Oh, Manchester, So Much to Answer For

This has to be one of the oddest things I've seen in a while. The BBC is celebrating Easter in Manchester with a pop star Passion Play. They're recreating the Passion story through the streets of the city as a musical featuring songs and stars from Manchester bands. According to The Guardian, songs will include Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (sung during the Last Supper), New Order's "Blue Monday" (a duet between Jesus and Judas), the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)?" (sung by Mary Magdalene--duh!), the Smiths' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (by Jesus under the Roman whip), and Oasis's "Wonderwall" (Jesus and Pontius Pilate). Although producers are keeping most of the performers close to their chest for now, they've revealed the involvement of Ian Brown of the Stone Roses and Bez from Happy Mondays (although we're not sure what else he might be up for, there's no question that Bez will be dancing and shaking his maracas behind Jesus as he drags his cross to Calvary). The climax to the evening will be a resurrected Christ soloing on the roof of Manchester's town hall. The song he'll be singing is still a secret, but I'd be willing to put a wager down on the Roses' "I Am the Resurrection," if I could find anybody clueless enough to bet against it.