Kings Theatre Southsea – until 17 November
Review by Nicky Wyatt
4****
40 years on from the launch of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical and still it packs the theatre out.
The story of the poor illegitimate Eva Duarte literally is a rags to riches tale. The story tells us how Eva made the journey from a poor nobody to Argentina’s first lady. How she was loved and adored by many and at the same time hated and revered by others. She was the people’s champion.
Unusually the show starts at the end! With us witnessing how the audience sat in a cinema in Buenos Aires find out that their first lady Eva Peron, Lucy O’Byrne, has died. We then are taken back to the beginning of the story with one of the leading men Che (Glenn Carter) narrating the story for us. He is a really strong character throughout. His mannerisms and facial expressions are really
worth watching as they show both his pleasure and displeasure at Eva’s rise. He does a great version rendition of ‘Oh What a Circus’.
Starting her life in a provincial town as a singer Eva meets singer and tango dancer Magaldi they are volatile together but she persuades him to take her Buenos Aires where her story really begins. She works as a radio presenter and actress and is soon a lady to be watched. The men watch and want and the ladies look down on the country girl who is sleeping her way through society men, determined to get herself in the right place at the right time, which she eventually does as she meets Juan Peron (Mike Sterling).
Lucy has a beautiful voice that is so crystal clear, she plays the part of Eva well. Her acting skills and style are perfect for the role. Although I loved her voice I don’t think it was quite powerful enough for her the classic ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’.
Mike looked and acted the role of a dictator really well, stern and upright where needed but a voice that offered a smoother softer side when he sang” I’d be surprisingly good for you ‘ with Eva. Just perfect.
Glenn as the narrator holds it all together. That’s a good thing because at times the audience around me were a little confused especially in the first half. The orchestra play some wonderful atmospheric music but at times it overpowers those singing. I absolutely loved the set of this whole production, the scene changes were smooth and appeared effortless.
The standing ovation received was so very well deserved. Evita she died young but with productions like this, she will be forever with us