JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR LA JOLLA — Page 2

"JCS is a joint protagonist structure. I'm not kidding with the Wicked reference. And this is as silly as debating If that show is Glinda's story or Elphabas-- the answer is they are one and the same and neither's journey could exist without the actions of the other."

Since you added that, I will agree, although I don't think the debate is "silly." Show curtains are silly. My original point was to say they are equal, or at least to argue that Judas alone is not the protagonist of JCS.

And it is possible to have two protagonists. A Mozart-Salieri comparison in Amadeus would also be valid.

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No gentle reminder (or condescension) needed, MB. At that point, Judas is the leader of the Greek chorus, knocking it out of the park. But his participation in the plot or story ends when he dies.

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Updated On: 11/25/11 at 07:26 AM

HAMLET, MACBETH, EDWARD II, RICHARD II, DEATH OF A SALESMAN.

Just a short list of tragedies that have a scene and at least one major plot step initiated by the protagonist but occurring AFTER his death.

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But the time you got to Amadeus/Salieri, I began to think "dual protagonist structure" was just another term for protagonist/antagonist. Judas/Jesus might be described as the latter, even Elphaba/Glenda. There's no rule that says the protagonist and antagonist can't have moments of collaboration.

I agree Gaveston but I think at least in the situation of AMADEUS and JCS (and WICKED) the debate of which character actually is antagonist/protagonist (in classic) terms is unsolvable because I think in each of these cases, the answer is, that the author is saying both characters are. Each is the protagonist/antagonist for each other's journey.

And I agree Best12, It might just be a situation in which the actor playing Judas is more charismatic than the actor playing Jesus. For my money the challenge in any of these joint protagonist stories is that you have to have two charismatic leads on equal footing.

Updated On: 11/25/11 at 07:40 AM

"And I agree Best12, It might just be a situation in which the actor playing Judas is more charismatic than the actor playing Jesus. For my money the challenge in any of these joint protagonist stories is that you have to have two charismatic leads on equal footing."


That was the reason for my first post in this thread, MB ... because the original post here says that in the new La Jolla production, they suddenly realized it was "Judas's Show." Apparently, an understudy went on as Jesus, which hopefully had something to do with that reaction. For me, if you see a production of JCS and you think it's Judas's show, you didn't see a strong actor/singer playing Jesus.

I also think a lot of people have trouble relating to Jesus and his inner turmoil, but they can relate to the inner turmoil of Judas much easier. That may have something to do with certain people gravitating toward Judas and seeing it as "his show." I have trouble with that because his entire existence in JCS is to sing about and discuss Jesus. He tells us nothing about himself, except his conflicted opinion of Jesus. That basically IS his whole character.

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best12bars, I DISAGREE COMPLETELY.

I love JCS, and enjoyed the London revival when I saw it (though I had major issues)--which I've heard was oddly and randomly changed for the worse when it was filmed, toured in the UK and brought to Broadway. But I really do believe it's a show that is near impossible to make really work on the stage--and I know that's not an opinion others share. That's one reason that the film works really well for me.

It was written as a record album/concert, and wile it's a very theatrical score for a record, I don't think it easily translates to theatre visuals (probably one reason that ever since the original Broadway production people tend to want to dress it up as much as possible--although I know the much longer running London production of the 70s, which I've never even found photos of, was also much more simply staged). For whatever reason, that can translate easier to a movie shot in an almost pre music videos style.

I also really feel one reason Evita did work so well on the stage is because Hal Prince insisted on going through the whole score and changing it up, making it more theatrical. While I'm mixed on Parker's film, in some ways it goes back to Evita's concept album, and that may work again because much of it is basically a long music video.

As for what era JCS should be set in, I do think the movie got it right (though I'm not necesarily down with the Godsepll-ish "actors putting on a show" concept). It shouldn't be full out present, and that does ruin the coup de theatre that the title song can be, but it really doesn't work for me when set in a firm and "accurate" (at least pseudo accurate) era.

There was a certain shock value in the original concept recording that was also present in the original NY and London productions -- and to some extent, the movie. All created this effect by mixing modern and surrealist concepts into the story which mass audiences hadn't really seen before. Subsequent productions never really seemed to captured this edginess or cultural relevance with ease.

Remember JCS appeared in the Vietnam Era when Catholics were painting over their churches white, getting rid of latin masses and attempting to address contemporary issues in their liturgy. This really shocked a lot of people. By the 80s the church had already begun being sidelined out of mainstream culture by fundamentalists and the political right -- and ultimately buried by the pedophilia scandals. A lot of subsequent productions, including the 2000 revival, would attempt to bring contemporary elements into the show with black leather angels and S&M roman soldiers. This never really worked . It just appeared forced & strained -- or plain laughable.

I've heard in this new production, McAnuff discovers an emotional subtext in the story and stages the production as an emotional menage a trois between Jesus, Mary & Judas. All the scenes between Mary and Jesus have Judas on stage eavesdropping. And the scenes between Judas and Jesus have Mary watching from the sides. -- both Mary and Judas constantly suspicious, jealous, and watchful of each others relationship with Jesus. A friend had seen it in Stratford and said the effect is absolutely unnerving.

How I see it:

2000 REVIVAL -- Subtextually speaking, Jesus and Judas are coming out of a relationship, Judas is insanely jealous of Mary for coming between them. Tony Vincent didn't play this as much live, but as CATSNYrevival points out, it's patently obvious in the video, down to Jesus picking up Judas in an alleyway during "Heaven on Their Minds" and rebuffing his advances during the song, and the long lip lock in the garden that YouTube punters have dubbed "Brokeback Gethsemane."

LA JOLLA -- Have not seen it myself, but from what I observe from clips and press notices, it seems to be more even-handed, playing up Jesus and Mary, with Judas' love as unrequited. Anyone who's seen it, here or in Stratford, I would appreciate any input.

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some real debtaing going on over here...haven't seen this much back and forth since Wimbledon Men's Semi-Finals (and I mean that in a really good way)

i'd agree that it's a dual protagnaist show - just never even considered it given title and what little i knew of the show.

Stratford's Broadway-Bound JCS receives a rave in San Diego:

http://local.sandiego.com/arts/jesus-christ-superstar-at-the-la-jolla-playhouse