Evita production more than a pleasure for the eye and ear
MAGNIFICENT staging brings past and present together in the rise and rise of Eva Peron: photographs contemporary with the Argentinian icon form a more or less continuous backdrop to the performance, confirming the veracity of the spectacle and anchoring it in history. Evita offers more than pleasure for eye and ear; it inspires some disturbingly topical reflection on the dangers of populism.
This sleek production does justice to the material it showcases, with flawless timing, costumes faithful to period, evocative lighting and a set that has all the requisite versatility for the many scene changes of the show. It is a visual treat, punctuated with highlights such as the opening tableau of Evita’s funeral, or her impassioned address to the people of Argentina at the height of her political career.
Kingston gives an elegant but chilly portrayal of the eponymous heroine, her emotions conspicuous by their absence and her singing more strident than mellifluous. Given the character of the real Eva Duarte Peron – hardedged, resentful, ambitious and brilliant at self-promotion – this is a legitimate reading of the persona, however unlovable. Few will forget the sheer majesty of her appearance on a balcony prior to delivery of the bestknown song in the show: Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina, or the pathos of her last poignant broadcast to her people just before her death.
Roxmouth’s Che is equally harsh, his portrayal gravid with cynicism and barely contained anger; his singing, however, has moments of great tenderness and displays an impressive range of register. Luitingh, cast as one of Eva’s early conquests (the singer Magaldi) is full of brash Latin charm, and Finlayson offers an understated but convincing portrayal of Juan Peron. An appealing cameo is provided by Jane, as Eva’s predecessor in Peron’s affections: her solo upon eviction from the General’s bedroom is noteworthy.
Apart from the familiar biography of Evita, this production maximises darker elements in her story with scenes like the ruthless rise to power of Peron, cleverly rendered by the successive elimination of one chair per rival at a meeting of generals, or the recurrent appearance of soldiers drilled to perfect ensemble marching/ dancing. Brutality surfaces in crowd scenes (not even Che is immune from the violence visited on the populace by the military). This, together with Evita’s ambitions to be vicepresident of her country, invites comparison with recent events north of our borders…