Jesus Christ Superstar at London Palladium starring Sam Ryder Review

It’s that time of year again when the Palladium pulls out all the stops for a stunning revival of a classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical for the summer. Following the phenomenal success of Evita last year with Rachel Zegler, this year we have Eurostar sensation Sam Ryder in the titular role of Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar.

This production follows the original rock and gospel choral opera of the 1970’s album closely, but still retains some of the warmth and zany campiness of the 70’s even as the cast focuses on powerhouse belting of the songs. The singing style and level of tension remain the same throughout the show, with the signature gold microphone just as much a symbol as the eponymous thorny crown. This palladium production is also a revival of the 2016 production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which also had choreographer Drew McOnie, director Tim Sheader and set designer Tom Scutt at its core. There is a palpable aura of nostalgia in the air, especially for many of the audience who have seen this show before, and for the fact that this story is nearly 2000 years old and forms the basis of the second biggest religion in the world.

The storyline of this musical focuses on Holy Week, from when Jesus comes into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to his crucifixion on Good Friday. Tyrone Huntley is a phenomenal Judas with a powerhouse of a voice, which gave me shivers throughout. His chemistry with Sam Ryder is excellent and filled with intense conviction.

Sam Ryder is very subtle in his portrayal of Jesus in both his pride and anguish, and at times this feels hard to connect with as an audience member. Desmonda Cathabel as Mary Magdalene was intensely charismatic and angelic, with a palpable aura of sincerity and conviction in her beliefs. Richard Armitage as King Herod was excellent in his one scene with an incredible mix of campiness and sinister megalomania. Phil King was a subtle but strong Peter and an excellent supportive cast member. David Paxton’s Pilate was impressive in his charismatic and powerful voice that dominated the stage in his short appearance. The cast had wonderful chemistry and worked well as an ensemble to bring the audience to standing ovations at various points throughout the show.

Tom Scutt’s set is industrial and vaguely threatening in undertone. The scaffolding, where some audience members can stand throughout the 2 hours 15m running time, is bleak and magnifies the intensity of the baying crowd excited over seeing Jesus’ blood spilt. We also see a gigantic cross form the runway for the characters until the crescendo of Jesus’ journey to the cross. It is difficult to see a specific time the story is set in, but the atmosphere, detailed costuming and abundance of metal give it a post-industrial steampunk vibe.

This show focuses on presenting an incredibly stylised and bold performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. At times this worked very well, but I left disappointed and felt that the show did not explore the music or characters in as much depth as they could have feasibly done. However, if you like powerhouse vocals, stunning ensembles and a strongly visual and psychedelic revival of musicals, then this is the show for you.

Jesus Christ Superstar plays at the London Palladium until 05 September.

★★★★

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Reviewed by Cathie, August 2026.