The Passion Live (2016)

I DVRed this Live show so I could watch it later. I have just finished it and have to say it was ok. It was by no means great, but it was a decent attempt. Of course it isn't based on a Broadway musical or film like "The Sound of Music Live" or "Grease Live" but on the Bible. It is supposed to be the modern-retelling of the Passion (the last days of Jesus.) I know the story from the Bible and have seen various movies about it (such as "The Passion of the Christ", etc.) and wanted to see how it would be set against modern music with famous performers. The fact that it aired on Palm Sunday made me want to see it even more (I'm not sure why but there only seems to be movies about Jesus around Easter and not Christmas.)

 

As for the show itself: it was filmed in New Orleans whose greatest achievement is surviving a Hurricane. Everyone I know who has been to that city (and isn't from there originally) says it is an ok place, but unless you are there for Mardi Gras there's not much there but crime and jazz.

 

Tyler Perry was the host and narrator and poor can he be long-winded. It would have been better if he just told the story and not give long commentaries. I also didn't care for the reports from people carrying the cross. It distracted from the main story (as did the different commercials thrown in.)

 

Trisha Yearwood played Mary and you could tell she tried hard, but some of the singing was flat - maybe because it was live and/or outside. The same with Seal who played Pontius Pilate

 

Jencarlos Canela (from "Telenovela") played Jesus and he was probably the best performer on the show.

 

As I said above it was an ok show. They get an "A" for effort, but a "C" for execution.