Director Nikolai Foster has taken hit musical Evita and given it a contemporary upgrade by revisiting its rock-style roots. Michael Taylor’s set design provides the audience with a behind the scenes look as the wings are left open and lighting designer Joshie Harriette’s spotlights add to the concert vibe of the show.
This retelling is less a biographical story of Evita and more a modern-day depiction of her life as an influencer. Martha Kirby shines in her performance as Eva Peron, coming into her own during emotional performance in act two. While this retelling may be a refreshing take for audiences, the blurred context makes it very unclear for the audience to follow, particularly those who may not be familiar with the story of Eva Peron.
Tyrone Huntley stars as narrator Che, guiding the audience through the story of how Eva Peron came to be. Other characters are Agustin Magaldi (Dan Partridge), a singer who Eva uses as a stepping stone to her new life and Juan Peron, played by Gary Milner.
Evita is the story of how aspiring actress Eva rose to success to become the first lady of Argentina. During her climb to success, Eva is introduced to Juan, an ambitious colonel, who aspires to be the next president of Argentina. As both of them realise their ambitions, they fall in love and become monumental figures in Argentina.
The stripped back production means all the focus is on the actors and their performance. Tyrone Huntley opens the show as Che, bringing charisma and ease to the portrayal of his character. Dan Partridge manages to give Magaldi an Elvis Presley-esque attitude and Gary Milner delivers a strong performance as Juan Peron. Kirby’s Eva grows in confidence as the show goes on and her singing is beautifully controlled and vulnerable.
Throughout the show, handheld cameras are used by members of the ensemble to follow Kirby around, projecting the images onto a giant screen in the background. Although the screens feel distracting at times, it made sense to include them in this modern retelling, giving the audience a glimpse into what life may have looked like for Eva in the modern day world.
The story itself is told entirely through song, which at times can make it hard to follow the plot, taking away the power from the productions real life characters. It is clear to see that a lot of time and thought has gone into this reimagining of the classical musical and the way that director Nickolai Foster has tried to create a refreshing take on a popular story.
Curve’s production of Evita runs until Saturday, January 13, 2024.