[theatre] Evita, Dominion, 08-Oct-14
Thursday, October 9th, 2014 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranthThirty-six years ago, I bought my very first pre-recorded cassette, in the Southend branch of Woolworths: it was the original cast recording of Evita.
Last night I saw it live.
The music hasn't changed -- still, at its best, truly operatic and moving -- though they'd cut at least one of the songs I remember ('The Lady's Got Potential'). I've changed, though, and so has the world: I found myself thinking of the 'howling, hysterical sorrow' surrounding the death of Diana, and the ways in which successful women's achievements are undercut with scurrilous rumour and sexual innuendo. (Did the production deliberately costume early Eva to bring Diana to mind?)
It's not a bad production, though from where we were sitting (stalls) the bass was way too heavy. Marti Pellow (Che), formerly Wet Wet Wet, seemed out of time with the orchestra in a few numbers, and wasn't especially engaging. Instead of Portuguese rising star Madalena Alberto, we had Michelle Pentecost as Evita: very good. Nic Gibney's tango-singer Magaldi was brilliant. And the hair rose on the back of my neck during some of the crescendos, so they were getting it right.
I've read quite a few biographies of Eva Peron, and now -- having realised that the musical isn't at all flattering, discounting her charitable work and social reform in favour of highlighting ambition and promiscuity -- I'm tempted to read more.
Last night I saw it live.
The music hasn't changed -- still, at its best, truly operatic and moving -- though they'd cut at least one of the songs I remember ('The Lady's Got Potential'). I've changed, though, and so has the world: I found myself thinking of the 'howling, hysterical sorrow' surrounding the death of Diana, and the ways in which successful women's achievements are undercut with scurrilous rumour and sexual innuendo. (Did the production deliberately costume early Eva to bring Diana to mind?)
It's not a bad production, though from where we were sitting (stalls) the bass was way too heavy. Marti Pellow (Che), formerly Wet Wet Wet, seemed out of time with the orchestra in a few numbers, and wasn't especially engaging. Instead of Portuguese rising star Madalena Alberto, we had Michelle Pentecost as Evita: very good. Nic Gibney's tango-singer Magaldi was brilliant. And the hair rose on the back of my neck during some of the crescendos, so they were getting it right.
I've read quite a few biographies of Eva Peron, and now -- having realised that the musical isn't at all flattering, discounting her charitable work and social reform in favour of highlighting ambition and promiscuity -- I'm tempted to read more.
