Margaret Pritchard

I have seen this show live twice and now own the DVD. It is an incredibly vibrant, masterful telling of the Biblical stories, combining dance, drama, and music. What is most astonishing is just how technically GOOD it is - the actors (and director) know to make a tableau, they know how to highlight a moment, they know how to create a change of mood. You feel as though you are in the hands of genuine theatre people - and the "poor opera" set is incredibly versatile and well conceived. The rich and complex music, sung mostly in Xhosa, and the portrayal of Pontius Pilate as a European Colonial Governor and Annas and Caiaphas as his African collaborators, are highlights, as is the comic relief of the Noah play.