After the ratings flop that was 'Superstar' you would be forgiven in thinking that no one would actually bother turning up to watch the Jesus Christ Superstar Arena tour.
However, when arriving on opening night it was clear to see from the sold out O2 Arena that there was still a lot of love out there for the 41-year-old rock opera.
Catapulting the show into the 21st century, this modern revamp used the recent London riots as a backdrop for the story while also using Twitter as a means for Jesus to spread the word of God (although we can't see #the12 trending anytime soon).
This is the first time that the rock opera has been performed on such a large scale and for the most part, it worked superbly. Behind all the action on stage a huge viewing screen allowed far away audience members the ability to see what was happening on stage while also adding a cinematic element to the show thanks to the action being expertly captured on camera.
The performances were also top notch. Ben Forster, who was voted into the role, proved that he was so much more than a talent show winner. His rendition of the vocally challenging 'Gethsemane' was near flawless, faltering on the high notes only once. There is no doubt that he has a long career ahead of him. Melanie Chisholm, although not on stage as much as we would have liked, owned the role of Mary Magdalene- producing an emotional and beautiful performance of 'I Don't Know How to Love Him'. Tim Minchin however was the true star of the show. A total revelation, Minchin's powerful turn as Judas somehow managed to evoke sympathy for one of history's most reviled characters while his vocal range seemed to know no bounds.
Chris Moyles' cameo appearance as King Herod, although not vocally impressive, added a much needed injection of humor to the proceedings to which the former radio DJ happily obliged.
On the whole this revival was indeed an overwhelming success. With strong performances from both leading and supporting cast members, there is no doubt that the religious rock opera will be extending its short tour into the foreseeable future.