Any fan of modern musicals will know songs like ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’, ‘High Flying Adored’ and ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ and they are as stirring now as when first performed in 1976. Not to mention the film of the musical featuring Madonna.
This new production of the Tim Rice / Andrew Lloyd-Webber classic is thoughtfully directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright and stars the amazing Rachael Wooding as our heroine Eva Duarte Peron, backed up by Seamus Cullen (off the BBC’s Any Dream Will Do series) as Che and Mark Heenehan as Colonel Juan Peron. For those not familiar with the story it’s a simple one, in the words of one of Eva’s songs ‘local girl makes good weds famous man’ and that's pretty much it but here is a little more detail.
Eva is born poor and illegitimate in the backwaters of Argentina in 1919. At the age of about 15 Eva’s eye is caught by a travelling Tango singer Magaldi (James Waud) who reluctantly takes her to the bright lights of 1930’s Buenos Aires, ‘the Big Apple’.
Eva proceeds to climb her way up society by using and disposing of powerful and well connected men. She builds herself a comfortable career in radio and on screen making herself the nations sweetheart. Meanwhile one Juan Peron, a middle ranking army officer, is manoeuvring himself to the top job of the Argentinian military led regime. In July 1944 Eva and Peron meet at a charity gala and their lives are never the same again!
For the next eight years Eva and Peron (eventually becoming President and the First Lady) live a whirlwind life of travel, glamour, ambition, greed and corruption (on a historical note, Eva did a great deal to promote the plight of the poor and encourage women in to work, education and the vote). After becoming known all around the world Eva succumbed to cancer in 1952 aged 33 and a nation goes into mourning. Peron is toppled before he can complete his monument to Eva and her body is lost for a number of years but now rests safely in Buenos Aires.
You may be wondering what Che Guevara is doing in the story? He is used as a narrator of sorts, constantly on stage commenting, narrating and sometimes interacting with the characters to move the story through time. Despite the lack of all but the loosist historical connection he does provides a familiar continuous link and was performed beautifully by Seamus Cullen with just the right amount of humour, sympathy and energy. Another very notable performance came from Nikki Mae. Nikki had just one song, but in my opinion the most beautiful. She played Peron’s teenage mistress ousted by Eva and delivered a magical rendition of ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’. The music ‘is the thing’ in Evita so the supporting element such as the sets are grand yet simple, the costumes low key but highly accurate and the spot on choreography from Bill Deamer both spectacular and precise.
Like most Rice / Lloyd-Webber productions you are either a fan of the musical style or not, but whether you admire or cringe at the score the singing will swing you round. Musical fans out there will find this energetic show a real treat.
Evita runs at the Nottingham Theatre Royal from Monday 11 to Saturday 23 May 2009.
