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Steven Berkoff's Messiah
Scenes from a Crucifixion - tour
Playwright - Steven Berkoff
Director - Steven Berkoff
Assistant Director - Simon Anderson
Designer - Simon Holdsworth
Composer and performer of music - Mark Glentworth
Company - East Productions
Venue - Theatre Royal Glasgow 0141 332 9000 282 Hope Street near
RSAMD
Dates - 13 - 17 Nov at 7:15pm then continuse tour see in of review
for details
Runtime - 2 hrs 35 mins including 20 min interval
Reviewer - Ksenija Horvat
Theatrical journey of a lifetime
From the opening scene it becomes clear that Berkoff's Messiah
is a fascinating and intricate study into the life of Yahoshua ben Joseph,
the man whose Teachings have been the cornerstone of the entire religious
canon of western world.
Never a man to shy away from a challenge, Berkoff tackles the topic, which
is bound to have some scurry out of theatres in sanctimonious wrath, with
great acumen and sharp wit. His attitudes are informed by the work of
Dr Hugh Schonfield, amongst others, and bear, in a few miniscule details,
markers of gnostic doctrines. Ideology aside, Berkoff's intelligent script
and seamless direction, and a cast of virtuoso performers promise Messiah
to be a theatrical journey of a lifetime. It is the promise that Berkoff
and his entourage deliver to the hilt, for Messiah is a remarkable
ensemble piece, with stark visuals subtly underscored by Mark Glentworth's
musical score, and Simon Holdsworth's monochrome design.
Berkoff's choice of Finbar Lynch to play the eponymous character
had a lot to do with his attitude towards Yahoshua Nasorean as a self-declared,
idealistic Messiah who sought after ultimate authority and martyrdom in
order to bring his people into the new age. It works most of the time,
falling short only in few scenes such as when, following the Sermon on
the Mount, Jesus transforms from the preacher into an actor enquiring
about the excellence of his performance, indicating that the character's
fall might ultimately be 'the fall of pride'. Though this transformation
may quiver a little, Lynch's Jesus overall can be described as
spirited and dynamic.
It's completely in tune with superb performances by other members of cast,
amongst whom Michael Jenn excels as eye-catching, plot-mongering,
scene-stealing Pilate. Cornell John's Satan is deliciously visceral
and his unscrupulous sensuality is profoundly appealing; Brendan Hughes
cuts an impressive figure as a guilt- ridden Judas, and Julie Riley's
Mary creates on the stage a powerful image of female life-giving force.
Raymond Sawyer as lascivious power- crazed Caiphas, Jonathan
Coyne as John the Baptist, and Nicholas Khan, Russell Layton,
Paul M Meston and Al Nedjari as Disciples complete this
striking ensemble.
Berkoff ensnares us in his passionate black and white world with the trance-like
power of word, movement and images. None of the techniques used here are
a novelty to any connoisseur of his work, but in Messiah they are
honed to perfection. The play's running time is two hours and thirty-five
minutes, including a twenty minute interval, but it is most likely that
you will not feel the time pass. Superb, magical piece of theatre. Do
not miss it at any cost!
© Ksenija Horvat 13 November 2001
Tour Details
13 - 35 Sept Oxford Playhouse
18 & 19 Sept Gavella Theatre Zagreb
22 & 23 Sept Atelje 212 Belgrade
25 & 26 Sept Teatr Dramatyczny Warsaw
2 - 13 Oct Riverside Studios London
16- 20 Oct Poole Arts Cente
6 - 10 Nov Bristol Old Vic
13 -17 Nov Theatre Royal Glasgow
19 - 21 Nov Palace Theatre Westcliffe on Sea
22 - 24 Nov Warwick Arts Centre
Tour ends
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