Sam Ryder says split Gethsemane note taught him Jesus Christ Superstar role

Sam Ryder has spoken about playing Jesus in the West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar. In an interview alongside his co-star Tyrone Huntley, who plays Judas, Ryder talked through the vocal and emotional demands of the role and how he approached the famous song Gethsemane.

Ryder said he never thought he would get the chance to be in a studio with Andrew Lloyd Webber again. When the opportunity came, he performed Gethsemane for him. He recalled a line from a Zac Brown Band song about setting your sweet ass on a pony when it rides by, and said such chances are limited. They have to be recognised and taken, he added.

He described Gethsemane as like having a rescue dog that behaves every now and then but always needs watching. The song cannot be let off the lead, he said, because it has moments that remind the singer they are not in control.

Ryder then told how the song went wrong at the 13th performance. He went for the high note and it split. He was in tears at the end of the show because he felt he had let himself and everyone else down. The moment also unlocked what he called a white hot frustration, which he said was closer to what the character is going through, including panic and anxiety. He called splitting the note the biggest lesson, because it showed him that he had previously been trying to give his own idea of a good rendition rather than playing the moment.

Huntley, who plays Judas, said the story has long presented Judas as the ultimate betrayer. The musical, he said, shows the events of Jesus's final week through Judas's eyes, allowing the audience to humanise him and understand his decisions.

Ryder said faith is a big part of his life and that it is important to bring that part of his life into the show. He has discussed the roles and their dynamics with friends who are pastors. He said he feels sympathy with Judas's position and that playing the part truthfully is a service to humanity.

On betrayal, Ryder said it cannot be defined as one thing. It is different for every person. People often do not see their own actions as betrayal, he said, and may think they are doing the right thing or making a difficult choice. He described it as subjective.

Ryder also spoke about the routine needed to sustain the role. Both parts are brutal vocally and physically, he said. He takes time to warm down his voice after a show and to get blood and glitter out of his hair. His bedtime is usually around 1am and he wakes at 10am. He said his OCD kicks in, but he enjoys the repetition of voice care, supplements and voice rest.