REVIEW | Evita, Curve Leicester
Written by Hollie
Disclaimer: We were invited to watch this performance in return for an honest review.
Caution: This show includes: Loud noises, strobing and flashing lights, smoke and haze and some scenes and language that may be unsuitable for younger audience members.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and Tim Rice’s Evita has been adapted and directed by Nikolai Foster for Leicester’s Curve Theatre this Christmas. It has been a long wait since Curve’s season preview in February so I had been looking forward to seeing what this adaptation would bring to the festive season.
From the outset, this modern adaptation is a flurry of movement, song and bright lights in the big city. Evita is the story of Eva, an aspiring Argentine actress, who over time is introduced to Juan Peron, an ambitious colonel who aspires to be the next Argentine president. With their ambitions realised, Eva and Juan fall in love and have a monumental impact on Argentina and its people.
This production conveys the themes of women in politics, power struggles and how beauty and glamour can affect the public’s perceptions of powerful figures in society. I think Evita was a bold choice for Curve during the Christmas season and admittedly it is not for everyone, but this reimagining provides food for thought during a time when politics and power are constantly in the British public’s minds.
This stripped back production meant that the focus was profoundly on the actors and their vocals. The show opens with Che, played by Tyrone Huntley, narrating the story of Eva and what happens throughout her life and death. Tyrone is particularly strong and brings charisma, humour and ease to the portrayal of his character Che. I don’t think the show would have come together as well without him and I am looking forward to seeing what he does in the future.
In her early 20s, Eva falls for Magaldi, played by Dan Partridge. Magaldi is a singer songwriter and Eva persuades Magaldi to take her to Buenos Aires with him before quickly ditching him. Dan has a spectacular voice and provides an authentic depiction of his character. I would have liked to have seen more of him and his vocal ability but the plot of the show does not allow for that. I will be keeping an eye out for what he plans to do next.
The leading lady, Martha Kirby, as Eva Peron took a while to warm up in my opinion but as her character developed, so did her confidence and persona. This is one of Martha’s first leading roles and she has potential. Martha can sing beautifully and plays the glamorous Eva well.
As the story is told only through song, it can be quite hard at times to follow the plot and a lot of the story is implied. During the interval, there were conversations throughout the theatre about the plot of the musical and what you might have missed through this retelling.
The talented orchestra plays the musical numbers which include ‘Another Suitcase In Another Hall,’ ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,’ and ‘She Is A Diamond.’ During ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ I felt that Martha held back slightly and that song was not provided with the crescendo and impact I was expecting during the performance.
The bright lights of Buneos Aires are portrayed through the extensive use of lighting for effect throughout the production. The twinkling lights provide the scenery and are part of the story.
Along with the talented orchestra, directed by Ben Van Tienen, this modern adaptation reflects society in 2023 and provides a different perspective on the classic musical.
A fantastic addition to the production was the use of hand-held cameras which were used by the ensemble, and these viewpoints were then projected onto a screen on stage. This gave the audience a different perspective and it conveyed the depiction of Peron’s presidency and the rise of his wife Eva, who is somebody who is loved and adored by the Argentine community.
The diverse ensemble are extremely talented and it is clear that a lot of time and thought has gone into this reimagining of the 1970’s classic musical. The show received a standing ovation at the end of the evening and a continuous round of applause. I am disappointed to see that the price of the tickets for this production is as high as £75, and I’m concerned a regional production is offering a show at stereotypical ‘West End prices’ which is a shame from an accessibility point. However, the production was fantastic and it was a great start to the festive season.
This production is dedicated to Curve’s Casting Director Kay Magson CDG, who sadly passed away during the auditions for this production.
Curve’s production of Evita will continue to play in Leicester until Saturday 13th January 2024.
