The story of Jesus is a timeless story and the musical expresses as much in it's presentation. The story is based around the possible relationship between Jesus, Judas and Mary.This is a musical that has always meant so much to me. I grew up watching this show with my family. I think it was
When I arrived the first thing I noticed was the stage: It was a broken down area blocked off by a fence reaching over fifteen feet high, covered in barbed wire. As we waited for the show to begin we heard the sounds of helicopters buzzing and search lights went over us and the stage before it went quite. Then the apostles and Mary entered. They were dressed like anarchists I've seen at Evergreen. Old hoodies that were to big, gloves where the fingers stick out, shirts that were un-styled and grungy hair...no one looked like they'd had a bath in ages, and all had a sense of anger and community about them. They greeted each other by placing their right hand against one another's hand in greeting. In them I saw so many Greeners (Evergreen students) whom I know in those people representing his apostles.
Jesus then arrived in the ally (he had light at his back in his entrance). He was in a slightly white hoody and a red run down scarf. Judas was wearing glasses, had a shoulder bag and an un-buttoned button up shirt. He wore a hat which completed his almost hacker like look. They apostles and Jesus then danced as Judas sang about how worried he was about Rome turning on them and Jesus not being aware of the consequences he could have for his people. "Listen Jesus to this warning I give...please remember that I want us to live!" This is the beginning of his disillusionment as he sees the people get more and more attached to Jesus the person and not his words. "You've begun to matter more than the things you say."
This then lead into the next scene where Mary Magdalene is attempting to comfort Jesus, Judas acting out of jealousy (it seemed) and want to save Jesus's image said he shouldn't associate with her since she's a prostitute and him being seen in an intimate way could ruin his image as a Holy Man. Jesus fights him (never seen this interpretation but Jesus tearing down the Temple did show he could be violent, this also played into the anger the group seemed sometimes prone too in being counter the status quo).
The scene with Caiphus plotting with the High Priests was in a business setting. He and the other high priests were in white long business suits with a pin, and had white yamakas on their heads. They were presented as people who profited from the status quo. They wouldn't be seen again in the conference room till Judas's loss of faith. To me they represented the disconnect between materialism and faith...when we get comfortable in our situation it's easy to see those comforts as the most important thing in life.
Next is "Hosanna" is Jerusalem. Jesus directly confronts the Priests saying "Even if the people stop singing the very rocks themselves would start to sing." Throughout this Judas is in the background, happy during "Hosanna" worried during Simon the Zealots song about overthrowing Rome, in which Jesus says none of them (Judas, Apostles, Jerusalem, Rome, The Priests) understand what power is.
Pilate is introduced next. In this production Pilate is a Military Dictator who looks like somewhat like former "President" Mubarak in dress. Rome is presented as Corporate interests as he's shaking hands with businesspeople in the temple in the next scene as cameras flash...showing how it was those interests that lead to the Temple losing it's holyness in a manner of speaking. Jesus then enters with two henchmen and throws down the tables and tears down the pictures (which look Victoria Secret, and other stores that sail clothing via appeal to sex aka people wearing almost nothing to sell clothes). The main theme was money and money fell on the first few rows after the "Temple Song" ended. It was a powerful message having Jesus and his 2 apostles tear down the pictures...it was "Stop this objectification, and exploitation." In a sense, people are a temple not to be used evily.
Next it was Mary comforting Jesus and Judas's further disillusionment thinking Jesus did the Temple act to look out for the poor and now he's just spending time with Mary getting doted on like a King and lover. They fight and Judas leaves to the High Priests. Mary then sings about not knowing how to love him, Jesus then sits up and they sleep together. Sex isn't applied and one way to interpret this is he was giving Mary what she needed (comfort and connection), they then sleep. Judas sees them and runs to the priests worried that Jesus has not only lost control of the apostles (Simon the Zealot's song) but himself as well (sleeping with Mary, contradicting his teachings in Judas's eyes).
The scene with the Priests is powerful as Judas clearly is conflicted about what he's doing. "I had no thought at all about my own reward. I really didn't come here on my own accord. Just don't say I'm, damned for all time..." This main chorus echoes as he nearly doesn't take the money the priest were Jesus is. Before he leaves with the money he sits and looks like the audience...lost in thought.
