Words: Caitlin Finnerty

4 Stars

JEEZUS! is a wild and deeply heartfelt queer coming-of-age musical that blends Catholic guilt, sexual awakening, and Latin heat into a provocative, high-energy hour. Told in “chapters” projected above the stage, from Genesis to Revelations, it follows innocent South American altar boy Jesús as he prepares for his first communion, only to find himself sexually drawn to the man on the cross.

Performed by a fearless two-person cast who sing, dance, and act with electric chemistry, the show swerves effortlessly between camp excess and poignant intimacy. Voices soar in harmony, guitar playing underscores tender moments, and scenes veer from nipple tassels, voguing, and twerking to sobering reminders of the dangers of being openly gay in Peru.

The Book of Mormon-style humour lands hard, with double entendres like “Jesus thrusts his mighty mortar into my pestle,” yet these big laughs sit alongside moments of genuine emotional weight, particularly in a touching exchange between Jesús and his mother Maria.

The show skewers colonialism, family expectation, and the absurdities of organised religion, culminating in a beautiful reimagining of the Lord’s Prayer. Unholy, hilarious, and unexpectedly tender, JEEZUS! is a sinful delight with a beating heart.

JEEZUS!
Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate
18:50
Aug 12-24