“Evita” - A Review

   After a lifetime of enjoying Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s work, it’s surprising that I’ve never seen Evita until now.

   The good news is, the Charleston Light Opera Guild, as always, does a terrific job with the production, which wraps up this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre.

  The musical tells the story of Eva Peron, and her rise from obscurity to her life as the wife of the president of Argentina and a figure beloved by the people of that country.

   You should know up front that this isn’t a “feel good,” “happy-go-lucky” musical. It’s much more dramatic and serious - in fact, it begins and ends with a funeral (though certainly there are fun, entertaining numbers along the way).

   It’s a rock opera, so there’s virtually no dialogue - but lots of great music to enjoy.   

   

    The role of Eva Peron is played with wonderful presence and skill by Emily Capece. She has a powerful voice and gets to show it off to great effect with songs like the showstopper, “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” The role is very challenging - Eva isn’t always a sympathetic character - but Capece creates a character who wins over the audience and shows why the citizens loved her so much.  

   Walking away with every scene he’s in is the narrator of the show, played with great gusto by Ryan Hardiman. Strangely enough, the narrator is Che Guevara, an Argentine Marxist revolutionary and guerrilla leader. Sometimes he supports Eva, and sometimes he opposes her - but he always does so with a powerful,  commanding voice.

    Juan Peron, who becomes the president of Argentina thanks to the assistance and guidance of Eva, is played masterfully by Bill Rainey. A seasoned pro, Rainey has a powerful voice and creates a vivid picture of a man who uses and is used - but like the people of Argentina, he falls in love despite himself.

   The supporting cast also does terrific work here, whether singing, dancing (the choreography is excellent) or staging (the upper class depiction is hilarious).

   The Light Opera Guild has a reputation for staging outstanding, professional-quality shows, and this is another one to add to the list. 

   Kudos to the directing team for crafting a top-notch production. With an outstanding set, terrific orchestra and a talented cast, Evita is an excellent show and highly recommended!