Photos courtesy of Dan Hill and Ian Lawson
Review by Claire Kelly - Southport News
Step into history with Evita, a powerful musical that tells the extraordinary story of Eva Perón. Featuring unforgettable songs such as ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ and ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ , this award-winning musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice takes the audience on an emotional journey through Evita’s rise and fall.
This was my first time seeing Evita, and I have to say, the story, music, and the performances all combined to create a captivating evening of local theatre. If you haven’t seen it before, this production is a fantastic opportunity to discover this musical masterpiece.
Originally released as a rock opera album in 1976, Evita quickly became a theatrical sensation. It premiered in London’s West End in 1978, starring Elaine Paige and David Essex, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical. A year later, it became the first British musical to win the Tony Award for Best Musical on Broadway.
Born into poverty in Argentina, Eva Duarte left home at 16 to pursue fame. She became an actress, married Colonel Juan Perón, and rose to prominence as Argentina’s First Lady. Known for her charity work and devotion to the working class, she remained a controversial figure - adored by many, distrusted by others. Her life was tragically cut short by cancer at just 33.
Eva Perón was played by Chloe Merone, 31. Chloe dazzled in the title role, delivering a performance full of fire, depth, and charisma. She captured Evita’s complexity - both her ambition and her vulnerability - with striking stage presence. Her powerful vocals soared through the theatre, and she handled the demanding role with confidence. There were clearly countless lines and songs to master, but Chloe embraced the challenge and shone throughout. Eva’s stunning costumes also added to the spectacle, with numerous elegant changes throughout. A standout performance was, of course, Chloe’s solo of ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ .
After the performance, Chloe shared her thoughts on playing Evita:
“I underestimated just how huge this role would be. It’s the biggest part I’ve ever had!”
To fully embody the character, Chloe adopted an Argentine accent and undertook extensive research, including watching documentaries about Eva’s life.
“I feel like I’ve lived and breathed her for months!” said Chloe.
No stranger to the stage, Chloe has previously played ‘Amy’ in Company and starred in numerous pantomimes in Southport . Also a vocal coach at All Souls, Chloe has taken on roles such as the Snow Queen, Cinderella, and Snow White. Later this year, she will also make her directorial debut with Beauty and the Beast.
Juan Perón was played by Phil Hunter.
Phil brought gravitas and authority to the role of Colonel Perón. His deep, commanding voice filled the theatre, and his portrayal of the serious, steadfast leader was strong and compelling.
After the performance last night, Phil revealed:
“Playing Juan Perón was a different challenge for me - an older role than I usually take on,”
Phil has a wealth of performing experience, including professional roles in ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ and a tour of ‘We Will Rock You’ in Germany. His performance as Perón was powerful, setting the perfect contrast to Evita’s fiery spirit.
Fittingly, Phil and Chloe are a real-life couple, which only enhanced their on-stage chemistry. Having met through Southport Spotlights , they have been together for four years. Their emotional duets were beautifully executed, with “You Must Love Me” standing out as a goose bumps moment !
Rob Poston played the part of Che.
Rob gave a sharp and engaging performance as Che, the show’s narrator. This was in fact his second time playing the role- the first time being 20 years ago! This was the last show that his late mother saw him perform in, just before she died in 2005, so this revival is especially meaningful for Rob.
I learnt from Chloe that the character of Che was originally inspired by one of Eva’s real-life hairdressers, and is often portrayed as an observer or critic of Evita’s rise to fame . Rob brought intensity and wit to the part, skilfully guiding the audience through the story. He is an excellent singer too. Travelling from the Wirral to be part of this production in Southport, his dedication was evident in every scene.
The Mistresses – played by Olivia Williams & Annie Laird. Both actresses performed with charm and flair. Olivia Williams particularly stood out with her heartfelt rendition of ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall.’ Her voice was full of emotion, and her stage presence was truly captivating. (One of my favourite moments)
Magaldi was played by Mike Fay.
Mike delivered a strong performance as Magaldi, bringing charisma and a smooth vocal tone to the role of the tango singer.
