I got myself into a spiritual theme this week, but I don’t really have anything that fits for Fiction Friday.  So instead of sharing some writing today, I’m going to talk about a Good Friday tradition of mine–while keeping on the story theme of this blog.  🙂

I’m sure there are endless retellings of the Passion of Christ.  It has, after all, been described as “the greatest story ever told.”  A particular favorite version of mine is Jesus Christ Superstar, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  I’ve listened to the soundtrack every Good Friday for the last several years, and last year I finally bought the DVD.  So I’ll be watching that tonight–after the Good Friday service at my church.

For those not familiar with Jesus Christ Superstar, it’s essentially the last week of Jesus’ life: the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the betrayal by Judas, the Last Supper, the trial, the crucifixion.  Except it’s a rock opera and, at least in the 2004 DVD, it’s set more or less in the modern day.  The Roman soldiers have guns, and there’s a sort of industrial feel to the minimal sets.  I think bringing it (more or less) into the modern day makes some parts more accessible, or at least gives a new perspective on them.  Jesus as rock star.  It’s pretty cool. 

I think you already knew I love the Webber Phantom, and I love the music in JCS too.  Few melodies get stuck in my head like Webber’s.  There are powerful songs throughout the musical–Judas has some good ones, although my favorite may be “Gethsemane.”  I have a version of Michael Crawford singing that one, and after a really frustrating day, few things are more satisfying than “Gethsemane” at high volume (and Crawford holds a note in the middle for 16 seconds, which is really long if you’re trying to sing along).

This is also a good version of the story.  Not all of it is Biblical–nowhere in the Bible does Jesus tell the crowds to heal themselves, although he does keep trying to get off by himself for a while when they press around too much.  But a lot of it is very close to the Bible, enough that you can see Webber and Rice had the book open when they were writing the musical.  The confrontation between Jesus and Pilate is especially close to the Biblical version:

Pilate: Listen, King of the Jews, where is your kingdom?  Look at me, am I Jew?

Jesus: I have got no kingdom in this world, I’m through–through–through.
There may be a kingdom for me somewhere if I only knew.

Pilate: You are a King?

Jesus: It’s you that say I am.  I look for truth, and find that I get damned.

Pilate: But what is truth?  Is truth a changing law?  We both have truths–are mine the same as yours?

That’s pretty much straight out of Chapter 18 of John’s Gospel.  And where Webber takes more artistic license, I mostly like where he goes.  The story is, largely, from Judas’ point of view, and I find the more sympathetic portrayal of Judas to be fascinating.  I think the musical still leaves some debate as to why Judas betrayed Jesus.  Did he see the prophecy and knew someone had to carry it out?  (“You used me–and you knew–all the time!”)  Was he afraid of the Romans? (“I am frightened of the crowds–we are getting much too loud.  And they’ll crush us if we go too far.”)  And of course we can’t really know.  But this explores some interesting ideas.

The one part I don’t like is the portrayal of Peter.  The first time I encountered the musical, watching the movie in a religion class, it struck me that Jesus seemed so alone, surrounded by people who didn’t understand.  And I kept thinking, where’s Peter?  Peter’s my favorite of the apostles, because he usually says the wrong thing, but nearly always has his heart in the right place.  That “nearly” comes in because of the famous three denials, which is practically the only part of Jesus Christ Superstar when Peter is identifiable.  Nice job, shine a spotlight on the man’s worst moment and pay no attention to the rest.

But other than that, it’s a good retelling.   The musical walks a nice line with the miracles too.  It’s not overt, so you can take it any way you want.  The most miraculous moment is when Jesus predicts Peter’s denials–and you could interpret that by saying he just knows Peter well. 

If Webber was willing to go more miraculous, it seems to me that, if he really wanted to go back and write a sequel to a successful past musical, he should have come back to Jesus Christ Superstar (instead of writing that debacle of a sequel to Phantom).  I’d love to see a musical about the Resurrection.  The resurrection accounts in John are amazing stories too (especially at the Sea of Gallilee, when Peter–heart in the right place!–goes jumping overboard to swim ashore because he sees Jesus on the beach).

Oh well.  Until I get a musical for Easter, I’ll just go on watching Jesus Christ Superstar on Good Friday.