International and UK tour of Evita continues throughout 2018
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
AFTER ten years in the UK and two West End seasons, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is captivating audiences across the world as it continues on an International and UK tour in 2018.
Having already visited Luxembourg and the United Arab Emirates, the story of an ordinary woman’s meteoric rise to power at a time of extraordinary political unrest is about to embark on a tour of the UK and Italy, opening at Torquay Princess Theatre on March 13.
Returning to the role of Eva Perón is Madalena Alberto, a role she received critical-acclaim for at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2014.
Considered as one of the West End’s prominent leading ladies, Alberto is renowned for some of the most coveted roles in musical theatre, including Fantine in Les Miserábles (25th Anniversary Tour, The Barbican, 02 Arena), Grizabella in Cats (London Palladium) and the title role in Piaf (Leicester Curve).
Her most recent credits include The Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Lyceum Theatre), Polly in Pollyanna (Tristan Bates Theatre) and a guest lead in BBC’s Holby City. Alongside her acting career, Alberto is a songwriter and regularly performs solo concerts.
Fresh from the recent West End production in July 2017, leading Italian performer Gian Marco Schiaretti (pictured) will continue in the role of 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’s most recently played the title in Disney’s musical Tarzan in Stuttgart. Prior to this he played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet across Italy.
Joining the cast as Juan Perón willl be leading London and Broadway performer Jeremy Secomb, who most recently starred in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Barrow Street Theatre. He has also played Javert in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre) and The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre).
The cast is completed by Oscar Balmaseda (as Magaldi) and Cristina Hoey (Mistress), with ensemble members Kellie Gnauck, Bethan Jacks, Samuel John Humphreys, Benjamin McMillan, Verity Burgess, Riva Grant, Callum Fitzgerald, Joe McCourt, Emmanuel Alba, Yuval Zoref, Oliver Slade, Jessica Ellen, Kirsty Whelan, Anthony Ray and Mike Ward.
Telling the story of Eva Perón, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Perón, Evita follows Eva’s journey, which ultimately led her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual leader of the nation’ by the Argentine people.
With more than 20 major awards to its credit, 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.
Directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, Evita is designed by Matthew Wright, choreographed by Bill Deamer and has sound design by Dan Samson.
Following the Torquay dates (March 13 – 17), Evita will tour to Birmingham, Truro, Shrewsbury, Swansea, Chester, Bradford, Turin (Italy), Glasgow, Newcastle, Grimsby, Woking, Bromley, Belfast, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Crawley, Coventry, Londonderry, Aberdeen, Brighton and Southsea (November 13 – 17).