Review | Evita review: hit musical on life of Argentina’s Eva Peron as relevant as ever, and original staging adds to its drama
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sell-out musical comes to life in a restaging of the original 1978 show. The themes of duality, politics and female empowerment still resonate 40 years later
It’s been more than 60 years since Argentinian first lady Eva Peron’s death, but the tale of a young woman’s rise from poverty to captivate a nation lives on today in the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber megahit musical Evita.
Thought of as a saint by her supporters and power hungry by others, Peron (played by lead actress Emma Kingston) dances the duality of her public and private life wonderfully.
Always biting at the heels of Peron’s ambition, the wickedly cynical Che (Jonathan Roxmouth) critically guides audiences through Argentina’s political unrest and the matriarch’s rise and fall, playing the role of the Greek chorus to Peron’s grand plans.
By the end of the second act Kingston’s versatility shines as she completely embodies the burning and brutal ambition of Peron, as she fights for women’s suffrage, her status and eventually her health – a battle she is fated to lose.
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“She did a hell of a lot for women before her death,” says Kingston. “She actually gained the right for women to vote in Argentina.”