Last Saturday night we caught the final performance of Godspell at the Open Space Cafe Theater in Greensboro. A good friend had recommended this particular production to us with glowing terms; she found the musical very entertaining even though she admitted that she was a bit weak on the finer points of the New Testament and the Gospel of Matthew–she’s Jewish. She also sings and is a musician. Her enthusiasm for the show was justified.
The performance was indeed entertaining, which I felt owed its greatest debt to the actors who engaged the audience in just the way the original stage direction seemed to indicate was necessary for the play to be successful–if the play appears too polished or too slick, its message runs the risk of being considered glib or even trite. I vaguely recall when Godspell was first introduced in 1970 or 1971. At the time, I remember that I considered it a kind of fundamentalist retort to Jesus Christ Superstar, which I much preferred to Godspell and liked well enough to purchase a recording of the soundtrack–I think I still have that old vinyl around here somewhere. Sifting through the few memories I could recall from that time period, Day By Day, seemed to be the only notable song from Godspell whereas almost every song from Jesus Christ Superstar was instantly recognizable. Day by Day lilted wistfully, and, in some ways, predictably while most of the songs featured in JCSS contained the elemental tension people face in lives that are challenged through matters of faith (I Don’t Know How To Love Him,for example), they are also more memorable since their foundation is rock music and not a church hymnal as was the case with Godspell.
Sometimes too much information can be as limiting as too little; consequently, I often do more in depth research on a play after I’ve seen it performed rather than before. My method is probably counter intuitive to most; however, my penchant for over thinking is less likely to impede my ability to view the performance without preconceptions or unrealistic expectations if I come prepared more as a noble savage than as, well, a member of the pontificating array of philosophers/thinkers with which Godspell begins. Post performance research reinforced my general attitude toward the actors, the staging, and the dynamics of the former and latter within the context of the play itself. My investigations also reinforced my initial reservations formed decades ago about Godspell as a vehicle for the cargo it meant to transport. I think the play itself fails in that regard; however, that is a matter of my own personal preference rather than a commentary on the skill and talent of the actors who labor in the variously articulated roles. I just did not see how the concept of community was defined and solidified through the principal character, Jesus, the people, and his disciples as the original director’s notes indicate should be the case. I have difficulty believing that this can be accomplished regardless of the actors selected for the various roles. While the archaic spelling of Gospel suggests novelty and, perhaps, intimates that a revision or reinterpretation of the gospel’s meaning in light of current events will follow, it falls short despite references to foreclosures and sky-rocketing fuel prices. OSCT’s performance of Godspell didn’t devolve into a vaudevillian band of merry pranksters bent on one-upmanship; however, the nature of play tends to teeter toward that precipice, nonetheless.
On balance Joe Nierle, the actors, and all of the OSCT crew did a commendable job and we were rewarded with an evening of great entertainment. OSCT offers a different kind of live theater experience without sacrificing quality in either material or actors. The informal nature of the venue promotes a more communal atmosphere and helps to remove the barriers which tend to isolate the actors from the audience: in a very real sense, and certainly with regard to Godspell, the audience becomes part of the performance.
The remainder of OSCT’s 2008 season promises a rich range of plays: Crowns; Blood Brothers; Blithe Spirit; Sander’s Family Christmas. Based on past experience, there isn’t a bad choice in the lot, so why not make a point to see all of them?
