Jesus Christ Superstar London Palladium Review: Sam Ryder is Heaven-Sent

Posted on 8 Jul 2026

There’s been more than enough [*Jesus Christ Superstar*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/jesus-christ-superstar-tickets) adaptations to feed the five thousand (nay, millions) since its genesis as a concept album by **Andrew Lloyd-Webber** and **Tim Rice** in 1970, but this one performs enough miracles to justify another revival!

This version; based on the original Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production, has made the pilgrimage over the last decade from the park to the Barbican and out on a critically-acclaimed international tour, with director **Tim Sheader** and choreographer **Drew McOnie** at the helm, and incredible design by **Tom Scutt** with his iconic crucifix-cum-catwalk staging.

But now, we have [**Sam Ryder**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/who-is-sam-ryder) added to the mix. Most call it a ‘triple-threat’ but I’m calling it ‘The Holy Three’: the look of a 70s rock legend, the quietly-confident charisma to pull off this complex character, and those sweet, sweet heaven-sent vocals. I mean, wow! What would be the equivalent of pinning your fave rockstar’s poster to your bedroom wall in 30 Anno Domini? Oil on canvas? Maybe a fresco? Either way, **Sam Ryder** has got the lot!

While set during the final week of Jesus’ life, **ALW**’s rock opera uses the vintage backdrop of a Roman-occupied Jerusalem but redresses it with 1970s aesthetics. So, Mary Magdalene, played by the brilliant **Desmonda Cathabel**, floats around with bangles, braids and flowy dresses; giving Earth Mother / **Janis Joplin** / **Stevie Nicks** / Flower Child. Ethereal energy with, hands down, the

version of ‘

’ I’ve ever seen. Jesus is the slightly bemused hipster; rather than embracing the adoration of his followers, **Ryder** leans into the overwhelm; slipping to the edge of the stage as the crowd closes in around him, desperate to be healed, touched and saved. It's a reminder that, despite its biblical setting,

has always been as much about the crushing weight of public adoration as it is about the Passion itself.

Instead of outright villain, **Tyrone Huntley**’s Judas is far more complex, he both delivers powerhouse vocals while portraying a man torn between loyalty, jealousy and regret, while *Modern Family* star **Jesse Tyler Ferguson** steals every jaunty-cabaret second of his scene as a deliciously flamboyant King Herod. If Mitchell Pritchett ever secretly dreamed of stealing the spotlight in a West End musical (and let’s face it, he obvs did), this is deffo what it would have looked like. Oh and Pontius Pilate and his Roman cronies arrive looking like a goth boyband, complete with black eyeliner, microphones doubling as sceptres and perfectly synchronised slut drops which was an unexpected highlight. **Tom Scutt**'s design leans into the show's rock-opera roots with arena lighting, glitter (lots of it), towering scaffolding and audience members standing on stage throughout, making the action feel more like a live concert than a traditional musical. And a moment for the absolutely relentless ensemble, presented as everything from faithful disciples and a hungry, barnacle-like swarm of supplicants to ever-present, celebrity-frenzied fans and a white-robed gospel choir whose costumes, moments later, read more like hospital inmate gowns as they dance at the crucifixion. Well, Christ on a bike, the costume design and mob choreography complement each other perfectly. The score crackles with blistering electric guitar licks and bluesy riffs, while seeing **Ryder** pick up an acoustic guitar on stage feels wonderfully full-circle after those lockdown garden-shed performances. And when the brooding '*Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)'* arrives... I mean, that's the moment everyone came for, right?! **Ryder**'s honeyed vocals soar effortlessly through one of musical theatre's most demanding songs and rightly deserved its mid-show standing ovation. A stadium voice, a legendary score and impeccable staging? This is a revival worth worshipping at the altar of musical theatre. Catch [*Jesus Christ Superstar*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/jesus-christ-superstar-tickets) (***THE*** show of the summer) at the [London Palladium](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/london-palladium-london) until 5 September 2026. Or at the [Theatre Royal Drury Lane](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/jesus-christ-superstar-drury-lane-tickets) between 16 October 2026 and 9 January 2027. P.S. Trotting over to the Palladium after a quick carafe of pre-theatre red wine and a bread basket feels oddly on theme. Also, I wonder if it will be a Jesus-Sandal Summer now? Won’t lie, I’m keen.