BREVIEW: Evita @ Birmingham Hippodrome until 24.03.18

 Madalena Alberto as 'Evita' and Jeremy Secomb as 'Juan Perón' / Pamela Raith Photography

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe / Production shots by Pamela Raith

I adore Birmingham Hippodrome. Granted, I’m not the most well-versed theatre critic, however there is something rather decadent about settling yourselves into the plush red seats ready to absorb an hour or three of theatrical roguery.

Hurling ourselves into the world of 1940s Argentinean politics, it is the opening night for Evita – the long running musical written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, that focuses on the life and untimely death of Argentinean political and social icon Eva Perón.

Church pillars and weeping mourners set the scene as Eva Perón’s casket is brought onto the stage. It is during this opening sequence that we meet the three key performers for the evening. Che, played by Gian Marco Schiaretti, is our narrator; sporting a black flat cap, he ponders the true motives behind Evita’s charity and her rise from poverty to political aristocracy. Next is her husband, Juan Perón, who is brought to life with military precision by Jeremy Secomb.

Gian Marco Schiaretti as 'Che', Madalena Alberto as 'Evita', Jeremy Secomb as 'Juan Perón' / Pamela Raith PhotographyAnd finally, silhouetted against a portrait donning the church walls, is Evita herself. Madalena Alberto has had plenty of practice in this role since her critically acclaimed performance in the West End revival of Evita back in 2014, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. As the lead role, Alberto is simply captivating throughout the entire production – from the sprightly 15 year old who runs away with tango singer Agustín Magaldi to Buenos Aires, to the blonde, sophisticated flame of Juan Perón, her impeccable acting skills pay tribute to the late First Lady with class and demeanour I could only wish to have.

The first half shows Evita’s lust for power, as she slowly makes her way to the top of the social ladder in Buenos Aires. At a time where sexual promiscuity was considered sinful and wretched, watching Evita manipulate various lovers to obtain social power was truly entertaining, especially when coupled with the song ‘Goodnight and Thank You’.

Chorus and Gian Marco Schiaretti as 'Che' / Pamela Raith PhotographyThis rise to stardom results in her colliding with Juan Perón at a charity concert, and after seducing him with the promise of becoming an asset to his career they soon become an item. The stage glides to and fro as balconies are pushed forwards and backwards for different scenes, from the staging of a military coup using musical chairs during ‘The Art of the Possible’ to the energetic choreography of ‘Eva, Beware of the City’, the cast make use of every inch of the Hippodrome stage with minimal props.

Following an interval (and a glass or two of wine) we returned to the reveal of Juan Perón’s successful election as Prime Minister, with Evita delivering a powerful speech as the First Lady bedecked in a glittering white ball gown. The second half passes in the blink of an eye, as we witness Evita embark on her renowned ‘Rainbow Tour’ of Europe without her husband, and her resulting ill health. Despite this, she seemingly perseveres with her saintly actions, setting up a charity and literally showering her supporters with money.

This is where Che truly comes into form – stripping back the glamour that Evita covers herself with, he reveals a woman spurned by political aristocracy who has carefully moulded the Argentinean people into supporters for her husband. Sombre and lonely, he narrates Evita’s life as she tirelessly works to prove herself as a saint not only to Juan Perón and her critics, but to the people of the world. The scenes surrounding her demise and following death are truly heart wrenching – the performances given by both Secomb and Alberto are harrowingly beautiful as Evita laments for the life she could have lived, had she not pursued fame and glory.

True, the production is somewhat lacking in what my mother would describe as ‘fancy stuff’. But that is the beauty of a theatrical piece such as Evita – it simply is not needed. Props and lights could never replace what this cast deliver, which is a highly emotionally performance guaranteed to resonate, to some extent at least, with anyone who is lucky enough to see it.

Evita runs at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 24th March. For direct show information, including a full breakdown of dates, times and online ticket purchasing, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/evita

For more on the Birmingham Hippodrome, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com

BPREVIEW: Evita @ Birmingham Hippodrome 20-24.03.18

Evita @ Birmingham Hippodrome 20-24.03.18

Words by Ed King / Production shots by Pamela Raith

Evita runs at the Hippodrome from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th March – as produced by Bill Kenwright, with special arrangement from The Really Useful Group.

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long established musical comes to Birmingham following ‘smash hit runs’ in London and beyond. Evening performances will be held at 7:30pm every night from Tues 20th to Sat 24th. Matinee performances will be held at 2pm on Weds 21st and Thurs 22nd, with a further matinee scheduled at 2:30pm on Sat 24th.

Reflecting the Hippodrome’s wider programme, provisions have been made of those who are hearing or sight impaired at the following Evita performances: Weds 21st at 7:30pm (captioned), Thurs 22nd at 7:30pm (BSL interpreted), Sat 24th at 2:30pm (audio described).

