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It’s an irony of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s powerhouse 1970 rock opera that the least superstarry thing about it is Jesus. The through-sung score features one belter after another – Heaven on Their Minds, Hosanna, the fanfaric title track. But there’s little narrative (fair enough, we all know the plot), or character. We hear about Jesus’s charisma from others’ say-so but he’s an oddly passive, disgruntled central figure.
This flaw is exacerbated in Tim Sheader’s otherwise thrilling, high-octane, concert-style production by the casting of Sam Ryder. The plucky Eurovision yodeller’s octave-hopping voice could strip paint when it comes to the impassioned high notes but he swallows the quieter passages of songs and his nice-guy disposition sits ill with Jesus’ grumpiness.
