Evita at the Buxton Opera House
"A musical triumph for Buxton Opera House!"
- Derby Days Out
The current production of Evita at Buxton Opera House is a captivating and entertaining rendition of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical.
The story tells of Eva Perón’s meteoric rise from humble beginnings to fame and fortune as the wife of Argentina’s president.
The show begins with the casket of Eva centre stage lit by a solitary light. The musical numbers begin with an epic but sombre choral rendition of the show’s most beloved track “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” with the cast demonstrating their powerful vocals. We are introduced to the character of Che, played by the talented Luke Clayton, who acts as narrator throughout and represents Eva’s working class roots, offering criticism and commentary as she rises to the top.
The story tells of Eva Perón’s meteoric rise from humble beginnings to fame and fortune as the wife of Argentina’s president.
The show begins with the casket of Eva centre stage lit by a solitary light. The musical numbers begin with an epic but sombre choral rendition of the show’s most beloved track “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” with the cast demonstrating their powerful vocals. We are introduced to the character of Che, played by the talented Luke Clayton, who acts as narrator throughout and represents Eva’s working class roots, offering criticism and commentary as she rises to the top.
The stellar cast is led by Catherine Pugh (Maggie Thompson on Sunday evening) whose impressive vocals bring the character of Eva Perón to life. Her dynamic range enables her to perform upbeat, salsa-style tracks such as “Buenos Aires” and move seamlessly into the big ballads of the show, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and “You Must Love Me”.
Eva’s counterpart, Juan Perón, is played by Ross Clifton. Clifton’s brilliant performance as military leader-turned-politician Perón draws attention to the darker undercurrent of Argentinian politics at the time as portrayed through regimental tracks such as “The Art of The Possible”. Pugh, Clifton and Clayton’s lead vocals are supported throughout by an amazing cast of creatives, including a live orchestra, who effortlessly deliver each scene with energy and enthusiasm. Minimalist and effective staging and lighting carefully capture the mood of each song, and stunning choreography, such as the tango of “I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You” helps brings Latin America to Buxton.
The production is brought to life by clever on-stage costume changes which mirror Eva’s rise in status from party dresses and gowns as an actress, to the two-piece suit as the president’s wife, and later, a simple blue slip dress at her demise.
Both fans of Lloyd Webber and Rice and those new to the show will not be disappointed by this stunning Buxton Opera House production of Evita which runs until Sunday 28th April.
Pictures: David John King Photography
