By Helen Sullivan

Pictures: All rights reserved

On the 26th of July 1952, Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina, died, and the country went into mourning. Considered the spiritual leader of the country and beloved by the people, Eva Peron remains an important figure in Argentina. Her iconography in Argentina inspired the musical and since its 1978 premiere in the West End, there have been multiple revivals including director Jamie Lloyd’s first production at Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre that has now made its way to the West End starring Rachel Zegler who has quickly become one of the biggest stars in the world. Zegler, making her Broadway and West End debuts within a year in two of the biggest shows of the year, has cemented herself as one of the biggest stars of her generation. 

Evita, with a score from Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics from Tim Rice, follows Eva Peron’s rise to fame as the First Lady of Argentina to her death at age 33. Narrating the story is Che, a member of the public who is not under the spell of Eva. After coming to Buenos Aires with her then-lover, she eventually meets Colonel Juan Peron. Convincing him that she can help him become President of Argentina, she rallies the Argentine people while Peron and his men silence dissent, and Juan is soon elected President with Eva as his First Lady. Eva becomes a powerful public figure but faces pushback from the military and the upper class. 

Rachel Zegler stars as Eva Peron and gives a tour de force performance. Her vocals are outstanding and are highlighted in the demanding score. Her charisma cannot be denied and grabs your attention from the start. This quality is perfect for Eva, whose charisma was powerful. What truly impressed me was how she shows all the sides of Eva, the public figure, but also the more vulnerable side as she faces her cancer. There is also the calculated Eva, who, despite no education or family name, has achieved success on the radio and eventually became the First Lady of Argentina. Singing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” on the balcony of the London Palladium to crowds waiting outside, you can see the love for Rachel Zegler, which corresponds to the love the Argentine people had for Eva Peron.

Directly coming from another Jamie Lloyd production, Sunset Boulevard, Diego Andres Rodriguez takes on the role of Che, the narrator and main critic of Eva. From the beginning of the show, it is clear that Che is not mourning the loss of Eva Peron. Rodriguez sings “Oh What a Circus”, commenting on the flashy mourning that reflects Eva’s persona in life, which did not result in actual benefits for the Argentine people, with frustration over the canonization of Eva. Rodriguez’s strongest moments are in the second act when his Che is not afraid to call out the Perons. “And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out)” is his big number in the second act, where he sings about Eva’s foundation and the possible money laundering. In a chilling moment, Rodriguez calls out how the once-prospering oil reserves are now depleted, beef is now rationed, and critics of the regime are silenced. 

The set is almost identical to the Regent Park production, with the stairs and big Evita block leaders at the top of the stage. The direction is mostly effective, but occasionally it becomes a bit chaotic, and it can be hard to see where to look. The orchestration is a bit overwhelming in the first few numbers, but soon settles and works well. The supporting cast is strong, with a particular highlight in Bella Brown as the Mistress with a beautiful rendition of “Another Suitcase in Another Hall”. 

As a Jew, my feelings about Evita have grown complicated since I first saw the show in 2019. During the Peron’s reign in Argentina, several Nazi war criminals were granted refuge to the country including Adolf Eichman, the architect of the Final Solution, and Josef Mengele, known as the Angel of Death for experimenting on prisoners in Auschwitz and deciding the victims who would be murdered in the gas chambers. Juan Peron publicly called the Nuremberg Trials “a disgrace” and even had a conversation with Mengele on his experiments. 
It is not surprising that Evita is Donald Trump’s favorite musical, and after his reelection, this production is all too timely. Eva’s intersection of show business and politics is not unlike Trump’s own methods, and Juan Peron’s suppression of critics is seen in the Trump Administration’s actions through the suppression of public media and higher education. This production has been selling out night after night and for good reason. Rachel Zegler’s performance as Eva Peron will be remembered and will elevate her star even higher.