Jesus Christ Superstar
At the Moser Theatre, Wadham from Tuesday 15th Feb

Jesus Christ Superstar is Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical dramatisation of the last week of Jesus' life, dealing with his relationship with the disciples, his betrayal by Judas, and, finally, his crucifixion. It's not a musical I'm particularly familiar with, and, as the press preview consisted of only a handful of songs from the show, I - won't be in a position to discuss the finished product until sometime next week. However, as a devoted Joseph fan, I can tell you that Superstar appears to be constructed from the same Lloyd Webber/Rice formula (cut from the same cloth, you might say) that made the former such a hit. In other words, the story is told entirely through a series of songs, each of which (in a deliberately tongue-in-cheek way) borrows a different musical style, from rock to ragtime, soul to swing. Unlike Joseph, Superstar has no third person narrator: the story is told directly through the characters themselves. Jesus and Judas are foils for each other, dressed respectively in plain white and black, while the rest of the cast provide not only narrative and dramatic, but also sartorial support, resplendent in 70's dress (clothes of many colors, indeed). I won't reveal much more at this stage, except to say that, once the leads are filly miked-up, the music orchestrated, and the lighting in place, this looks set to be a great show (now can Mohammed move a mountain or is this just good P.R.?).

Hilary Cave.