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Post by distantcousin on Dec 16, 2023 14:01:24 GMT
Oh god, I absolutely hated it! I mean I can see why people would think this. Choices were certainly made. I could have been distracted by the arms of the ensemble! I do think the storytelling was weak. And I didn’t really buy Tyrone’s Che, just didn’t have much presence. Which is odd as he was sensational in JCS!
I'm just gathering my thoughts on it still. But it came across as quite bland and amateur - and I've come to the conclusion that I've gone off Curve's "house style". I didn't enjoy Nikolai Foster's A Chorus Line either.
I preferred their shows more under the Paul Kerryson tenure. (back when I lived in Leicester, so I visited a lot). Fond memories of their productions of Chicago and Gypsy, to name but two.
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Post by richey on Dec 16, 2023 17:57:58 GMT
I'm so torn with this. Evita is one of favourite shows and I still can't decide whether I can make the effort to get across to Leicester to see this (for some reason it's not the easiest of places to get to on public transport from Manchester) This trailer doesn't sell it for me either, but also I don't hate it x.com/ShaunTossell/status/1735982281838170597?t=cq6Qg1aZWfcTUGxHNADJLA&s=09 |
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Post by BVM on Dec 16, 2023 18:09:18 GMT
I'm so torn with this. Evita is one of favourite shows and I still can't decide whether I can make the effort to get across to Leicester to see this (for some reason it's not the easiest of places to get to on public transport from Manchester) This trailer doesn't sell it for me either, but also I don't hate it x.com/ShaunTossell/status/1735982281838170597?t=cq6Qg1aZWfcTUGxHNADJLA&s=09I think it hinges on whether you can cope with an Evita set in the present day. If you can, I’d say go for it. (Would also say, whatever you think of the visual and directorial choices, I think it sounds sensational. Orchestrations updated by Stephen Brooker, he gets way more out of a 9 piece than the Kenwright tour did. Fresh and punchy. And the vocals IMHO are fantastic. As is the sound). |
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Post by richey on Dec 16, 2023 18:12:35 GMT
I'm so torn with this. Evita is one of favourite shows and I still can't decide whether I can make the effort to get across to Leicester to see this (for some reason it's not the easiest of places to get to on public transport from Manchester) This trailer doesn't sell it for me either, but also I don't hate it x.com/ShaunTossell/status/1735982281838170597?t=cq6Qg1aZWfcTUGxHNADJLA&s=09I think it hinges on whether you can cope with an Evita set in the present day. If you can, I’d say go for it. (Would also say, whatever you think of the visual and directorial choices, I think it sounds sensational. Orchestrations updated by Stephen Brooker, he gets way more out of a 9 piece than the Kenwright tour did. Fresh and punchy. And the vocals IMHO are fantastic. As is the sound). I loved the Regents Park production so an updated version isn't a problem for me. |
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Post by BVM on Dec 16, 2023 18:12:57 GMT
The direction does lean into the - I wanna say camp but it’s the wrong word, yet I can’t think of a better one - however.
It’s not really an Evita with clear storytelling, at least not in the style of the original. So if you’re quite attached to strength in plot it might not be your thing. It was more about the visuals and audio really.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 16, 2023 18:15:55 GMT
I'm so torn with this. Evita is one of favourite shows and I still can't decide whether I can make the effort to get across to Leicester to see this (for some reason it's not the easiest of places to get to on public transport from Manchester) This trailer doesn't sell it for me either, but also I don't hate it x.com/ShaunTossell/status/1735982281838170597?t=cq6Qg1aZWfcTUGxHNADJLA&s=09No. |
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Post by BVM on Dec 16, 2023 18:16:16 GMT
I think it hinges on whether you can cope with an Evita set in the present day. If you can, I’d say go for it. (Would also say, whatever you think of the visual and directorial choices, I think it sounds sensational. Orchestrations updated by Stephen Brooker, he gets way more out of a 9 piece than the Kenwright tour did. Fresh and punchy. And the vocals IMHO are fantastic. As is the sound). I loved the Regents Park production so an updated version isn't a problem for me. Also adored that! It’s not nearly as good as that but it worked for me. It does go the other way with Eva though. While Jamie Lloyd had her as a very rough, socially climbing and really leaned into her sinner side, Nikolai is kind of serving her as gay icon. I mean when we got to “hello and goodbye, I’ve just unemployed you” I struggled to see that this Eva would be so rude! Sorry keep meaning to write a full review. It’s ended up being posted in dribs and drabs! I thought it was way better then Kenwright’s version (I still have nightmares about Marti Pellow) but not as good as all the other versions I’ve seen. I’m aware that’s not been the consensus here though! |
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Post by PineappleForYou on Dec 17, 2023 21:22:00 GMT
Hello, first post on the board but I'm going in the deep end!
