Evita returns to the West End
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
TIM Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical masterpiece, Evita, is returning to the West End – to the Phoenix Theatre where it will play for a limited 12-week season from August 2 (previews from July 28) to October 14, 2017.
The season marks the 65th anniversary of the death of Eva Perón which will be commemorated in Argentina in July.
This enigmatic figure, whose rise from humble beginnings to extraordinary wealth and power is immortalised in the musical Evita, passed away on July 26, 1952 and was laid in state exactly 65 years prior to the commencement of this latest West End season.
With more than 20 major awards to its credit, and an Oscar winning film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, Evita features some of the best loved songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, On This Night of a Thousand Stars, You Must Love Me, and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.
Taking on the iconic role of Eva Perón will be Emma Hatton (pictured), who has performed the lead role of Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked, the principal roles of Scaramouche and Meatloaf in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, and Donna in the West End production of Dreamboats and Petticoats.
Leading Italian performer Gian Marco Schiaretti will play Che, a character who reflects the voice of the Argentine people. Linked to Eva by destiny, he brings balance to the story of Eva’s rise to fame. Schiaretti, who most recently played the title role in Disney’s musical Tarzan in Stuttgart, has also played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet across Italy.
The cast is completed by Oscar Balmaseda, Sarah O’Connor, George Arvidson, Lewis Barnshaw, Jessica Ellen, Callum Fitzgerald, Kellie Gnauck, Dominic Adam Griffin, Joe McCourt, Jude Neill, Jordan Oliver, Chrissie Perkins, Oliver Slade, Matias Stegmann and Yuval Zoref.
Evita will be directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright and be designed by Matthew Wright, with choreography by Bill Deamer and sound by Dan Samson.
Tickets: Available by phone on 0844 871 7677 or online at www.atgtickets.com/venues/phoenix-theatre/.
Times: Monday to Saturday at 7:45pm; Thursday matinees at 3pm; Saturday matinees at 4pm.
Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s musical The Girls continues at the Phoenix Theatre until July 15, 2017.