The chorus also all excelled in their smaller roles individually , handling the intricate lyrics and harmonies with precision. Their reactions and expressions throughout added depth to the storytelling, bringing authenticity to the show. With such a demanding score, they performed admirably, supporting the lead roles with strong vocals and well-rehearsed choreography.
The Director, Tracey Batchelor, Musical Director, Adam Dutch, and Assistant Musical Director, Gill Harris have done a tremendous job in bringing ‘Evita’ to life. Tracey also choreographed the production, ensuring that every movement added to the drama and atmosphere of the show. The staging was striking, with effective lighting that enhanced the contrast between Evita’s glamour and the darker political undertones.
The live band, positioned in the pit, played flawlessly, delivering Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score with precision and passion. Every instrumental moment supported the emotion on stage, from the rousing anthems and solo drums to the more intimate and reflective numbers.
A huge well done to everyone involved in taking on such an ambitious show . Evita is a very demanding production, and Southport Spotlights have delivered it with style, talent, and passion!
Reviewed by clairekelly@qlocal.co.uk
From Jim Briscoe NODA District 6 Representative
27 Feb 2025
EVITA a musical performed by Southport Spotlights, at Southport Little Theatre, Hoghton Street, Southport on Thursday, 6th February 2025
“Evita" is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice that chronicles the life of Eva Duarte, who becomes Eva Perón, the influential and controversial First Lady of Argentina, depicting her rise from poverty to political power as the wife of President Juan Perón highlighting her ambition, her charity work, and ultimately, her tragic death from cancer at the age of just 33. The story is narrated by a character named ‘Che’, who provides commentary on her actions and legacy throughout the musical; with iconic songs like "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Oh What a Circus" serving as key moments in the narrative. What isn’t expanded upon, but mentioned is, on her death the embalmers preserve her body, before it is stolen for 16 years!
Production Team... Tracey Batchelor (Director) was the one tasked with bringing this ‘sing through musical’ to stage and what a great job she did. In her programme notes Tracey suggests that this wasn’t the easiest of musicals to stage... but having now seen it, I can only suggest that Tracey obviously knew what she wanted from the musical and how to achieve it and that showed through from the characters created and the feeling we, the audience got from the cast, that everyone was really enjoying what they were doing! Also, in her programme notes, Tracey singles out Adam Dutch (Musical Director) for ‘special mention’ for his expertise, dedication and encouragement throughout, suggesting every decision was discussed and agreed before they moved forward. Adam was assisted by Gill Harris... be very proud folks, great show!
The Cast... we had a cast of twenty-nine who, from the off, looked happy, engaged and ready to give us their all. They all worked extremely well together and each and every one contributed to the overall production and when that happen, there’s very little else you can ask! Can I start by identifying the cast members, starting with the ‘principals’ and named cast members... Chloe Merone took on the iconic role of ‘Eva Perón’, Rob Poston played ‘Che’, Phil Hunter took on the role of ‘Juan Perón’; Mike Fay played ‘Augustin Magaldi’, Sarah Dutch played ‘Eva’s Sister’, Matthew Higginson - ‘Eva’s Brother’, Colin Dryden played ... ‘Eva’s Uncle, Gill Harris - ‘Eva’s Mother’. The cast included Anna Laird as Mistress, great rendition of Another Suitcase in Another Hall and Olivia Williams as Eva’s sister. Non named cast members included... Abi Gibbons, Chloe Morris, Dave Cox, Elaine Cox, Georgina Abram, Jaclyn Gore, Karren Nightingall, Maddison Rose, Wendy Cox, Thea Shawcroft, Addison Wright, David Sidey, Graham Padden, Hannah Munro, Jess McLinden, Louise Webster, Laura-Jane Palmer-Farrar, Lucille Hubbard, Lucy Manchester and Zoe Findlay... be proud one and all.
