TOP South African singer and dancer Sibu Radebe is back on stage in Cape Town, performing in the smash musical Jesus Christ Superstar

With lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the show features chart-topping hit songs Superstar and I Don't Know How to Love Him.

The piece tells the story of the last seven days of Jesus of Nazareth and highlights the political and interpersonal struggles between Jesus and Judas Iscariot.

Radebe, who plays a disciple, is hard at work rehearsing at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town this week, ahead of the show's opening next week.

Drenched in sweat after the afternoon practice, Radebe said theatre lovers should prepare for a "super intense" show.

"I'm exhausted but its exciting. The show is very demanding," he said.

Radebe said one of the elements he liked about the production was that it was a story of Jesus Christ and "we relate to this story".

"There has always been different ways he is perceived," he said, highlighting that their story was contemporary and, for example, reflected on events unfolding in the Gaza Strip and Palestine.

Having left the silver screen over six years ago, Radebe said he had learnt a lot in theatre and that it was high time he choreographed his own work.

The show will move to Johannesburg's Montecasino Theatre from June 3 to 26.