JCS performance as a new Easter tradition in the German-speaking world.
So if anyone reads this review, I would be grateful if you could add a wishful thinking for this.
Thank you!
!!! CALLING ALL GERMAN-LANGUAGE/EUROPEAN MUSICAL FANS !!!
I’ve put together a discord server for people who are fans of German-language musicals like me! Obviously anyone is welcome regardless of the kind of musicals you like, or even if you don’t watch a lot of musicals and just want a place to start
I created it with the intention to hopefully stream musicals so that you can watch them with other people, so if you don’t have anyone to watch them with, this is the place for you!
A server for fans of German-language musicals! Don't have anyone to watch musicals with? Look no further! (Everyone is welcome regardless of
Even if you don’t join, I would really appreciate you sharing this so that others who might want to can, and if you do join, I’ll see you soon!