I saw the matinee today with Chumisa Dornford-May as Eva. I thought she tackled the score really well as it's such a difficult sing. She wasn't quite relaxed in the role but I think some more years experience would mean she can definitely deliver a solid Eva.
Now for a lengthy review 😬
I love Evita and this is the forth version I have seen. I think this production takes a lot of big swings which often missed for me. A "modern" Evita can work but it needs to reflect modern Argentina (whose politics are crazy at the moment in any case).
Personally, I don't think the camera concept went far enough in this case. The use of the cameras seemed sometimes random and unmotivated unlike Sunset that knows exactly what it's doing. Nikolai Foster seems to be trying to be making a comment on toxic traditional broadcast media with the interviews and references to the This Morning wheel competition drama. This might work if Che was more of a shooter/producer who is always behind the camera and therefore we are seeing the story through his bias. But sometimes he is, sometimes he isn't. It's a bit messy as is.
It seems to me that this whole concept is kinda dated. Why would political disruptors like the Peróns be using traditional media to be talking to the everyday people - they would use social media and live streaming to cut through. It should have been phones rather than TV cameras that this production should have used to reflect today. Che is basically Eva's biggest troll anyway.
I love Tyrone Huntley and he should have been perfect on paper but here he is too nice for Che and it pains me to say slightly miscast. This is made worse when they give some of his lines to the ensemble which waters down his authority even more.
Nikolai Foster does produce some interesting images and sight gags though and the show is strongest in its group numbers. I always welcome reinventing classic shows as they should never become fossils however, I wonder if this should have been workshopped a little bit more.
Overall, this is somewhere between Bill Ks tired version and the Regents Park version for me.
Sorry for the ramble!
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 17, 2023 22:52:12 GMT
I think it hinges on whether you can cope with an Evita set in the present day. If you can, I’d say go for it. (Would also say, whatever you think of the visual and directorial choices, I think it sounds sensational. Orchestrations updated by Stephen Brooker, he gets way more out of a 9 piece than the Kenwright tour did. Fresh and punchy. And the vocals IMHO are fantastic. As is the sound). I loved the Regents Park production so an updated version isn't a problem for me. So did I. This version is a poor facsimile of it.
It lacked the passion, the electricity or the danger of that Regents Park version.
It was amateurish, bland and unfocused to me.
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Post by elfman1 on Dec 17, 2023 23:05:12 GMT
Hello, first post on the board but I'm going in the deep end! I saw the matinee today with Chumisa Dornford-May as Eva. I thought she tackled the score really well as it's such a difficult sing. She wasn't quite relaxed in the role but I think some more years experience would mean she can definitely deliver a solid Eva. Now for a lengthy review 😬 I love Evita and this is the forth version I have seen. I think this production takes a lot of big swings which often missed for me. A "modern" Evita can work but it needs to reflect modern Argentina (whose politics are crazy at the moment in any case). Personally, I don't think the camera concept went far enough in this case. The use of the cameras seemed sometimes random and unmotivated unlike Sunset that knows exactly what it's doing. Nikolai Foster seems to be trying to be making a comment on toxic traditional broadcast media with the interviews and references to the This Morning wheel competition drama. This might work if Che was more of a shooter/producer who is always behind the camera and therefore we are seeing the story through his bias. But sometimes he is, sometimes he isn't. It's a bit messy as is. It seems to me that this whole concept is kinda dated. Why would political disruptors like the Peróns be using traditional media to be talking to the everyday people - they would use social media and live streaming to cut through. It should have been phones rather than TV cameras that this production should have used to reflect today. Che is basically Eva's biggest troll anyway. I love Tyrone Huntley and he should have been perfect on paper but here he is too nice for Che and it pains me to say slightly miscast. This is made worse when they give some of his lines to the ensemble which waters down his authority even more. Nikolai Foster does produce some interesting images and sight gags though and the show is strongest in its group numbers. I always welcome reinventing classic shows as they should never become fossils however, I wonder if this should have been workshopped a little bit more. Overall, this is somewhere between Bill Ks tired version and the Regents Park version for me. Sorry for the ramble! In my interpretation at least Eva is using social media. I thought her bits to camera during the art of the possible and a new Argentina were videos she posted to social media the screen being a rectangle really gave it the look of a phone screen to me at least. I also feel like they only had Che as a to personality when he directly interacts with Eva news reporters during perons latest flame and high flying adored game show presenter etc the rest of the time he’s a narrator which given THATS how the role is credited in the programme is probably how Nikolai views the character. Im also jealous you got to see Chumisa as Eva I’m probably going to go back just for her. I may have rambled on a bit here. |