At intermission I found myself lost in thought. Part of the premise of Christianity is that Jesus had do to die for everyone to live...in that way, how much free will did Judas actually have according to Christianity? In Christianity Prophecy means something will happen and Jesus said he would be betrayed so that all could live...yet he also curses the one who would betray him saying, The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." Mark 14:21
This brings up the problem of Evil and goodness of God once more...if God plans evil to happen in order for good and an innocent man suffers (or at least flawed man - Judas) then what does that say about God?
The next scene is the Garden of Gethsemane. The apostles and Mary arrive one by one and share a bong, while playing around with one another as Jesus watches in the distance. The act then begins as they sing "Look at all my trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine.... Always thought that I'd be an apostle, knew that I could make it if I tried.Then we retire, we can ride the Gospels so they'll still talk about us when we die."
Jesus then expresses his fear, distress and anxiety and tells Peter that Peter will deny him 3 times, and that one of his apostles will betray him. Judas says Jesus knows it is him. They argue and Judas leaves saying that things would have worked out differently if Jesus had, had a plan.
Jesus then has his moment in the garden singing about how he doesn't want to die. His passion in the song is overwhelming as he confronts a God he cannot see about his death. He ends the song accepting it. "I'll do what you started, I didn't start it. God thy will is hard. But you hold every card...I will drink your cup of
The soldiers in riot gear (the Garden is a broken area under a bridge it looked like) take Jesus away after he tells the Apostles to stop fighting them. One small moment that is powerful is when Judas had Mary retreat first...someone who he's always picked on. Judas act is to make sure the soldiers don't see her with Jesus.
The interrogation of Jesus by the soldiers is something out of the Middle East going on today with oppressive governments. For example how they go about interrogating Jesus with hitting him with their pistols, rifle buts and gloved hands is like something from the interrogation chambers Syria that Dorothy Parvaz the recently freed journalist wrote about:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/05/2011518184325620380.html
The High Priests mock him and Judas watches in horror seeing how Jesus was abused during the arrest.
Peter's denials are next and he sings with Mary about starting over again with Jesus as Mary is now understanding his love and Peter now understands Jesus's situation (Peter gets rejected by the people and the apostles...the total outsider because of his denials).
Next is Pilate and Jesus. Pilate doesn't think Jesus deserves the time of day to even be considered and sends him on to Herod a flamboyant bisexual older male with lots of male and female concubines. He's getting a massage and is someone profiting majorly from the status quo. He sends Jesus on when Jesus doesn't do any miracles and refuses to talk to him.
Judas returns the money and pleads with the priests to let Jesus go. They say, "No" and Judas says he never knew how to love Jesus. The next scene he is given by rope by Jesus and a group of Anarchists in black dressed like death...he commits suicide in despair, blaming Jesus for it.
Jesus's trial is the next scene. Jesus refuses any "help" from Pilate and the people continue screaming for his death. Pilate keeps showing how Jesus is nothing and not worth it, while trying to make things easier for Jesus (except for the whipping) and then washes his hands and lets the people (who are dressed as middle class people who went along with the craze then went away when Jesus did nothing against Rome or to change anything in their eyes).
Jesus says his last words on the cross. "Into your hands I commend my spirit" after he forgives the people for crucifying him (one of the greatest acts of compassion and the greatest of the miracle of the story that I hope we all can live out if we're ever in that place where he was (sent to death when innocent after being humiliated). That act of compassion and love is how we all should strive to live. This is the part of the Jesus story that always meant the most to me. This total act of forgiveness is something I strive to live daily...holding onto bitterness, anger and resentment does nothing to solve problems and only hurts myself and those around me. Forgiveness allows for moving forward and moving on.
The final scene is Mary and Apostles taking Jesus off the cross. They go around him and as he is covered by the amount of people around him, a light comes down and they look up. The scene is left in a mystery and Jesus being God or an example of how we are children of God like him is up to debate. The fact that Brian Yorkey left the question open was
This in turn is an expression of the story of religion and the mysteries that happened or were created to understand the unknown. It was the best ending the show could've had in my opinion and the show itself was a beautiful expression of the humanity of Jesus and that there are more important things in the world then greed (The scene in the Temple), violence (Simon the Zealot's song) and that "The Kingdom is not of this world." It's something deeper and more unknown than that. Maybe it's whithin, or an actual reality outside this one (Another dimension we go to after death possibly? I'm not sure...). I was lucky to have gone and recommend it to anyone asking questions, interested politics, religion and musicals. By far Andrew Lloyd Webber's greatest musical and a wonderful interpretation of the characters and events surrounding "The Passion."
