Hi everyone!
I was just a kid when the original Broadway production of "Evita" landed on Broadway and went on to run for over 5,000 performances, making stars of Patti LuPone as Evita and Mandy Patinkin as Che. For anyone who saw that production--or listened to the Original Broadway Cast Recording--it was a theatre experience not soon to be forgotten. Over the thirty-odd years since then, no other production of the Tony award-winning Harold Prince-directed musical has come close to matching the original's iconic status. The 1996 Alan Parker film starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas was an impressive cinematic achievement and won Madonna a Golden Globe for Best Actress. Interestingly, there had never been a Broadway revival...until now.
The new production, a transfer from the West End, directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford now playing at Broadway's Marquis Theater, certainly has star power with its casting of Ricky Martin as Che. I couldn't wait to see the show and I had very high expectations given the quality of the production team and the hype of its casting. I wish I could say I liked it more than I did. I think the original production was too formative a theatrical experience for me to not be disappointed by its current incarnation.
The new "Evita" is definitely pretty to look at. Christopher Oram's set and costume design is lavish and in a sense gives a more realistic setting for the show. The original production as staged by Harold Prince was a Brechtian affair with minimal sets. The high octane performances of Ms. LuPone and Mr. Patinkin were the main focus. It was also very clear that Mr. Patinkin's Che--in his army fatigues and combat boots--was meant to represent Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara. Ricky Martin's Che is more of a likable Everyman, a decision the really robs the show of its bite. The original production was more overtly political than the current Broadway revival. Cynicism pervaded throughout and frankly made the whole piece that much more interesting.
This is not to say that Mr. Martin does a bad job in the role. It's clear from the moment he steps on stage to sing "Oh What a Circus" that the audience loves him. As I said, he's likable with a pleasant though lightweight voice but not as commanding a stage presence as you might expect, or that the role demands. Argentinian singer/dancer/actress Elena Roger--who debuted this "Evita" in London to strong acclaim--is far more problematic. Ms. Roger is clearly more of an actress/dancer than a singer. Her best moments come in the second act as Evita takes the world by storm through her rampant megalomania. She is also impressive in the final section when Evita is dying of cancer. But what's impressive is not Ms. Roger's voice. She is by turns shrill and pitchy, especially in her higher register, and it simply cannot convey the power and emotion required of the Act Two opener "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," the song by which all Evitas past and present are judged and remembered. In the underwritten role of her husband Juan Peron, Michael Cerveris ("The Who's Tommy," "Sweeney Todd") is wonderful. Despite his limited stage time, whenever Mr. Cerveris is onstage, you simply cannot take your eyes off of him. He is the anchor of this production.
In supporting roles, Max Von Essen as the Argentinian tango singer Augustin Magaldi does a beautiful job with his pastiche number "On This Night of a Thousand Stars," and Rachel Potter's rendition of "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is gorgeously sung.
What I did like was Mr. Ashford's inventive choreography. This production is definitely Latin to its core and the show never looks better than when the cast sings and dances its way through "Buenos Aires" early in the first act. It's an exuberant and spirited moment that is never quite matched by what follows. The second act 'eleven o' clock' number, "And the Money Keeps Rolling In (And Out)" is disappointing because as presented here it just felt perfunctory to me. I remember the original production and this number, as played by Mandy Patinkin, really gave Che a chance to shine. Unfortunately, Mr. Martin doesn't have the gravitas to pull it off. This song is meant to be a real showstopper. As presented here, it barely registers.
I think I may just be biased. I went to see the show with my brother who hadn't seen the original production. And while he's not a huge fan of musical theatre, he really enjoyed this production. Based on the extended standing ovation that greeted the curtain call, it seems the audience unanimously did as well. With over $10 million in advance ticket sales, for better or worse, this production is going to be around for a long time.
Ciao.
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