Theatre Review
Eleanor Pearson 23 May 2015 EVITA EXCITES!
It’s a good sign when the first matinee performance of a community theatre production is sold out. When the lights go up on the Concourse stage, it is immediately apparent we are in another country, in another time (The voiceover in Spanish also helps).
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Evita |
Evita is an ambitious musical for a local theatre to produce. To do it well you need a dedicated and talented cast and crew. Willoughby Theatre Company ably tackles the challenge. In this community production the sets, costumes and crowd scenes each have a wow-factor.
As Evita, Virginia Natoli is a powerhouse of energy from the get-go. Broadway star Patti LuPone may well have influenced Natoli but she brings to the role a present-day relevance.
Natoli’s Evita is by turns domineering and aggressive, but also progressive and poignant. As an audience, we are left wondering what personal qualities are necessary for women to survive in positions of political power even today. An obvious highlight is the balcony scene when Eva Peron addresses the crowd as First Lady… and yes, sings Don’t Cry for Me Argentina. At that point of potential vulnerability Natoli truly shines, and the ensemble cast shines with her.
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Much of the show’s verve comes from the big cast numbers. We are taken on a ride where it is possible to sense Evita’s own elation one minute and her despondency the next. In a way Evita’s success was directly fuelled by her popularity with the “common people”. So the crowd scenes are critical. It’s also worth mentioning the children in the cast, because one particularly poignant moment is when young soloist Julia Manias sings.
Other standouts include Rob Hale as Che (the narrator). In the role once played by Antonio Banderas, Hale is charismatic, and lightens the tone when it threatens to become too melodramatic. Irony is a key ingredient in this musical, but sometimes you wish Che would just be quiet and let you savour the moment with Evita.
Lucy Hood as the mistress also thrives during her brief time in the limelight. As Argentine military leader Juan Peron, Clive Hobson demonstrates an unexpected tenderness at the end. Evita’s first love-interest, the tango-singing Agustin Magaldi (Jeremy Curtin), brings fresh wit in each of his cameos.
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Willoughby Theatre Company
Season: May 22 - May 31 (click on upcoming events for exact dates and times.) Address: The Concourse Theatre - 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood 2067 Tickets from $46. |