Review: Jesus Christ Superstar at The Lowry

From its journey from concept album to stage to film, the award-winning rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar is surely a production destined, since its very first Broadway outing in 1971, to return again and again to the stage.

So what will the Manchester audience reckon to director Timothy Sheader's new, reimagined version?

Depicting the last days of the son of God, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical begins with the duplicitous Judas confronting Jesus over the way he is leading his disciples and his kindness towards the loose woman Mary Magdalen.

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Remember, this is a rock opera so the story is sung in its entirety, which in parts - the slower and less noisy numbers - works, and in other parts, doesn't. In these bits, you find yourself, through no fault of the actors, straining to decipher the words and then consequently, missing the bigger picture.

It's also worth noting that perhaps in the seventies, it was safe to assume the average person in the UK or the U.S would have good bible knowledge but today, that may not be the case. A bit of scene setting in this regard would then be a valuable addition.

The highlight of the show is, without a doubt, Drew McOnie's choreography, the drably dressed disciples working themselves up from a zombie-like state into a frenzy of orgiastic bloodlust, making for strangely compelling viewing.

The vocals too are very accomplished, with Ian McIntosh as Jesus showcasing a particularly impressive set of lungs, his tormented screeching at times bringing to mind rock band Guns 'n' Roses' frontman Axl Rose!

Jad Habchi's thundering bass tones as Caiaphas add atmosphere too, his voice providing a striking contrast to the fake Judas' frenetic falsetto.

Hannah Richardson as Mary has a technically perfect singing voice and delivers a good, if not especially passionate, 'I don't know how to love him', while Ryan O'Donnell as Pilate delivers the necessary swagger in his role, both vocally and physically.

None of the characters really stand out though, Jesus included. They are presented more as figureheads than real people you can have strong feelings about.

That said, the energy of every one of the actors and their dancing and vocals are second to none. The ambience created is eerie, other-wordly and captivatingly animalistic, with some great costumes and clever use of masks.

In a nutshell, the production just lacks good, strong characterisation. If you know your bible and don't mind sacrificing storyline for sensational showiness, you might not mind that so much. But if you prefer your protagonists a bit less one-dimensional, you may find this a little out of your comfort zone.