BRISTOL Amateur Operatic Society will be hoping that their production of Jesus Christ Superstar has the same support during its five days at the Victoria Rooms as the production at Goteborg had during its five day run there in 1972.

With Agnetha Faltskog, in her pre-Abba days playing Mary Magdalene they set a then European record by attracting 74,000 people to see the show.

On the flipside, they will hope that the authorities in this country will not follow in the footsteps of those in Lithuania. When the show opened in Vilnius on December 25, 1971 the country was still part of the Soviet Union, and it so offended the authorities that the KGB were sent in to close the production and went on to persecute all those involved in it.

Over the years thanks in no small way to the outstanding Andrew Lloyd Webber score and Tim Rice's wonderful lyrics, the the show has established itself amongst the favourites in the musicals repertoire.

Matt Jeanes, who directs the BOAS production which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, April 5 to 9 will not be thinking of the past but have his mind focused on rehearsals, along with MD Matt Ramplin and choreographer Lizzy Westney.

Matt Jeanes has his sights on today rather than yesterday in terms of the style of the production. Inspired by TV series The X Factor, he is using the present day music industry as a guide to the way in which the characters react.

Mike Griffiths takes on the arduous task of playing Jesus, Simon Vardakis plays Judas Iscariot, while Emma Watkins is Mary Magdalene, inheriting one of the shows greatest hits, I Don't Know How to Love Him, with Georgie Coles cast as Miriam.

The big three plotting Jesus' fate Herod, Pilate and Caiaphas, have been assigned to Ian Taylor, Brendan Casey and Simon Gregory.

When it comes to commitment you will not find anyone more committed to the BAOS cause than Hazel Cole, the lady at the end of the booking line, 01179 622588. It was in 1986 that her late husband Les volunteered to help out with the tickets for a season, 24 years later Hazel is still "volunteering" to perform that so important task.

A few years ago Warren Mitchell toured in Arthur Miller's The Price receiving rave notices for his performances, as did the play itself.

To have a sample of this 1968 play, which looks into family loyalties, go along to Bristol Playgoers' next play reading at the Newman Hall on Tuesday, March 15. A call to 01934 877378 will give you more details about this evening and the next two rehearsed readings, David Aubern's Proof and Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, which will be presented on March 29 and April 12.