THE Bristol Hippodrome was packed to the rafters last night, proving that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's’ ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ has lost none of it appeal over the years.

The original West End show ran for eight years during the 1970s and broke all previous records for a musical; even now, an average of 300 amateur productions are licensed ever year, so there were very high expectations for this professional tour. As always, Bill Kenwright did not disappoint.

It has to be said that Jesus Christ Superstar is still a devisive show, as it was at the very beginning. True,  showbiz glamour and glitz has very little place in the world of religion, but there is always plenty of drama.

In brief, Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of Jesus’ last few days on Earth; from Jesus' increasing (and dangerously overwhelming) popularity among the people, through Judas’ betrayal and onto Jesus’ subsequent arrest and crucifixion. Its interpretation for musical theatre could easily be seen as irreverent, but if you can get past the slightly dated musical score the production is still incredibly powerful and moving, particularly with updated design from Paul Farnsworth and terrific lighting from Nick Richings.

There is nothing particularly lavish about this tour, but this is certainly a case of ‘less is more’.

Stand out performances came from Rachel Adedeji as Mary Magdalene, whose rendition of ‘I don’t know how to love him’ was a real tear-jerker, as well as Tim Rogers, who put his heart and soul into the role of Judas Iscariot.

However it was Cavin Cornwall as Caiaphas, whose commanding presence on stage and gorgeous baritone in ‘This Jesus Must Die’ really gave me goosebumps.

So what of Jesus? Glenn Carter was good but not great. Granted, he copes magnificently with the demands of the role, but he seems a little tired; the Jesus who was ultimately nailed to the cross did not quite measure up to my expectations, which were especially high due to the reputation he has garnered in the role. However, any actor who can be nailed to the cross night after night still deserves respect, and the climax to the show was still as breathtaking as I was led to imagine it would be.

If you have yet to make it to see Jesus Christ Superstar then you should certainly make the effort to catch it in Bristol while you can; it is an unforgettable production from the master of musical theatre. It runs at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, July 25.