Jesus Christ Superstar – great music, limited theology
Editorial
With the Therry Theatre’s recent production of Jesus Christ Superstar, I’m reminded of seeing the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice production at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre back in 1992.
It had a cast of superstars with John (You’re the Voice) Farnham as Jesus, Jon Stevens (Judas), Kate Ceberano (Mary Magdalene), Angry Anderson (King Herod), John Waters (Pontius Pilate), not to mention Russell (I am the Real Thing) Morris as Simon the Zealot. I loved the music and really enjoyed the whole production.
It was an attempt to look at Jesus from a modern-day rock culture perspective. Portraying a human Jesus seemed to be the main theme. Not wrong in itself and I never considered it to be blasphemous.
The portrayal of King Herod as cynical, arrogant and superficial was brilliant. It also picked up from Mark’s Gospel just how slow the apostles were in really understanding Jesus and to accept his suffering and death. They were more focused on sharing his glory.
Therry’s Jesus Christ Superstar cast perfect their moves during rehearsal.
With Mary Magdalene, it made the common mistake that she was a woman of ill repute and then it played on this version of her relationship with Jesus in the song, I Don’t Know How To Love Him.
For the record, Mary was cured by Jesus and was one of the women who followed him. She was the first witness of the Risen Lord and then made him known to the disciples. She is considered as the ‘apostle to the apostles’.
The characterisation of Jesus as a superstar doesn’t stand up to the view of the ministry of Jesus from the Gospel of Mark. Here we find what’s called “the messianic secret.”
Again and again, after healing someone or driving out an evil spirit, Jesus will say “don’t tell anyone”. He consistently draws attention away from himself and plays down his role as a miracle worker, a popular figure whom the people want to come and make king. In today’s terms he would not want to be seen as a celebrity, influencer or a superstar. Why? Because, this is not how he will save us. We only know who Jesus is when he suffers and dies on the cross out of God’s love for us and rises again to share forgiveness, reconciliation and new life with us.
And here’s the main problem with Superstar. Jesus dies on the cross, finally accepting his fate and then there’s nothing. His death on the cross is the end of the story. There’s no resurrection. There’s no passing through his suffering and death as part of God’s mysterious plan for our salvation and that of the world. And as St Paul says, “if Christ has not been raised, then empty too…your faith.” No resurrection, no faith. There’s no need or purpose to believe in Jesus.
The resurrection is God’s affirmation of Jesus as his son and our saviour. Without the resurrection, we can believe in anyone or anything we choose to try and give meaning to our lives.
As an aside, I can remember in 1979 when Monty Python’s film The Life of Brian was released. Everyone talked about it in my first parish. Again, I didn’t feel the need to label it blasphemous. It was more like, isn’t it a pity that people seek popularity and attention in ridiculing Christ?
The director and musical director of Therry Theatre’s Jesus Christ Superstar watch on during a rehearsal.
Why? Because in sidelining Christ, one is denying the value of Christ’s powerful influence for humanity. In denying Christ we close ourselves off from the full meaning of our human lives.
Why do I say this? Brian, on the cross sings “Always look on the bright side of Life.” And then the words “Life’s a piece of s*** when you look at it”. In Monty Python’s ridicule, they proclaim an empty and nihilistic view of life that has no meaning or hope, except in trying to find a bright side somewhere. How sad.
I hope the Therry production of Jesus Christ Superstar was enjoyed by all who were involved and saw it, but remember, for the real Jesus, go to the scriptures, the living word of God and truly find him, and experience him in word and sacrament, not alone but with others, in the Eucharist.
Fr Dean Marin is Vicar General of the Adelaide Archdiocese.