Tickets are priced at £15-49, depending o the date/time of performance and positioning within the theatre. For direct show information, including a full breakdown of dates, times and online ticket purchasing, click here.

Gian Marco Schiaretti as 'Che' / Pamela Raith PhotographyOne of the century’s most recognised female public and political figures, Eva María Duarte de Perón climbed her way from a socially and fiscally forgotten childhood to become the First Lady of Argentina.

On the way up the ladder, she was also a revered actress, model and radio star – eventually becoming co-owner Argentina’s most prominent broadcaster, Radio El Mundo. And if cancer hadn’t taken Eva Perón at the young age of 33, she may well have become Vice President of Argentina – sitting in office alongside her husband and el predidente, Juan Perón.

Wildly popular with the working classes of Argentina, Eva Perón became to stand as a beacon of hope for the proletariat – having risen up the ranks herself, yet still mistrusted by the country’s political elite and social bourgeoisie. Many argue that it was Eva Perón, standing beside her husband at many a rally and public appearance, that cemented the political progress of Juan Perón from Minister to President. Madalena Alberto as 'Evita' and Jeremy Secomb as 'Juan Perón' / Pamela Raith Photography

But many also argue to the contrary, claiming the often contradictory administration – that would spawn the continuously contradictory political movement known as Perónism – was a merely a disguised dictatorship that only played ‘the people card’ for political gain and even personal glory. It is this dichotomy that Rice and Webber brought to the stage with their musical Evita, when they turned their rock opera album into a West End production in 1978. Forty years later and Evita is still touring the world, with its name sake still considered a ‘Spiritual Leader of the Nation’ after being officially awarded the title in 1952.

This current production of Evita sees Madalena Alberto return to the title role, after playing Eva Perón in the 2004 West End revival. The role of Che, who acts as the story’s narrator and filters into many supporting and ancillary roles, will be played by Gian Marco Schiaretti.

Evita @ Birmingham Hippodrome 20-24.03.18 (featured cast members may vary)

Evita runs at the Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th March. For direct show information, including a full breakdown of dates, times and online ticket purchasing, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/evita

For more on the Birmingham Hippodrome, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com

BPREVIEW: West Side Story @ New Alexandra Theatre 23-26.08.17

West Side Story @ New Alexandra Theatre 23-26.08.17

Words by Paul Gallear

Running from Weds 23rd to Sat 26th Aug, the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham presents its annual Stage Experience production – West Side Story. For direct info, including venue details online ticket sales, click here.

Stage Experience is an opportunity for 9–24 year olds to spend two weeks of their summer mounting a full-scale production of a classic musical and then perform it to a paying audience.

A range of opportunities are open to applicants. As well as performing roles, lighting, sound, wardrobe, and stage management positions are all available for people to hone their talents. Previous productions include Grease in 2016, 42nd Street in 2015, and Footloose in 2014. This year it’s the Bernstein and ‎Sondheim adapted for stage classic, West Side Story, with just two week’s preparation until curtain-up.

The narrative of West Side Story, based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, is a well-known one: two street gangs in Upper West Side New York, both alike in infamy, is where we lay our scene . . . (okay, I’ll stop now). The Jets and The Sharks vie for control of dominance of a New York neighbourhood. Tony, former leader of The Jets, and Maria, sister to the leader of The Sharks, fall in love across the bounds of the rivalry. They plan to run away together. But can they escape the clutches of gang life, or the downward spiraling circumstances and rising levels of violence?

West Side Story is one of composer Leonard Bernstein’s and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s most famous Broadway musicals. With the book by book by Arthur Laurents and the choreography by Jerome Robbins, West Side Story first hit the stage in 1957, winning critical acclaim and Tony Awards.

West Side Story @ New Alexandra Theatre 23-26.08.17It went on to make the transfer to the silver screen in 1961, winning a total of ten Academy Awards at the 1962 Oscars – including Best Picture and Best Director, a record for a musical. It will afford those who took part in this year’s Stage Experience the opportunity to tackle such well-known songs as ‘Maria’, ‘America’, and ‘I Feel Pretty’.

And for the audience, this could turn out to be a fantastic place to see the stars of tomorrow performing in their first role. But there are also lots of risks: with the short rehearsal time and the inexperienced nature of the cast, as well as West Side Story being such a well-known and well-liked musical, it is possible that the Stage Experience could fall short. But equally, the fresh talent could bring something exciting to a show now in its 60th year – a silver lining of many new cast productions. The joy, both on stage and off, is finding out.

Daily performances of West Side Story at the New Alexandra Theatre start at 19:30 with a 14:30 matinee on Saturday – running from Weds 23rd to Sat 26th Aug. Tickets will cost between £16.50 and £26.90 (though Theatre Card holders can get tickets for as little as £15.00) plus booking fees. For direct information, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here

For more from the New Alexandra Theatre, including full event listings and online sales, visit www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-alexandra-theatre-birmingham