Evita

A trip to 1940s Argentina was on the cards for WODS’s Spring production, as the group took on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s challenging early work, Evita.  Full of sudden changes in musical key and tempo, this sung-through work is a challenge for any group, but it was one that WODS rose too magnificently. 

On entering the auditorium, we were greeted by five letter blocks scattered across the stage, spelling out ‘Evita’ – in a nice bit of continuity these reappeared later at the interval.  The set itself was an effective split-level backdrop, featuring the all-important balcony.  The band and choir were cleverly hidden away behind it.

The show charts the rise of Eva Peron, from her early acting career to her marriage to Juan Peron and subsequent political activities and tragically early death.  It is no exaggeration to say that Eva was – and still is – revered in her native Argentina, and we got a feel for that in the opening moments, as her funeral was solemnly depicted. 

The key role of Che, our narrator and way into the story, was played by Aadil Din, and from the moment he sang the opening words of ‘Oh What A Circus’, we knew we were in safe hands.  This was a confident, charismatic performance throughout, and it anchored the show perfectly. 

Rosie Bond was a charming Eva Peron, with a smile and a subtle ruthlessness that I thought was an interesting approach to the character.  Her biggest moment is, of course, ‘Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina’ which opened the second half and saw her facing down the entire ensemble from the balcony, and I am happy to say that she absolutely aced it.  The second half dance between Eva and Che during ‘High Flying, Adored’ was very well realised to show their combative relationship. 

Rob Connor as Peron brought out both the ruthless and sensitive sides of the Argentinian leader, as he rises to power and then argues with and loses his great love, in an emotional final scene.  ‘The Art of the Possible’, was an incredibly effective depiction of his rise, almost balletic in its movements as the stage became increasing littered with the bodies of his adversaries. 

Dan Hooper gave us a charming, twinkly Magaldi, serenading us through ‘On this Night of a Thousand Stars’, whilst Rosie Careswell was very effective as Peron’s discarded Mistress, singing wistfully of ‘Another Suitcase, Another Hall’.  This contrasted nicely with ‘Goodnight and Thank You’, as Eva discarded a series of hapless lovers and ran through an impressive range of night wear.  A challenge for the backstage and costume departments, seamlessly delivered. 

Supporting the Principals was a large group of dancers and ensemble performers, as well as an off-stage choir.  Numbering 40 in total, their efforts were every bit as fundamental to the success of the show as the principals.  Well-rehearsed and fully engaged throughout, their excellent performance shows that WODS have real strength in depth.  It was also great to see a number of performers continuing to graduate from the youth group, WODYS.  This shows great continuity and a Society reaping the benefits of investing in young performers.

Ensemble-led highlights included Act 1 closer ‘A New Argentina’, full of vigour and focus, and featuring an awful lot of blue and white ticker tape!  The overall effect was spectacular.  The excellence of the ensemble was further showcased in the second half, with ‘And the Money Kept Rolling In’ and ‘Rainbow Tour’ both full of energy and movement.  The choir, although we didn’t see them, did their part by adding real heft to the sound.

The show was confidently directed by Toby Edwards in his directorial debut for WODS, marshalling the large cast very effectively and always keeping the action flowing.  There were some very nice touches which I really appreciated, such as Eva being revealed from behind her funeral portrait at the start of the show, and a black curtain slowly creeping across the stage during her final broadcast.  Choreography was expertly handled by Rebecca Price and Eddie Paisley, who incorporated a lot a balletic and symbolic movement which fit perfectly with the complex, ever changing nature of Lloyd-Webber’s music, ‘Buenos Aires’ being a particular highlight.  Musical director, Sheila Boniface, led a 10-piece band, and 12-person choir, through the complex music without missing a beat.

Costume was used very effectively throughout the performance to delineate the different layers of society in Argentina, with the lower classes depicted in muted colours, in contrast to the white-clad upper classes.  The armed forces were similarly very clearly delineated, and Eva herself went through a series of outfits that depicted her iconic look very well.  Congratulations to Wardrobe Co-ordinators Melissa Goldney and Lyndsay Berryman, and their team.

The technical side of things was also well delivered – good, atmospheric lighting design from Adam Hooper and Ben Carter enhanced the action, and the movement of stage furniture was accomplished seamlessly and helped the whole show to flow.  The sound, too, was clear and, helped by good diction from the cast, this meant that Tim Rice’s complex lyrics could be clearly heard – essential if you want to follow the plot! 

My congratulations to all at WODS for an excellent production of this tricky show.  This felt like a real team effort by the entire group, both on and off-stage, and it’s one of which they can be justly proud.  Well done, and I’ll see you later in the year for ‘We Will Rock You’.

Chris Davies, Regional Representative district 5 on behalf of Bruce Wyatt

I am fortunate to regularly see shows performed by WODS, often alongside Ian G Cox. Ian and I were both completely in awe of this amazing production. Chris has already provided a full report on the show, and there is little more I can add.

The vocals were exceptionally well executed, as was the choreography. The show-stopping numbers remained in my head for days afterwards.

The quality of the musicians was superb. This allowed me to fully appreciate the score while also hearing every word spoken on stage.

A massive well done to the cast, crew, and production team. I look forward to seeing WODS again in October 2026.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands

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