Big sandals to fill
NLC’s own Curriculum Developer Alex Taylor really loves musicals. He’s an accomplished song and dance man, which recently led him to play the part of Jesus in Company MK’s production of Godspell. Phil Andrews asked him about the experience.
Alex, how did you prepare yourself for top billing as the Son of God?
There was a lot of line learning! The part of Jesus holds the show together, so I needed to know not only my part, but also what was coming next in the show itself.
How was your faith involved in the choices you made about how to play Jesus?
I reflected quite deeply on what Jesus might have been like to be around while he lived with his friends. What he was like between the episodes mentioned in the Gospels. How was it to live with him day in and day out?
I ended up playing him with a slight north-west England lilt as it seemed to give him the warmth and tenderness that his character demanded. And besides, Galilee is in the North!
Was there anything that surprised you or gave you fresh insights into the character of Jesus as you rehearsed?
How Jesus treated those who came to him earnestly and openly, compared to how he treated those who came to him with an agenda. He had great compassion and love for those seeking him, however imperfect. But he had little time for those religious leaders who wanted to trick him, or thought they knew best. I tried to bring that warm acceptance and challenge to Jesus’ different interactions in the show.
Did the cast or audience respond to you any differently because of the person you were playing?
Not really! The cast became quite a tight community and that included treating everyone equally and with respect.
What was distinctive about how your production of Godspell approached the Gospel stories and their characters?
We did some updating of the parables, having asked ourselves how Jesus might tell the stories if he were to tell them today. This included an Eastenders-style prodigal son and a Britain’s Got Talent version of the widow and the judge! Oh, and a West Ham v Spurs retelling of the good Samaritan!
And we tried to build the idea of Jesus forming a community of believers around him, moving them from being individuals with confused beliefs to a community of followers who would then take the message of the good news of Jesus out to the world.
What does Godspell have to say about the biblical Jesus?
It reinforces the centrality of love to the gospel message. While being a bit scattergun about the order of stories, it keeps the two most important commandments (Matthew 22:34–40) at its heart.
What’s your next production?
Next, we are doing a concert production being staged at the Ridgeway Centre (in Shaftesbury Hall), called Company MK: Misbehaving, made up of songs from musical theatre’s rogues and mischief-makers! So, a slightly different tone to Godspell! It’s on from 25th to 27th April 2024.