Wow! Evita just hits you from the very start in Jamie Lloyd’s production: much more than just a revival, but in reality a totally new look at a musical which is nearly fifty years old, having started as a ‘concept album’ with Julie Covington before its first staging with Elaine Paige as Eva Peron.
The wide Palladium stage has been transformed by designer Soutra Gilmour into a series of six wide steps, down which the supremely talented cast dance, roll, sit, tumble and occasionally even stand still! At the rear on the highest step, and just visible when Lloyd wants it to be, is the superb eighteen-piece orchestra under the direction of Alan Williams.
The energy of the 30-strong ensemble is often exhausting to watch, and there is little respite in the first half for either them or the audience! The choreography, by Fabian Aloise, is highly detailed and complex, yet precisely drilled, and always at the service of the production. Lighting, by Jon Clark, is ever-changing but very imaginative, always enabling the audience to focus on what is happening, and the much-talked about video sequences, imaginatively designed by Nick Ward, work their magic time after time, but are never used too much!
As for the main protagonists, all acquit themselves superbly.
Bella Brown’s cameo as one of Peron’s mistresses, which mainly consists of “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” towards the end of Act One, is beautiful and an oasis of calm just before the tumultuous finale. Aaron Lee Lambert is suitably amusing, whilst being at the same time unpleasant, as the night-club singer, Magaldi and James Olivas make a remarkably tall and youthful Juan Peron, in a role which is not as dominant as I remembered. He possesses an attractive voice and has the necessary gravitas that the part needs, but he does look much younger than he was at the time in real life.
Tim Rice, the librettist, created the role of Che not only as narrator, but also as the voice of the lower working class in Argentina, providing insight and criticism of Eva. When Harold Prince directed the first production, he insisted that Che be based on the Argentinian Marxist revolutionary and guerilla leader (also physician!), Che Guevara and Lloyd allows Diego Andres Rodriguez to play it in a similar style, giving the show a surprisingly Brechtian edge. He not only has a terrific singing voice, but he also quickly develops a rapport with the audience, especially in his “asides” when he is commenting on Eva’s actions.
Rachel Zegler as Eva/Evita herself has the sort of stage presence and charisma that is very rare. From the very beginning, she demonstrates a marvellously expressive voice, whether singing softly with a gorgeous, velvety tone or belting out the more up-tempo numbers. It also seems to have an amazing tessitura, the lower notes in her register being very strong and contralto-like, yet the high notes are achieved with no sign of strain and are always pleasant to listen to. She uses both acting and dancing to embed her role, especially her face, which is very expressive. The amount of energy she expends over the course of two hours is exhausting to watch, yet she still contrives to look fresh at the (many!) curtain calls!
Evita is one of Lloyd Webber’s strongest shows: Tim Rice ensured that it is well constructed with very intelligent and often witty lyrics, and the composer responded to this with a wealth of memorable music, not just “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina”!
Jamie Lloyd’s production is very powerful; it is also loud (sound design Adam Fisher), and I have not even mentioned the, by now, famous video scene, occurring at about 21.00 at the evening performance, where Evita sings live on the Palladium balcony to an audience of “Argentinians” who just happen to be hanging around Argyll Street outside the London Palladium! Highly recommended – you will rarely see a show quite like this! – but I do suggest that if you know little or nothing about Eva Peron or post WW2 Argentinian politics, you may want to do a little research first – or arrive at the Palladium early enough to read the copious and fascinating notes in the excellent programme! Whatever, just go – you will have an evening to remember for a long time!
Review by John Groves
Rachel Zegler – Eva Perón
Diego Andres Rodriguez – Che
James Olivas – Juan Perón
Aaron Lee Lambert – Agustín Magaldi
Bella Brown – The Mistress / Alternate Eva
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.
Auora Breslin, Lois Haidar, Siena Merilind-Wu and Ffion Rosalie Williams share the role of The Child.
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Jamie Lloyd
The creative team are Fabian Aloise (Choreographer); Soutra Gilmour (Set and Costume Designer); Alan Williams (Music Supervisor and Musical Director); Jon Clark (Lighting Designer); Adam Fisher (Sound Designer); Will Burton CDG (Casting Director); Jim Carnahan (US Casting Director); Carole Hancock (Wigs, Hair and Make up Designer); Harry Blumenau (Children’s Casting/Children’s Administration); Kate Waters (Fight Director); Lily Mollgaard (Props Supervisor); Ingrid Mackinnon (Intimacy Coordinator); Rupert Hands (Associate Director); Amy Thornton (Associate Choreographer); Cory Hippolyte (Resident Director); Paris Green (Resident Choreographer); Rachel Wingate (Associate Set Designer); Kelsh B-D (Associate Sound Designer); Lucía Sánchez Roldán (Associate Lighting Designer); Rachel Woodhouse (Costume Supervisor); Harry Barker (Assistant Sound Designer); Andy Barnwell and Rich Weedon for BW Musicians (Orchestral Management)
EVITA
London Palladium
Until 6 September 2025
Book Tickets for Evita
