8 September, 2019
St Matthew Passion certainly was interesting and made me think and feel during and after the show (I like that!).
I am a follower of Jesus so I am glad that the story was true to the book of Matthew but also had a slant/angle that meant I didn’t already know how it ended.
The use of their native language (at least I think it was) was both good and bad.
It was good because I had to rely on other cues for interpretation (voice tone, body language etc) but also I would have liked to have known was said/sung all of the time.
So a mixed feeling on a dual language musical.
There is no doubt the performers were talented and entered into their roles with believability.
In terms of how I felt, they sung a hymn that I knew as a kid but have not have heard since which took me back to my childhood and the sombreness of the song.
I was particularly moved when they took Jesus’ body down from the cross – so lovingly and with such deep sadness.
The set design was simple and the transitions seamless.
I particularly liked the use of song, xylophone-type instruments and whistles to create atmosphere behind the dialogue.
So overall I would give it an 8 out of 10 – very enjoyable.