Review : Jesus Christ Superstar - New Theatre,Cardiff It may be more than forty years since we first heard ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ but it still clearly has the power to move. The musical feel may be distinctly ‘60’s/ ’70’s, with its moments of funk, disco, psychedelia and related styles, but the storytelling is still potent and here the drama was well sustained throughout. Having said that , there was a some lack of dramatic and vocal heft in places that meant that some scenes felt distinctly under - powered.

Glenn Carter’s Jesus was far from the usual conception of the role – more aging rock star than the saviour of mankind – though his searing falsetto was impressive and he sang a moving ‘Gethsemane’ to close Act 1 .

The role of King Herod (Tom Gilling) was neither sufficiently comic in its campness, or as chilling as it needed to be, as he invited Jesus to walk across his swimming pool in Act 2, and Rachel Adedeji was a rather lightweight and anonymous Mary Magdalen.

Tim Rodgers did well as a troubled Judas and one could not help wishing that Rhydian Roberts’ splendid baritone could have been heard in a bigger role than that of Judas. The Basso profundo of Caiaphas (Cavin Cornwall), with his posse of black-robed priests, was wonderfully sinister - an effect emphasised throughout by Nick Richings’ evocative lighting.

A good example here of the whole being more than the sum of its parts , and still one of the great musical theatre experiences.