Evita

Evita is an absolute juggernaut of a show. It requires everything at its best - strong vocals, dynamic choreography, strong direction, classic costumes, specialised set & lighting and of course a tireless orchestra. TAODS didn’t disappoint on any of these points. The set was designed by Steve Clarkson. Steve is well known for his spectacular sets and he did not let us (the audience) down. Visually stunning, with stairs creating different height levels, he then gave us his piece de resistance - during Eva’s iconic song “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” sung out towards the crowd on the balcony - the balcony glided seamlessly forwards towards the front of the stage and the audience had become the Argentinian crowd. All the while Eva (Alex Townend) stood comfortably atop in the iconic dress, in the iconic pose, lit by a white spotlight - pure genius. The applause this moment alone received was genuine and very well deserved.

The ensemble have a lot of work to do in Evita, there are a lot of harmonies and Latin to remember and “Requiems” and “Peron’s” to count all while concentrating on the different tempos in the music and dancing.  Helen Clarkson ( Musical Director) led a very well drilled team of both musicians in the pit and singers onstage, nobody dropped anywhere, pace was great - we bounced along nice and evenly without rushing or lagging. Projection and diction was good, it was a little difficult to hear the children’s voices in the choir to Eva, but I feel it was done this way on purpose, it wasn’t supposed to be the focal point of that particular scene. The use of the Argentinian accent and manor throughout was strong, but not overpowering.

Choreography was fast paced and fit well to the different musical beats - it wasn’t repetitious and it certainly kept the audience engaged. Emma Cook (Choreographer) can give herself a well deserved pat on the back - the steps she choreographed challenged the ensemble but didn’t phase them and they all executed well. Movement on the stage and use of space was good, very natural with people keeping an eye on their spacing and sight lines. Actors use of props was comfortable definitely in keeping with the scenes.

Ellie Spooner (Mistress) gave us a full bodied performance with some lovely, strong, clear vocals. She had a good connection with the audience and is very comfortable and confident onstage. Joel Brown (Che) introduced himself with some great energy and presence, he kept it up throughout the whole performance, there is little time for Che to take a break during this show as he is constantly on view or moving the story along. Joel’s notes stayed solid, his diction and projection strong, he is a confident and generous performer onstage. Iain Mackness (Magaldi) had some great chemistry onstage with Alex (Eva) and he delivered his vocals well, his diction and projection was good . Sometimes a director gets Magaldi to break the fourth wall, personally I find it doesn’t work with this character and was pleased to see that Rachel Rogers (Director) steered well clear of all that. Rachel’s interpretation of the “Lament” was interesting, poignant , understated and beautifully lit. The onstage chemistry between Martin Cook ( Juan Peron) and Alex Townend ( Eva Peron) was electric, they are just so good together, they instinctively know what the other is going to do and it added such a dimension to these two characters. A standout moment for me was whe Alex ( Eva) performed “You Must Love Me”, she gave it her all, from the very depths of her being, it was raw and beautiful and Peron’s pain and grief and feeling of utter helplessness was evident both on his face and throughout his movements. These two are generous, confident, highly competent performers with good stage presence , an absolute joy to watch, all vocals and dialogue delivered with aplomb and empathy. 

TAODS - it was a show done brilliantly. My guest and I thank you for your wonderful hospitality and hope to see you all again very soon.

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