I’m not sure we had an actual ‘showstealer’, although we did have some notable performances to which I will give ‘shout outs’ a little later... but, before getting to individuals, and I think this is a ‘first for me’ I want to ‘highlight’ the voices and vocals provided by the ‘male chorus’ and in fact all the males on stage that evening if I’m honest! I can’t remember ever considering this before, but for me, all the male voices enhanced this production ever so much! So, in no particular order can I just mention ... Colin Dryden, Dave Cox, David Sidley, Graham Padden, Mathew Higginson and Mike Fay (Mike also playing a principal role). Whenever these guys came together on stage, especially when they sang together as soldiers ... their voices were sublime and blended together ever so well. The vocals, the harmonies where amazing and my thoughts were echoed by many audience members at the interval and especially at the end as we were leaving. Be proud of what you achieved guys, an outstanding performance. If I were to have had a ‘showstealer’ it could so easily have been Rob Poston’s portrayal of ‘Che’. This character was originally conceived as an ordinary narrator, but later evolved to represent the famous Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara. I’ve seen Rob perform before with Waterloo & Crosby Theatre Company, when he played the lead ‘Dewy Finn’ in the ‘School of Rock’... wow two totally different characters. Rob did a great job with this character; his diction was such that we missed very little of the story told through his eyes! Great voice, great character created... be proud Rob! Mike Fay took on the role of ‘Augustin Magaldi’, a lounge singer and Eva’s first ‘love interest’. OMG what a fabulous voice Mike has... he made this role his own and when not ‘Augustin’ was part of the superb gent’s chorus mentioned before! Phil Hunter did a good job with powerful President ‘Juan Perón’. Phil was another that made this role his own, good stage presence, great vocals, looked the part throughout working well with Chloe and all the cast members. Chloe Merone did a great job creating the character of ‘Eva Perón’. Chloe looked fabulous throughout, loved the mannerisms, the facial expressions, the gestures and the interaction with all the cast, but along with many others in the audience that evening, I did struggle to actually understand the lyrics of many of the songs Chloe sang, especially those in Act one. I’ve heard Chloe sing many times before and this has never been a problem, so I’m still not sure what the reason was. I thought it could have been the result of the accent used or perhaps her mike being set too high or the reverb, which seemed to be used a great deal throughout the production or perhaps a combination of everything... things did improve in Act 2... but I’m still unsure what the problem was!
Staging/Tech/Set ... a minimal set was used throughout, a scaffolding construction set toward the rear of the stage with a moveable tower towards its centre which was moved forward and backwards for various scenes to be performed from. Access to the upper level of the construction was accessed using two sets wooden steps either side. It all worked well affording the actors the space and the height for all the scenes to be performed really well... designed by Andrea Shacksmyth-Claire. In charge of all thing back stage was Paul Shacksmyth-Claire (Stage Manager) with Hollie Power (Assistant Stage Manager with scene changes being carried out mostly by cast members. Simon Miller (Sound Engineer) and I’ve already mentioned the issues with the sound, although as previously stated, I don’t have an answer as to why this happened. The Lighting Design was created by Andrea Shacksmyth-Claire which enhanced the production, with Corinna Davies and Neil Langridge in charge of ‘Follow Spots’. Ed McKillop and Issy Housley covering the Flies.
Orchestra... supported the singers ever so well, never overpowering just delivering a superb sound throughout. Adam Dutch/Gill Harris (Musical Directors) were in charge; the orchestra included:
David Wall/Corey Gerrad/Paul Nicholls (Keyboards); Paul Taft (Guitar); Paul Warder (Trombone); Charlie Wells (Double Bass/Bass Guitar); Cliff Ray (Trumpet); Paul Dutch (Drums) and Caitlin Monoghan (Percussion)... well done folks, great sound, enhanced this production ever so much!
Wardrobe... costumes were fabulous! Hired from the Costume Store here in Southport impressive!
Props ... under the watchful eye of Rose Wiliams, Tanya Steel were first class and used ever so well by the cast... well done!
Even with the slight sound problem, I really did enjoy the production from start to finish. Loved the direction taken and the musical direction. Thank you so much for the invitation and your attention throughout ... it really was an enjoyable, entertaining evening and everyone involved should be proud of what they helped achieve!
Stay safe, Keep well
Stronger Together
Jim Briscoe
NODA NW
District 6 Rep