Evita
WORDS: Danny Champken (Youth Editorial Group)
From the spicy and exhilarating promise of Buenos Aires to the Balcony of the Casa Rosada, the current touring production of Evita documents the life and times of Eva Per?n with outstanding class and finesse, and in stupendous style.
The tale, musically brought to life by the honourable talents of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, is put forth from the point of view of narrating character Che Guevara, the revolutionary that questions how deserving the wife of Argentinean President Juan Per?n is of the iconic status afforded to her by the public that she was once a part of.
Personified by Seamus Cullen, of BBC’s Any Dream Will Do fame, the character of Guevara dominated sequence after sequence throughout the performance, and it is to Cullen’s credit that he could always be distinguished amongst the frankly tremendous chorus.
Such examples of talent were not overshadowed, but were affectionately highlighted by Mark Heenehan’s appropriately dignified, yet truly passionate representation of Juan Per?n.
But, as is customary, the show was stolen by no less then Mrs Per?n herself, portrayed by Louise Dearman who, with not so much a 'touch of star quality' as an explosion of unrivalled talent and theatrical skill, mesmerised.
Her spine-tingling vocals and dynamic stage presence were enough to set the adrenaline going for the entire evening, finally pulling the audience into a well deserved standing ovation that was as much for Dearman alone as it was for the show as a whole. I don’t know about Argentina, but a good selection of Cardiff’s New Theatre was crying for her.
