This play By Terence McNally caused great consternation on its 1998 opening in Los Angeles. Virtually every opening since has been dogged by controversy, death threats, and court cases. Bizarrely, on its British Premiere at The Pleasance, Islington an Islamic group issued a fatwa against McNally for insulting a messenger of Allah.
That prophet is, of course, Jesus Christ, here known as Joshua. His story is played out by a very strong ensemble of fourteen men and women. Though the first five minutes is taken up with much hugging and baptising and allocating of apostolic parts (I thought I was going to hate it) it settles down and the drama relocates to the town of Corpus Christi, Texas in the 1950s. Thence the shocks begin - Joseph is a wife beater, and Mary seems disappointed with her sissy son. Jesus and Judas first meet in a cottage. One can see why fundamentalists of any kind would start to get a little fidgety in the audience.
As the tale unfolds McNally deals with many issues, and its a shame that the play's controversial nature has distracted critics and public alike from the immense power and beauty of the writing. Its also very funny. When Jesus (an excellent James Brandon) hits a priest, he is reminded by a disciple that he has instructed them to turn the other cheek. Well I must have been in very good mood that day dont take my words so literally, he spits back.
McNallys great theme in all this is the divine in each of us. He deals with many issues that have plagued gay men Philip (the Hustler) is cured of AIDS, Jesus presides over a gay marriage and when Joshua is finally betrayed by his lover Judas, that Judas-kiss has an extraordinary resonance. Christ is crucified as King of The Queers, and its McNallys stated intention to admit gay and lesbian people into the Christian myth in writing this piece.
My only real cavil about this production is that the original is intended to be performed by all men, I believe. Though all of the women is this cast are excellent, I wonder if some of the power of that original concept is diminished somewhat. That said, there are many reasons to see this play, from the slick direction of Nik Arnzen, the effective lighting of Jeremy Pivnick and the generally high standard of the acting.
But most of all you should go because people have tried to stop you or anyone EVER seeing it. The bigots and the fundamentalists and the hypocrites we are told Joshua son of Joseph despised would rather kill people than let you see it. And that is a reason people should go and see it in battalions.
