Rachel Zegler (Eva Perón) & cast of Evita. Credit - Marc Brenner.Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s political commentary on the rise and fall of the enigmatic woman of Argentine politics known universally as Evita, and her comparatively uncharismatic husband General Juan Peron, is the stuff of musical theatre legend. The original, won countless awards and made a huge star of its leading lady Elaine Paige. Now, the genre’s enfant terrible director Jamie Lloyd, has imbued his own particular style over the show, which plays at the London Palladium.
So how does it compare? Well, first off let’s just deal with that idea of making comparisons. Ordinarily, it is a reviewer’s bread and butter to recall productions of plays and musicals assessed down the years for their interpretive qualities, style and approach. But here, the point is largely moot, though it would perhaps have been interesting to hear Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s thoughts. He himself was sat a couple of rows in front on press night. Elaine Paige who originated the role of Eva in 1978 had some sage reflections at the interval, and both Pedro Pascal and Michael Ball who were sitting a little either side of her, seemed to bounce with approval throughout the show.
Hal Prince’s production was a classic of seamless, erudite storytelling, bringing a vaguely known South American woman of humble origins, to the attention of the world. It was wholly dependent upon Tim Rice’s narrative script and caustic lyrics, which thrust Eva Duarte de Perón into the wider consciousness by carefully presenting the opposing views of her stated intentions and playing them off against actual achievements. The Peronista’s Fascist credentials (grand corruption and brutal suppression, conjoined with airs of the religious saviour) intimated that Argentina, in taking the Perons to its heart, was a nation of naive and duped fools. By using Che Guevara (Diego Andres Rodriguez) as a lone onstage voice of dissent to counterbalance the enrapture, Rice created tension and planted questions in the audience’s mind.
Lloyd’s semi-staged, pared-back version has an orchestra behind a screen upstage, under the baton of Alan Williams. Further forward, are set and costume designer Soutra Gilmour’s six broad steps, on which the dancer/singers adhere largely to the original score, save for You Must Love Me which was written for Madonna’s movie version and has been incorporated here. They thrust, strut, cavort, throw sharp lines and generally demonstrate their street dance credentials through Fabian Aloise’s slick, largely modern choreography, with occasional twists on the tango.
Rachel Zegler makes for a diminutive firecracker in the central role of Eva. Unabashed and shameless in her pursuit of the men who can lift her to the upper echelons of Buenos Aires society, she oozes a knowing, sexual charm, as she usuriously works her way past a corny singer Agustin Magaldi (Aaron Lee Lambert) and on through a succession of radio station owners and military personnel until she encounters a young General, Juan Peron (James Olivas). Chisel-jawed and broad shouldered, he towers over Zegler but the largely 2 dimensional personification fails to convey dark cerebral menace, nor is there any sense that she has met her match in intellect and ambition. The woman Eva usurps in Peron’s bed, The Mistress (Bella Brown) appears only briefly but has a notable song in Another Suitcase in Another Hall (a top twenty hit for Barbara Dickson) but lacked the sinewy vocals required to convey plaintiff yearning, before the company hits the audience with the rousing descamisados anthem A New Argentina to close the first half.
Much has already been made of Lloyd’s decision to have Zegler sing Don’t Cry For Me Argentina from the Palladium’s facade balcony to those gathered below. The device is gimmicky and by now wholly anticipated given the director’s extensive use of gyro-camera techniques, but the live relay to the massive screen above the stage is hugely effective and a tour de force. Less anticipated was the use of a delightfully brattish mini-Eva cadging money for being cutsie and swaying the crowd. The part of The Child will be alternated by Aurora Breslin, Ffion Rosalie Williams and Lois Haidar at performances.
The Ensemble are Carl Au, Gabriela Benedetti,Shakara Brown, Damian Buhagiar, Kyeirah D'Marni, Sally Frith, DeAngelo Jones, Lucas Koch, Natasha Leaver, Michael Lin, Dianté Lodge, Louis Mackrodt, Mireia Mambo, Mia Mullarkey, Perry O’Dea, Alysha Sontae, Monica Swayne, Jon Tsouras and Harrison Wilde, with Myla Carmen, Barney Hudson, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Kirsty Anne Shaw, Ricardo Spriggs and Regan Bailey Walker as Swings.
Ultimately, this a raucous, hi-energy, slick and intense, concert depiction of a woman from more sedate times. It’s an updating which doesn’t always land the right historical tone, (Christian Dior would certainly raise an eyebrow) but as a piece of modern entertainment, it ticks far too many modern boxes to fail. Besides, given the omnipresent accusations of corruption and political deal brokering in the show, is there any wonder that people are already drawing parallels with Trump’s America? Tim Rice’s astute warnings were there all along.
