Jesus Christ Superstar, Manchester Opera House. Runs until Saturday, November 17

THE NAME of Andrew Lloyd Webber is synonymous with success.

He is a man who certainly has the "Midas Touch", and together with Tim Rice they have written and produced some of the world's longest-running and best-loved musicals.

One of the earliest collaborations was "Jesus Christ Superstar". I must admit it does seem to have been around for ever, but you really can't go wrong basing a musical on a Biblical theme, and this is one which we all know well -- the last days of Jesus' life.

Arvid Larsen played the lead role well but it was Mark O'Malley as Judas Iscariot, for my money, who stole the show. He was superb.

Mary Magdalene was played by Cat Simmons and her delivery of one of the best-loved numbers from the show "I Don't Know How to Love Him" received rousing applause.

Hype

But, for all the hype this show has received over the years, I, personally, could not understand what all the fuss was about.

I have often heard of Lloyd Webber's shows being described as "two-song shows" and, for me, this was just another.

The music was far too loud, in fact I felt I needed earplugs, and, at times, the cast seemed to be struggling to reach the high notes.

At the interval I was wondering when the show was actually going to start, much in the same way as I did when I watched Phantom of the Opera a few years ago.

But, that being said, I must have been in the minority because, at the end, there were people in tears as Jesus is taken from the cross by Peter and the cast received two standing ovations with the audience up on its feet shouting for more.

One good thing about the show, however, is that it only lasts two hours, which, for me, was a blessing.

Linda Hurst