Sh!t Theatre: Evita Too at Southbank Centre Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Everyone around the world has heard about the Evita revival at the Palladium this year, but this Christmas Sh!t Theatre presents Evita Too!: a stunning and subversive retelling of the life of Isabel Perón, the second wife of Juan Perón and the first woman in history to become president of a country. Despite this groundbreaking achievement, Isabel Perón remains largely unknown, eclipsed by the mythologised legacy of Eva Perón. Hence the brilliantly apt title: Evita Too! The production delivers a rapid, exhilarating overview of Isabel Perón’s life through original songs, choreography, and anarchic theatrical invention. It is truly a rollicking ride where you won’t know what to expect next.
We are given a speedy run through of Isabel Peron’s life, with original songs and dance throughout. From her meeting Peron, 35 years her senior, while dancing as a showgirl at the happy land club, marriage and eventual rise and fall from power, it is an exhilarating ride. We see the actual reason for the death of Evita in this show, starvation after a forced lobotomy to change her personality, and even in death, Evita is not free from objectification as her body is on display at the foot of the Peron’s home in Madrid or their dining table for over 10 years later. There is also a fabulous irony in that, when Rice and Lloyd Webber were writing Evita, Isabella Peron was actually in office as the first woman president in the history of the entire world, yet they conveniently did not explore her as a topic for the musical as well. Sh!t Theatre place this erasure front and centre, beautifully reclaiming a narrative history chose to forget.
This is a powerful narrative retelling of Isabella Peron’s life, and is told excellently by writers and performers Rebecca Biscuit and Louise Mothersole. They have excellent chemistry on stage and tell this story with a mix of video media (Mark Morreau), puppetry (Freddie Hayes) and anarchic skits, such as vodka blessings fired at the audience. Zoë Hurwitz’s set design and Dan Carter-Brennan’s lighting work harmonise in conjunction with these to create a stunning show where the audience doesn’t know where the next joke or absurd skit will occur from. The pacing is fast and witty, running at ninety minutes with a twenty-minute interval in between Peron’s arrest and then the retelling of the twilight of her life. It is well balanced to reflect on all of the different events without slowing or stuttering in the retelling.
Although this is a fabulous exploration of the life and deliberately erased impact of Isabel Peron, the fact she is still alive at 95 and refusing to engage with the creators of this musical leaves an open-ended query. However, Sh!t Theatre created an incredibly powerful and uplifting ending, which link back to the cave of hands, one of the oldest known works of art in the entire world and created by women. Both performers walk towards the image of this cave, hand in hand, and the theme of women united together and welcoming each other through history, regardless of ‘Mr Misrembering’, was phenomenally beautiful.
The themes of this show are remarkable and profound. Its in depth research of the topic, with receipts and excellent charts shown for far too brief a time, was brilliant. While the naked roller skating at the beginning of the show can appear a shock tactic, it is an excellent commentary of how women in power are stripped by the media and populace to scrutinise and expose every flaw, weakness and beauty they have. This is further deepened by the supposed consent of the audience who vote for this said roller skating. Although deeply humorous and sharp, there is a foundation of grief laid within the laughter. Grief over the painful life Isabella Peron faced, the grief over history deliberately altered to forget women, what women need to go through to be noticed and remembered and grief over the unexpected turns life can give, especially with partners and possibility of having children. These aren’t spoon fed to the audience but hidden in quips, jokes and hilarious rejoinders to unsolicited male feedback.
This is the perfect show to end your theatrical year with. It is bold, hilarious and deeply tender in its exploration of Isabel Peron. You will laugh, gasp and leave with a new perspective on theatre and Isabella Peron after this show. Its voice is powerful and a fantastic mix between the best of West End and Fringe theatre. The witty dialogue of this show is second to none and fiercely feminist yet entirely welcoming, it invites everyone into the conversation rather than pushing them away. This is a truly incredible and deeply moving production which will make you laugh until you cry. As a show that makes you think about who history chooses to remember and forget, it is an unforgettable night out. If you go to one show this year, make it this one.
Plays until 31 December
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
