The original Godspell movie is a product of its time. Only the 70s could produce an hour and half long movie of Jesus in a clown outfit leading a group of Apostles that look straight out of a Beatles song. Thankfully, the musical has since been revived to have the flexibility needed for a less drug-fuelled cultured. Part of Godspell’s strength is the ability to adapt the musical however a director sees fit. Costumes, scenery, and atmosphere vary wildly between productions, each performance determined by the environment of the theater it is created in. The only consistency across the various Godspells is the biblical dialogue and musical numbers.  

What is Godspell about then? If there is so little structure for the show, how could a cohesive plot be followed? The story of Godspell is a retelling of the gospel of Matthew with an emphasis on the community between Jesus and his disciples. The majority of the show is Jesus and his various disciples reenacting parables that are broken up by songs about God, love, forgiveness, or sin. The secret to Godspell is the invisible way the audience is roped into caring about the characters on stage. Although many moments are corny and eye-roll-inducing, they drag the audience into the friendship of the Christian community. A vulnerability is developed between the characters on stage and the audience. The characters dare to make fools of themselves while trying to teach lessons and the audience dares to laugh at the genuine joy such moments can bring. Both groups take risks to believe in something that is seen as childish, to laugh at jokes that are harmless but dumb, to drop the nihilistic cynicism that contemporary society so heavily installs within us. But this relationship is never seen or felt by audience throughout the show, they are completely oblivious to it for the runtime. Then the climax of the show begins with Jesus’ crucifixion and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and the buildup of the Christian community and friendship hits the audience in one wave. 

It is hard to understand the pathos of the bible. Not only is it translated multiple times from its original language, but it is taught in an environment that refuses to treat it as a normal book. The irony of losing the emotions within the Bible is that Jesus’ teachings are built on the emotion of love. Christianity’s foundation is a love beyond that of just friendship or romance, it is a love of genuine goodness in the world. A love that poets only dare to dream about, a love that shaped the greatest civilizations of humanity, a love that is never easy but always worth it. Godspell reminds us of that love, shows its power through the literal and figurative construction of community on stage.  

The great mystery of Godspell is that throughout the entire runtime of the show, audiences do not even consider the idea of being affected by the musical and yet, when the curtain closes, they will find themselves deeply moved by the play. The weight of Christ’s crucifixion and Judas’ betrayal are felt through the stage and touch the hearts of those who dare to believe in the musical. From the song “Beautiful City” to final curtain, the musical transforms from a bizarre retelling of the gospels to a touching story of friendship, betrayal, fate, and above all else: love.