bellman writes:

Schonell Theatre St Lucia, Brisbane. 19 September-21 October 2006

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:37-39) Matthew, as a gospel, seems to be one in which there are hundreds of different stories and lessons and parables and fables, all with one essential message – be good to one another. The overwhelming impression is that Jesus was getting increasingly frustrated by the fact that he just couldn't crowbar this simple and obvious fact into the heads of The Multitude. He was clearly pulling out all stops as he tried to spread his message every possible way he could. And it's on this premise that the musical Godspell is built. So what’s in it for an atheist?

Conceived and written by John Tebelak with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Godspell is the same vintage as Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar, though the two are very different musical theatre experiences. Superstar spans a much shorter period of time in the life of Christ and is much more firmly identified as a rock opera. Godspell covers the period from the baptism to the crucifixion, and its musical influences are more strongly rooted in, though not limited to, the folk-pop of the seventies.

The most significant difference in the two shows is that Superstar attempts to humanise the characters, while Godspell doesn't shy away from the Gospel of Matthew upon which it is based. Which means the show can get awfully preachy. In some places, in order to sustain the drama, it relies on the audience simply accepting that this is The Greatest Story Every Told, which, for a grumpy old atheist like me, just isn't enough.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:16) In its favour is the sheer versatility of the script. This is a dream show for any imaginative director who can build a strong ensemble cast, as there are many directions it can be taken in order to maintain a sense of the contemporary. My first Godspell was when Centenary Theatre did it back in 1987, drawing inspiration from pop music and the Live Aid phenomenon. A modern rendition needs to find its own influences. Under the direction of Jack Bradford and the musical direction of Gillian Cosgriff, Starlight Musical Theatre have certainly achieved that and the result is fantastic.

Bradford has tapped into the feel of the Book of Matthew—that sense of one simple message told a hundred different ways—to produce a lively, energetic show that is innovative, relevant and fun. There is a real sense of 'play' behind every device he uses, which helps maintain a sense of innocence in the players and sense of wonder in the audience. Song and dance routines are in there, of course, but so too is puppetry, physical comedy, audience participation, storytelling, clowning, jokes, skits... even charades manages to make an appearance. The whole is steeped in a swathe of popular culture, giving us all access to very old and very familiar tales. The transition and translation is remarkably fluid (it's amazing how easily the phrase “my brothers' house” can become “the Big Brother House”) and the audience are given that wonderful sense of discovery and revelation as they realise they're watching Judge Judy... or Shane Warne... or the Desperate Housewives...

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12) The cast gel beautifully, which is a minor miracle in itself given the scope that the script offers for focus-pulling and upstaging. This, I believe, is testimony to the strength of Bradford's direction, coupled with a trusting and supportive group of performers. 'Ensemble' really is the operative word here. With the exception of Jesus (Bradford, himself) and John the Baptist/Judas (Chris Thomas) there are no distinct characters in this show and all are called upon to exhibit a variety of skills. Between the controlled vocal work of Thomas and Cosgriff, the strong performances of Emily Tomson and Michael Balk, the exquisite comic timing and appeal of Dirk Hoult and Judy Hainsworth, and the sheer stage presence of Taryn Ryan, Jacob Bradford and Jane Anderson, we have an appealing mix of characters who sometimes act as guides and sometimes sit along side us as passengers through this journey.

And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. (Matthew 23:48) The live music, courtesy of Zac Bradford, John Hibbert, Andrew Last, Steve Rixon and Bryn Samuels, is spot on. The band seems adaptable to every genre required of the show. The folk songs that betray it's seventies origins are performed with a sensitivity that respect the show's blissful naivety, while the rock, gospel and vaudeville numbers provide emotional contrasts throughout. The overall appearance of the show is extremely professional. Set in an industrial wasteland, one might think it were easy to assemble a simple pile of rubbish as the set, but this is a well-crafted dump complete with bridge girders, skip bins and a car body, and it all suits the performance. There were a few technical glitches in the microphones in the performance I saw, but I'm sure these are rectifiable. The light show fits the show and uses the available equipment very well.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you. (Matthew 5:11) The show has only a few shortcomings. I'm always wary when directors cast themselves, particularly in lead roles. Bradford is, I believe, a better director that performer and, though it be stereotyping to say so, his American accent make Jesus very slightly evangelical. And though some of the sound problems of the night could have been passed off as technical difficulties, there was an imbalance of vocal strength from the cast that might have been redressed through a vocal rehearsal regime that matched the evident rigour of the physical one. Perversely, the wonderful venue is almost too big for this show. The cast struggle against the proscenium arch that the Schonell Theatre provides, and the involvement of the audience and attempts at intimacy all feel a little forced.

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matthew 5:37) Ultimately, however, the question must be asked: Do we really need a show like Godspell right now? We live in an age where our economy grows at the expense of our well-being, we amass increasing personal debt to maintain our social status, we're the second most obese nation on Earth, our advertising sexualises ever younger sectors of the consumer market, and our nation willingly and pre-emptively strikes other nations. In the face of such greed, pride, envy, gluttony, sloth, lust and wrath, a cutesy musical telling us how great it would be to be nice to people for a change can hardly be a bad thing. And, whether you're a believer or not, Starlight Musical Theatre's Godspell goes beyond the twee to create a performance that is universally affable, engaging and completely earnest.

And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Matthew 24:31)