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In pictures: the first look at Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sensational rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar at The Watermill




Passion, power and devotion - Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s extraordinary rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar opened at The Watermill this week. Press night is this coming Thursday so you’ll have to wait a bit longer for our review, but in the meantime we’re sharing the first look at the production pix.

The action spills out of the theatre into the gardens, immersing audiences into this epic musical with an ensemble cast of actor-musicians.

This timeless work is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events but seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers and the Roman Empire.

The ensemble fuse these classic roles with iconic music including Superstar, Gethsemane and I Don’t Know How to Love Him.

Christian Edwards as Pilate, Michael Kholwadia as Jesus. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Christian Edwards as Pilate, Michael Kholwadia as Jesus. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Jesus Christ Superstar (2) C) Pamela Raith Photography
Jesus Christ Superstar (2) C) Pamela Raith Photography
Hazel Monaghan, Alexander Zane, Jordan Eskeisa. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Hazel Monaghan, Alexander Zane, Jordan Eskeisa. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Olugbenga Adelekan as Caiaphas. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Olugbenga Adelekan as Caiaphas. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Max Alexander-Taylor as Judas. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Max Alexander-Taylor as Judas. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Parisa Shahmir as Mary. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Parisa Shahmir as Mary. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus, Parisa Shahmir as Mary. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus, Parisa Shahmir as Mary. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus (2). C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus (2). C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Michael Kholwadia as Jesus. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Max Alexander-Taylor as Judas and ensemble. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Max Alexander-Taylor as Judas and ensemble. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Christian Edwards as Pilate and ensemble. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Christian Edwards as Pilate and ensemble. C) Pamela Raith Photography
Jesus Christ Superstar C) Pamela Raith Photography
Jesus Christ Superstar C) Pamela Raith Photography

Michael Kholwadia (Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre; Pretty Woman, UK tour) plays Jesus, Max Alexander-Taylor (The Lion at Southwark Playhouse / US Tour; Cable Street at Southwark Playhouse) plays Judas, Parisa Shahmir (Fisherman’s Friends UK tour; The Snow Queen at Rose Theatre; We Live In Cairo at the American Repertory Theater and The Last Ship with Northern Stage on the UK & Ireland Tour) plays Mary.

Joining them is Michali Dantes (First Date, Old Joint Stock Theatre; The Jungle Book, S4K International) as Simon, Seb Harwood (Becoming Nancy, Birmingham Rep; Heathers: The Musical, The Other Palace) as Peter, Christian Edwards (The Sound of Music, Pitlochry Festival Theatre; All I See is You, Bolton Octagon, UK and Australia Tour) as Pilate, Samuel Morgan-Grahame (Amélie, West End/UK Tour/Watermill Theatre; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Birmingham Rep) as Herod, Olugbenga Adelekan (The Choir of Man, Arts Theatre; bassist for Metronomy) as Caiaphas, and Alexander Zane (Beautiful, UK Tour; Forever Plaid, Upstairs at the Gatehouse) as Annas.

The ensemble includes Jordan Eskeisa (Just My Imagination, International Tour), Maisie Mandley, Hazel Monaghan (Piaf, Watermill Theatre; Fisherman’s Friends, UK Tour), Tasha Chu (Romeo & Juliet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures), Lily Françoise, Trisha Kumar, Alex Anthony Fevrier (Peter Pan, Tyne Theatre & Opera House), Sebastian Hugo, and Finan McKinney (The Wonderful World Tour, West End/International Tour), who is cover Jesus.

Thanks to funding from Greenham Trust, six members of the ensemble are recently graduating musical theatre students who are being given a unique opportunity to learn and work alongside an experienced team on a large-scale regional production. The theatre is offering a series of free workshops, tickets and cast Q&As to local young people focusing on both on and off-stage career opportunities in the arts.

The production is directed by Paul Hart.

BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044.



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