REVIEW: Jeezus! At New Diorama Theatre 21 April - 9 May 2026
‘slick performances but lacking originality’ ★★☆☆☆
The New Diorama Theatre, the venue for tonight's performance, has been at the forefront of the fringe theatre scene in London over the last 10 years and has hosted many of the best independent theatre companies showing new and innovative work. It is comfortable and friendly but basic in decor and was packed for this night’s performance. We were ushered in to the sounds of hymns given a modern lively childlike makeover.
This play started with a bang, a clap of thunder, a metaphor perhaps for God's anger at the irreverence that was about to be shown. And that was it - no more surprises? Nothing new, nothing original, hackneyed old innuendos and camp double entendres.
The story was simple but cleverly tied into biblical events and Peruvian history. Set in the 1990s it tells the tale of a young boy and the time leading up to his first holy communion. His father, General Jose, is a typical macho army officer of the military dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori and his mother Maria the doting subservient wife. Fairly typical family for Peru at that time you would think until we come to young Jesus. Whoops! Did I say no more surprises? Well maybe not for the audience, I was convinced that everyone who saw this play got exactly what they were expecting or wishing for. It was poor old mum and dad who got the surprise. Little Jesus had some kind of epiphany while gazing up at the man on the cross. And that was basically it, the moral of the story being that love conquers all, regardless of whatever form it takes, and that prejudice and bigotry have no place in this modern world. Unfortunately, this modern world isn't really like that. Too many Jose’s and Fujimori’s.
Luckily for us, actors Sergio Antonio Maggiolo and Guido Garcia Lueches took us a million miles away from all the military madness happening in the world. This show was slick and very well performed with both performers exuding larger than life personas and projecting their charisma into a welcoming appreciative audience. There were plenty of opportunities to clap along with the music and many had no hesitation joining in. This was a happy friendly fun night for everyone involved.
Tom Cagnoni's hard work, mostly behind the scenes, was occasionally lost when his guitar was drowned out by the backing track a few times. Apart from that, his musicianship and the music in general was worthy of praise. The costumes were predictable but varied and appropriate and the set was suitably colourful and bedecked with religions paraphernalia.
Written by Sergio Antonio Maggiolo
An Alpaqa production
Photo credit: Alex Brenner