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Post by 141920grm on Dec 18, 2023 5:33:29 GMT
The direction does lean into the - I wanna say camp but it’s the wrong word, yet I can’t think of a better one - however. can't say I've comprehensively studied Magaldi/actors who have played Magaldi but this one was... quite something 😂 (I quite enjoyed watching him) It’s not really an Evita with clear storytelling, at least not in the style of the original. So if you’re quite attached to strength in plot it might not be your thing. It was more about the visuals and audio really. agreed it did have a feel of a showcase/highlights reel, I could only judge it scene by scene, some of which *really* impressed me with their melding of lighting/set/choreo. That said I only saw it during the previews period, hoping to catch it again towards the end of the run and that they'll have tightened things up by then! Thought Martha was really wonderful |
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Post by 141920grm on Dec 18, 2023 5:42:24 GMT
In my interpretation at least Eva is using social media. I thought her bits to camera during the art of the possible and a new Argentina were videos she posted to social media the screen being a rectangle really gave it the look of a phone screen to me at least. Good shout, I noted the vertical aspect ratio (and that it was always off to the side irked me, I get that the stair takes up stage left a lot of the time but it moves- so can the projection?) but didn't even think of connecting it to a phone screen or social media... Thinking back I think it was the strong aesthetic of that vintage silver camera dolly they were using that I assumed rooted it to the story's era. The other handheld camera rig was much more modern/neutral/subtle (matte black metal), maybe using a more modern dolly would help with the (assuming) intentional anachronism? |
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 18, 2023 8:44:10 GMT
The direction does lean into the - I wanna say camp but it’s the wrong word, yet I can’t think of a better one - however. can't say I've comprehensively studied Magaldi/actors who have played Magaldi but this one was... quite something 😂 (I quite enjoyed watching him) It’s not really an Evita with clear storytelling, at least not in the style of the original. So if you’re quite attached to strength in plot it might not be your thing. It was more about the visuals and audio really. agreed it did have a feel of a showcase/highlights reel, I could only judge it scene by scene, some of which *really* impressed me with their melding of lighting/set/choreo. That said I only saw it during the previews period, hoping to catch it again towards the end of the run and that they'll have tightened things up by then! Thought Martha was really wonderful Dan Partridge, who has for the past few years been mostly playing Danny in Nikolai Foster's production of Grease. But yes, VERY easy on the eye.... |
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 18, 2023 8:45:51 GMT
In my interpretation at least Eva is using social media. I thought her bits to camera during the art of the possible and a new Argentina were videos she posted to social media the screen being a rectangle really gave it the look of a phone screen to me at least. Good shout, I noted the vertical aspect ratio (and that it was always off to the side irked me, I get that the stair takes up stage left a lot of the time but it moves- so can the projection?) but didn't even think of connecting it to a phone screen or social media... Thinking back I think it was the strong aesthetic of that vintage silver camera dolly they were using that I assumed rooted it to the story's era. The other handheld camera rig was much more modern/neutral/subtle (matte black metal), maybe using a more modern dolly would help with the (assuming) intentional anachronism? and perhaps having social media app icons imprinted on the video footage to make it more obvious? I had no idea what this production was trying to achieve. Other than present a story "inspired by" Eva Peron. It was not the story of Eva in any meaningful way. |
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Post by zephyrus on Dec 19, 2023 11:26:34 GMT
I love Evita (it's one of my favourite musicals) but I didn't love this production. I thought Martha Kirby was a bit bland, but the biggest crimes against musical theatre were committed by Tyrone Huntley. I'm no expert, but I wish there'd been a bit more 'acting through song' going on from him - most of the time, he was just singing the words with a blank expression, and seemingly made no attempt to convey anything at all (no feeling, no passion, no opinion...) Gary Milner also felt a bit miscast - he didn't come across as the powerful leader of a country, but a bit like the manager of a branch of Waitrose.
I enjoyed the buff chorus boys (there was a lot of scandalised "Ooooh!"s coming from a few older women near me in the audience) and I liked the Mistress, Chumisa Dornford-May, who made the most of her song. But casting someone who is an out-and-out hunk as Magaldi is... a choice.
