Jesus Christ Superstar

There was much rejoicing some little while ago when Austin's (and the family generally's) mate Zoy announced he had got the role of Judas in a production of JCS.  It was to be a two week run in the State Theatre at the Melbourne Arts Centre at Southbank.

Lindsey, Ian, Ant, Jess and Emily arranged to go.  Then Emily found she couldn't go so Matt took her ticket.  Then on Tuesday Matt discovered that he also couldn't go.  Ian contacted me.  Might I be interested?  Might I be interested?????  Of course I was interested.

So on Wednesday evening, Ian and I made our way to Southbank.  We were there a little early so went for a pre-dinner drink at Ponyfish Island, which is a little bar on a wooden island around one of the pillars of the pedestrian bridge which goes from Southbank to Flinders Street Station.  I can't say that I have ever noticed it before, but I don't often have reason to go to Southbank. When I do it tends to be for specific purposes and it is a long, long time since I have been wandering around down there.

Views from Ponyfish Island:

And Melbourne looking glorious from Southbank:

We met Ant, Jess, Christian, Cassie and later Lindsey at Sake on Southbank where we had a delicious pre-show bento box each.  No bento box for Lindsey. She finished work too late to join us for the start of the mal.  She had a plate of gyoza when she arrived.

And then on to the main event:

I thought it was a magnificent production.  Zoy was fabulous as Judas.  Herod appeared to be channelling a mix of Donald Trump and Liberace and was amazing.  Mary Magdalen had a spectacular voice (Zoy has a spectacular voice too, but I've known that for some years!). The chorus was energetic and enthusiastic.  I was a bit mystified by Jesus in the first half.  He seemed to be a Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, a bit vapid.  No reason why not, of course, but then it is hard to understand quite how he managed to generated such devotion amongst the disciples and the crowd.  Then Jesus lost his temper and you could see the charisma!  

We looked for Zoy at the stage door but couldn't see him.  Then Jesus ambled past and said he was in the main exit at the parking machine.  We found him there!

It was a great evening.  It is, of course, a great pity that neither Emily nor Matt was able to use the ticket.  Or, it's a great pity from their point of view.  It was a piece of great good fortune from mine!

Thank you to Ian and Lindsey for such a lovely evening.

Mind you - it was quite a late evening for a school night.  It was a bit of a struggle to get up and go to work yesterday morning.