The Bible updated

In 2014, The Lyric Theatre played host to the first London production of Godspell in 40 years. The one-off charity, held on May 19th, was in aid of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and featured a starry cast of West End regulars and celebrities.

Taking inspiration mainly from the Gospel of Matthew, Godspell takes well-known Biblical parables and sets them to modern song and dance. It was originally conceived as an experimental work by a group of students at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. They then approached composer Stephen Schwartz to write the score. Schwartz was an unknown at the time, but has since become a powerhouse of musical theatre, with his many scores including those for Pippin and a little show called Wicked. Godspell premiered on Broadway in 1971 and arrived in London the same year, with a cast that included Jeremy Irons and David Essex.

Back in london at last!

The 2014 revival brought back the great David Essex to introduce the show. Among the cast this time around were former X-Factor winner Andy Abraham and Zoe Tyler, who served as a vocal coach on Andrew Lloyd Webber's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? The event was met with a generally positive reaction, the score in particular being singled out for Schwart'z signature soaring melodies (something he would perfect later on with the likes of Wicked) and the cast's utter commitment to their delivery. A fantastic night in aid of a good cause!