Last night’s official opening of Jesus Christ Superstar at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre was a shot of pure theatrical adrenaline, the kind that sends you home humming, wide-eyed and absolutely certain you’ve witnessed something special. I’ll admit up-front: in the sprawling catalogue of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, this rock-opera has never quite topped my personal favourites list. But from the moment the stage lights cut through the haze and that first gritty guitar riff sliced the silence, any lingering bias dissolved. What unfurled was a fiercely contemporary, emotionally charged production that left the entire house on its feet.
Jesus Christ Superstar is a fully sung rock opera, boasting music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely inspired by the Gospel accounts of the Passion, it explores the inner worlds of Jesus and, above all, Judas, whose growing unease with Jesus’ direction drives much of the drama. Modern slang, satirical nods to contemporary life, and deliberate anachronisms run through the score and staging, giving the ancient story an unmistakably present-day edge.
Because no producer initially backed a stage version, Webber and Rice launched the project as a concept album, its runaway success opened the door to a Broadway debut in 1971. By 1980 the show had grossed more than $237 million worldwide. In London, it played for more than eight years (1972-1980), claiming the title of longest-running West End musical until ‘Cats’ surpassed it in 1989.
Amid this electric canvas, Mahalia Barnes emerges as Mary and quite simply stops the show. Her “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” begins in hushed, honeyed tones before swelling into a soulful roar that seems to originate from the soles of her feet. It’s a vocal performance forged in its own fire, smoky, expansive, and utterly distinct from her father Jimmy Barnes’ legendary rock timbre. Where Jimmy’s vocals are all granite and gravel, Mahalia brings a molten gospel-blues heat that fills every corner of the theatre. In a production buzzing with high-octane moments, her quieter, aching reprise of “Everything’s Alright” was the emotional epicentre of the night.
Then comes Reuben Kaye as King Herod, striding on in a blaze of sequins and high-camp swagger, armed with a grin sharper than a switchblade. His number lasts barely five minutes, yet it detonates like confetti-filled dynamite. Kaye’s world-class cabaret chops are on full display: elastic vocals that swoop from velvet baritone to stratospheric falsetto, whip-crack comedic timing, and a wicked talent for slicing through the fourth wall with a single arched eyebrow. It’s a cameo that reminds you how a small role, when inhabited by the right artist, can alter the gravitational pull of an entire show. The roar that greeted his final pose felt half rock-concert, half comedy-club standing ovation.
Around these star turns, the ensemble moves like a single, sinewy organism, flash-mob one moment, frenzied mob the next. Choreographer Drew McOnie threads contemporary street-dance vocabulary through the classic score, giving “Simon Zealotes” and “Superstar” the kinetic jolt of a stadium tour finale. The orchestration leans heavily into crunchy guitars and propulsive percussion, underscoring the show’s timeless relevance: political unrest, cults of personality, the perilous collision of faith and fame sounds a lot like 2025, doesn’t it?
None of this arrives on a Brisbane stage by accident. John Frost, Australia’s indefatigable impresario, has spent decades betting big on productions that elevate our national theatre scene to world-class heights, and this tour is another jewel in his crown. Frost’s instinct for assembling top-tier creative teams and securing licensing to globally acclaimed revivals has shaped the musical-theatre landscape we know today: daring, polished, and unafraid to splash contemporary paint onto classic material. His Crossroads Live crew have once again delivered an enterprise that feels both international in calibre and unmistakably Australian in spirit fierce, fresh and wildly entertaining.
So here’s my verdict: even if Jesus Christ Superstar isn’t your usual go-to Lloyd Webber score, this production is an unmissable experience. Go for Mahalia Barnes’ powerhouse vocals; go for Reuben Kaye’s glitter-bomb brilliance; go to witness a creative team firing on all cylinders under the steady helm of John Frost. Mostly, go because live theatre this exhilarating reminds us why we sit in darkened rooms with strangers and let stories wash over us we leave changed, charged, and hungry for more.
Brisbanites, the messiah has arrived in rock-opera form. Grab tickets while you still can HERE.
Photo Credit: Jeff Busby
Brisbane Season Details
Venue: Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Dates: From June 2025
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I agree with almost all your reviewer said except being an elder patron of musicals and having seen the original show back in the seventies or early eighties and thoughly enjoyed I was a little lost especially in the first half without the story being told as clearly . I think the use of handheld mike's was necessary nor Jesus playing a guitar, really