This was only my second visit to the Curve and I'd forgotten how badly the auditorium is designed - the rake in the front half of the stalls is so bad that you can be sitting in the top price seats and your view of half the stage is obscured by the head of an average-sized person sitting in front of you. It's shocking, really.
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Post by cezbear on Dec 19, 2023 12:59:12 GMT
Just watching the trailer and weirdly I like it more than I enjoyed the show! I almost want to go again to make sure I didn't like it. Almost.
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Post by mkb on Dec 19, 2023 13:17:12 GMT
...I'd forgotten how badly the auditorium is designed - the rake in the front half of the stalls is so bad that you can be sitting in the top price seats and your view of half the stage is obscured by the head of an average-sized person sitting in front of you. It's shocking, really. For a recently designed, purpose-built theatre, it's incredible how poor it is functionally. As you say, the auditorium has inadequate rake. It also feels terribly claustrophobic since they took out the aisles and crammed more rows in. Temperature control varies widely. It can be 28C in the middle, but the AC stays low because it's cooler at the sides. The circle is far too high and far back. There are insufficient exits to allow fast egress, or it might be because everyone ends up stuck in the orbital corridor. It must be irksome for cast and crew having to traverse the public area to reach either auditorium. That public area is vast in volume yet relatively tiny in square footage (thanks to the five-storey height). The heating/cooling bill doesn't bear thinking about, and when it gets really cold outdoors, it's not much warmer in the orbital corridor. |
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Post by dazzerlump on Dec 20, 2023 19:23:06 GMT
The dynamic pricing for this is really infuriating!! I have tickets for this for an evening show and wanted to change them to the matinee on the same day, and a seat that isnt in as good a location as the one I had (which is centre stalls) is £19 more!! Fuming
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Post by richey on Dec 29, 2023 19:20:13 GMT
Have listed a ticket for sale for tomorrow's matinee (2.15pm) on the noticeboard
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Post by AddisonMizner on Jan 4, 2024 20:10:12 GMT
I went to today’s matinee (4th January), and having watched this production (after seeing the awful Drury Lane concert back in August), I have come to the realisation that EVITA is not really for me. Whilst some of the music is nice, dramatically it is just not very interesting, and I still think you need to come to the show with some sense of the actual events to truly understand what is going on, which is a massive fault of the storytelling.
The role of Eva is poorly written vocally often having to belt at the extremities of range so that it sounds like she is shouting. This is certainly what I felt with Martha Kirby’s Eva, and her portrayal suffered as a result.
I also couldn’t help but compare this production unfavourably to Jamie Lloyd’s SUNSET, as it heavily reminded me of it, being quite close aesthetically, but EVITA wasn’t done anywhere near as well.
There was a lack of attention to detail in the camera work - things could have been angles better to fit on the screens, and sometimes they just left the camera facing the floor so that it was just projecting the staircase. The staircase was sometimes poorly positioned to partially obscure the screen, and it would have been better if this fit the whole width of the stage.
The choreography is also not as snappy or energetic as SUNSET.
I know these comparisons aren’t necessarily fair, but I just had SUNSET very clearly in my head from Saturday. I also came out humming the music of SUNSET, which is surely not a good sign.
Had I seen EVITA first, I maybe would have enjoyed it more. There were some nice moments (such as the first and last stage images).
3 stars
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Post by chernjam on Jan 6, 2024 5:28:37 GMT
It's sad that there hasn't been a really satisfying revival of Evita (nor successful one since the original production). I do love the score -although I do agree with some of the criticisms people have offered here. A few months ago as I was getting lost in you tube algorithms and such I stumbled on this which I found fascinating and shows the impact a director and their vision can bring. The clips I've found from this production seem fresh and innovative:
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 6, 2024 14:14:43 GMT
Performances cancelled today and both Martha Kirby and her understudy are indisposed
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Post by elfman1 on Jan 6, 2024 15:46:43 GMT
Jessica Daley will be singing the part of Eva Peron from the side of the stage to allow tonight’s show to go ahead
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 6, 2024 15:52:27 GMT
Jessica Daley will be singing the part of Eva Peron from the side of the stage to allow tonight’s show to go ahead Eh? How’s that supposed to work? |
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Post by BVM on Jan 6, 2024 15:52:42 GMT
Jessica Daley will be singing the part of Eva Peron from the side of the stage to allow tonight’s show to go ahead How bizarre! Surely one of the ensemble who’s already in the show would be able to have a stab at it? May be far from perfect but better than someone stood at side of stage! |
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