Under the skilful direction of Elenna Mosoff, the UC Follies have rolled back the stone and resurrected Godspell, a Stephen Schwartz classic and one of Broadway’s most successful productions of all time. Currently playing at Hart House Theatre, Godspell is a piece of theatre that is fun, unique, and definitely worth seeing.
Unlike other biblical musicals such as Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Apple Tree, the plot of Godspell is far more original and ethereal, which is what makes the show so unconventional and appealing.
Based loosely on the Gospels of St. Matthew, Godspell follows a group of child-like clowns as they are introduced to Jesus and decide to playfully involve themselves in his teachings. As Jesus leads the group through a series of biblical tales and friendship exercises, a strong bond of community is formed between the clowns and their newfound leader. Ultimately it is this example of community building and camaraderie (and not a specific religious moral) that lies at the heart of this timeless musical.
Like most productions of Godspell, Mosoff’s relies heavily on the ancient rituals of clown, pantomime, and charades to drive the action of the show. This keeps the pace quick, the movements interesting, and the vibe positive from curtain to curtain.
As usual, the UC Follies put a ridiculous amount of theatrical talent on the Hart House stage. Josh Penslar, one of the only redeeming points of Trinity College’s tragically flawed production of Macbeth, proved again that he is one of the best male talents on campus by shining in the role of Jesus.
His sincere and relaxed performance style managed to break through the clown medium and infuse a level of pious humanity into the role that Stephen Schwartz himself has described as challenging and difficult. As de facto leader of the clown children, it is up to Penslar to lead the ebb and flow of the show and to ensure that the audience is not left scratching their heads as one parable quickly drifts into another. As chief clown in this biblical town, Penslar has big shoes to fill, but after watching his dramatic crucifixion, it was clear that he had not forsaken his audience.
When the audience wasn’t watching Penslar, they were almost certainly fixated by Jamie Arfin. A veteran of last year’s Follies hit A Chorus Line, Arfin once again owned the stage in a supporting role. Cast as Joanne, one of the more confident yet blissfully ignorant clowns, Arfin punctuated her performance with an inescapable stage presence and an instinctive knack for comic timing and delivery. Totally immersed in her part, it was wonderfully impossible to tell where the clown ended and Arfin began. Obviously a skilled actor who has worked in clown before, Arfin won the biggest laugh of the night, and deserved very bit of it.
Among the strong, vibrant, and energetic ensemble cast, Joshua Farrauto Wynn also stands out, managing to be likeable in the tough role of Judas the betrayer.
Godspell is almost never set in biblical times. Traditionally, it is done with a sparse set pocked with hints of urban blight and decay. This is meant to work as a theatrical foil for the playful exuberance brought to the stage by Jesus and the troupe of clowns. This production stayed true to this motif by erecting a massive multi-level scaffold, which with the addition of a plastic slide and a tire swing easily brought to mind a decrepit inner-city playground. This served as the perfect backdrop for Jesus to run his urban day camp.
Reprising her role as director of the UC Follies, Mosoff once again succeeds in creating a professional, fast-paced, and fun-filled evening of high-calibre entertainment. Students should take note: This is about as good as it gets for musical theatre here on campus.
