Everything's More Than Alright

August 11, 2014

Everything's More Than Alright

Jesus Christ Superstar - Circus Krone, Munich, 25th July, 2014

I love returns. I really do. I was not sure when the tickets for this production went on sale and the cast was announced I would have time but when it was clear I'd have of course not much decent was on sale. So I continued to check once in a while and eventually some excellent tickets appeared out of the blue. I so did not have to think about that trip longer than a few seconds and a ticket was booked - and I was so glad that I did.

Announced as a concert it turned out to be semi-staged production in the permanent tent of the famous Circus Krone in Munich and what a production it was.

Cast (names left as they are called in German)

Jesus - Drew Sarich
Maria Magdalena - Peti van der Velde
Judas - Alex Melcher
Pontius Pilatus - Erwin Windegger
Kaiphas - Holger Ohlmann
Annas - Christian Schleinzer
Petrus - Florian Peters
Herodes - Previn Moore
Simon Zelotes - Philipp Büttner
Soulgirls - Anastasia Bain, Taryn Nelson, Adi Wolf
Frau am Feuer - Alice Wittmer
Alter Mann - Christoph Graf
Soldat - Guy van Damme
Priester - Stefan Bischoff, Martin Markert, Michael Souschek
Jünger - Stefan Bischoff, Nicolas Boris Christahl, Christoph Graf, Martin Markert, Johannes Nepomuk, Peter Neustifter, Lars Schmidt, Michael Souschek, Guy van Damme
Girls - Antje Eckermann, Corinna Ellwanger, Franziska Kemna, Madeleine Lauw, Leoni Kristin Oeffinger, Alice Wittmer
Students of the Theaterakademie August Everding and Abraxas Musical Akademie München
Orchestra of the State Theatre at the Gärtnerplatz

As said the concert took place in a tent so the action took place largely inside the ring with the odd time the aisles being used as well. The staging was "just" a square podium with at each corner a microphone stand picked up by whoever "had to" sing the number.

Saying that some people actually moaned about the fact that hand microphones were used while semi staged - seriously do some people actually keep in mind that the focus was on it being a concert? So whoever moaned stick to the facts. Well it didn't bug me at all and it added something. Not sure what exactly but for me it was no issue - yes, when Jesus is actually e.g. chained and is to sing some lines and Drew Sarich uses the microphone for anyone expecting a staged performance this may be annoying but again, this was "just" a concert and that includes people moaning about haircuts and other personal stuff and why people called this production too modern is also beyond my understanding - any production I have seen is based in modern days. Most of the staging was just to underline but still elaborated to a certain degree that if you do not understand every lyric as it was sung in English you could still follow the show, so it all worked for me.

What though mattered were the performances and they were for me (largely) faultless and simply impressive.

First and foremost Drew Sarich as Jesus was just incredible in my eyes. I had seen Jesus Christ Superstar before including some great performers as Chris Murray as Jesus but never ever has a performance felt more intense, passionate and real. His "Gethsemane" was so stirring, so desperate, well acted and vocally of highest standard deserving that mid show partly standing ovation.

It seems Drew Sarich just gets, as wine, better and stronger with age having seen him grow so much in the last years, particularly since he did Les Miserables in London.

Alex Melcher as Judas also delivered a great performance. Yes, the moments actually acted reminded me of him in other parts in other shows but again this was "just" a concert so no complain and his performance was full of mayhem, despair and raid.

Having seen Peti van der Velde in other shows as Tarzan I expected a bit more from her emotionally especially during "I Don't Know How to Love Him" but she sang her numbers faultless and just beautifully.

Erwin Windegger as Pontius Pilatus was perfectly cast with his deep baritone and his strictness and the controlled body tension.

I was really happy to also see Florian Peters again as Peter delivering a heart warming performance as when Peter denies Jesus it felt so honestly portrayed.

Previn Moore as King Herod was a bit too much for me. Yes, the number is usually exaggerated but here,. especially as "just" a concert it was over the top, too camp, too overblown.

The rest of the ensemble can also just be praised and so good to also see some people on stage again as the lovely Alice Wittmer who, as I read, became part of the cast at rather short notice, Martin Markert (the last time I actually saw him was in JCS in the title role in Bremerhaven), Leoni Kristin Oeffinger and the adorable Lars Schmidt supporting the leads well.

The orchestra sounded at least in act 1 a bit weak and unclean. Considering there was a full orchestra and not just a piece a bit of a shock but it could have something to do with the unbalanced sound often drowning at least where I sat the voices and the music. It improved in act 2 massively so who knows what the issue was.

Well overall a fantastic evening out - just slightly clouded by people in the audience with no manners - but the actual performance on stage cannot be blamed for that when people go to the theatre not knowing how to behave during a show or even before.

Since there were just three performances of this I can only hope that the theatre brings it back eventually as I would not mind to see it again - alone for Drew Sarich and Alex Melcher and their performances.