Magdalene- NOT anti-Jewish... anti-CHRISTIAN!!! — Page 3

This show just sounds like a rip-off of the Da Vinci Code.

The only thing I know that is considered heretical (in my Church) is for a Christian to say Jesus did not live and perform the miracles and such he is said to have done in the Bible. Interestingly, I don't recall any prohibition on adding things to the story that aren't in the Bible.

Personally what I like about Jesus Christ Superstar is how it takes the content of the Bible and makes a fascinating, resonant modern show of it.

Personally I don't like shows that veer off the textual basis. Get creative and write your own original text instead. In the same way generally don't like "modernized" takeoffs on Shakespeare that veer from the text--the hubris that the author has somehow improved Shakespeare reveals a dolt. The exception would be transposing the tale to a foreign country like Japan and changing the cultural context, which can be fascinating.

If the production claims to be using a literally translated, newly found Nag Hamadi gospel of Mary Magdalene that might give it a textual basis of interest, however it diverges from the other gospels, but I have not heard that that is the case. "Inspired by" is not good enough. Otherwise I try hard to avoid crap as I don't like to waste time being disappointed at theatre.

Updated On: 7/3/11 at 02:32 PM

I am a fan of them. They are like the cultural reinterpretations. I didn't know quite what to call that type of show.

I've read some more about the show.

I would like to know how literally they stick to the individual gnostic gospels of Mary Magdalene and Thomas and whether the story is set at the time of Christ before I decided to see it. And for curiosity I would like to know why they combined the two gnostic gospels rather than using just one and if it altered the telling of either in the process.

Updated On: 7/3/11 at 02:45 PM

I saw The Magdalene tonight, hoping for a good old campy time, but was sorely disappointed. It's mainly just mind-numbling boring, with the only laughs being from the sleepy/restless audience.

The show is done in the round (why it's never really made clear). My friend and I had the misfortune of being in the onstage seats which both obstructed our views and prevented us from leaving early. Hilariously two brave souls left from the onstage seats, up the onstage ramps and into the wings. Best yet it was 5 minutes till the end. I mean Jesus had already been crucified!! If you've stuck it out that long you might as well see the ending.

The music was one long recitative and the lyrics didn't rhyme or hold my interest. The actors were all very earnest. The performances reminded me of the facial expressions you see on those singing songs, arms outstretched, at a mega church.

I just wanted some fun laughs and got a colossal waste of time.

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There's really limited ticket availability on the website - does anyone know where I could score some tickets for this?

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I would think the limited ticket availability is because they stopped advance sales and not because it sold out (even if it was shilled on every board). I saw one of the first performances and unless it improved greatly it is not sell out material (IMO)