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Post by tremblinwilbury on Jul 10, 2019 13:48:09 GMT
Wow! How can I have missed this?! It looks dramatic - and reminds me somewhat of the first major revival in London in 1996. Superstar has always been my first love in musical theatre. This 'love affair' started in May 1997 seeing that production for the first time. Gale Edwards, the director, got it so right in casting Steve Balsamo as Jesus and Zubin Varla as Judas. So, this new revival... It looks like I won't get a chance to see it  Even so, it looks like it's a success. And a whole new generation will get to appreciate how great the music is. Doesn't that sound like the effect a certain band will have while on tour in the states this summer?  |
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Post by BSJ on Jul 11, 2019 0:19:19 GMT
The studio recording came out in the early 1970's? My parents were strict Catholic and hearing that this play was a form of blasphemy from our pastor, my brother had to sneak the record in the house. I thank my brother for introducing me to this wonderful show and Broadway.
"He is dangerous!"
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Jul 11, 2019 7:57:14 GMT
My first experience of this, as I said, was in May 1997. I still had a student union card from a course I attended the year before, so I took advantage of the student tickets offered by the Lyceum by going to see it twice a month. One of the areas of the theatre open to students was the "Tribune" - three rows of seats behind the stage. The stage was circular and this gave the impression of the stage being an amphitheatre - as you can see in this image of a model of the stage design by John Napier. Those seats were also VERY close to the action. In one scene we had Simon Zealotes and Judas on a platform at the centre rear of the stage - directly under the Tribune seats. While the 'action' was happening on stage those two were arguing among themselves in-character. Glenn Carter (Simon) and Zubin were actors first and singers second. One final thing I'll add is the opening guitar in the Overture. Rather than the 'tinny' sound on the original recording and 1973 film, The opening sound in the 1996 production was a deep throaty growling guitar - an incredibly menacing sound... |
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Post by BSJ on Jul 11, 2019 18:00:27 GMT
That stage nicely sets the tone.
Oops! Got shivers listening to the Overture, specially the Trial Before Pilate, bit.
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Post by queenofthehours on Jul 12, 2019 15:12:03 GMT
I've loved this musical ever since we performed it at my school in 1996. I was in the choir and can still remember all the songs. The boy who played Judas was really good, very dramatic and a great singer. The boy who played Simon Zealotes became artistic director for a Special Olympics opening ceremony, has presented his own TEDx talk and is something big in the breakdancing world which is unsurprising as he was an incredible dancer in the show.
One day I'd love to see Superstar on stage but it'll be have to be something special to beat our school version, even the movie I found disappointing. I was more impressed last year when I found out that Ian Gillan and Mike D'Abo sang on the original recording.
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Post by BSJ on Jul 12, 2019 22:03:00 GMT
Envious you were on stage, queenofthehours. In high school I was happy to be one of the stage hands.
The movie is unwatchable. |
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Jul 15, 2019 7:37:03 GMT
To be honest, no film version would ever capture the 'magic' of a stage play or musical. That can certainly be said about JCS. I've seen it many times - and in different productions. The energy within it gets to me - and I love it. Films... theres the 1973 Norman Jewison one and there's the 1999 Really Useful version. Two quite different approaches. I like both - but my preference would be for the latter. It's based on the 1996 revival directed by Gale Edwards. When that went on tour it looked different, but sounded the same. |
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Post by queenofthehours on Jul 22, 2019 18:34:16 GMT
Envious you were on stage, queenofthehours . In high school I was happy to be one of the stage hands.
The movie is unwatchable. I wasn't on stage, we (the choir) were sat over to one side of the hall and I kept having to surreptitiously shuffle my chair into a better position from which to see the stage. I remember the main stagehand in our production was rather too liberal with the dry ice. The stuff was everywhere.
Too right the movie is unwatchable. I bought a vhs copy in 1996 and still haven't watched it the whole way through. I always bale out as soon as Jesus starts to sing.
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Post by unomusette on Aug 10, 2019 21:29:11 GMT
Listening to Overture as linked above and as it begins I'm immediately reminded of the start of Laredo Tornado...spooky...
Edit: and later on it has shades of Fire on High  |
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Even so, it looks like it's a success. And a whole new generation will get to appreciate how great the music is.
Apparently it's quite hard to see them with the naked eye, you need to be looking through a camera or other type of lens?