Evita

[daniel]

Wasn't fully finalised in the end yesterday, but it is happening, it's just a case of getting things signed off. Opens first week of August, expect announcement and on-sale in the coming days.

[Deleted]

I hope its a chunky little run. I imagine it will be something like 3 months, which I would be happy with, but I hope its not just like 55 performances like the Dominion run, or e 30 performance of Dirty Dancing is past Christmas, it make you think whats the point in doing up the front of the theatre and spending the money, I like a three month run, it just sounds good haha.

[zak97]

Is Evita coming at such short notice because another show fell through, or was nothing planned when the closure of The Girls was announced?

[Deleted]

Jun 16, 2017 8:16:37 GMT zak97 said:

Is Evita coming at such short notice because another show fell through, or was nothing planned when the closure of The Girls was announced?

Presumably nothing planned because they expected The Girls to run a lot longer than it will end up doing?

[zak97]

Jun 16, 2017 10:20:08 GMT @posterj said:

Jun 16, 2017 8:16:37 GMT zak97 said:

Is Evita coming at such short notice because another show fell through, or was nothing planned when the closure of The Girls was announced?

Presumably nothing planned because they expected The Girls to run a lot longer than it will end up doing?

I was thinking that maybe ATG would have had something lined up. If it was decided The Girls was closing about a month ago, it seems awfully late to only decide to put Evita in so many weeks later. Hence I was thinking maybe Evita is going to fill a gap that fell through.

[Deleted]

I'd guess 'Evita' is a bit of an easy no-brainer to fill in a gap and it's probably always running somewhere. People know the songs and staging-wise all you need is a staircase and a big white frock. Can't be that expensive to put on.

[Deleted]

I know this isn't really very Evita-y so I'm sorry, but do theatre producers have a list of shows they can put into a theatre at short notice if something else falls through? Like was there a moment where the powers that be went "ahh the Phoenix, let's see" and picked Evita from a few other potential options?

[Jon]

Jun 16, 2017 7:15:46 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

I hope its a chunky little run. I imagine it will be something like 3 months, which I would be happy with, but I hope its not just like 55 performances like the Dominion run, or e 30 performance of Dirty Dancing is past Christmas, it make you think whats the point in doing up the front of the theatre and spending the money, I like a three month run, it just sounds good haha.

I imagine they'll want The Exorcist in time for Halloween so probably August until mid to late October

[TallPaul]

Jun 16, 2017 7:15:46 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

I hope its a chunky little run.

If Fat Friends ever makes it into the West End, that will be a chunky little run!!

[Deleted]

Its not even that exciting a set really, which was a bit of a let down after watching clips of the 2012 Broadway Production, which looked stunning!

[theatremadness]

I actually appreciated the set more when I was much closer on a 2nd viewing. I found it actually gave a sense of time and place very well and I feel the transitions to various locations were actually pretty well executed - but I've never seen any other production of Evita, so I've nothing to compare it to!

[Deleted]

This production is heavily inspired by the 2006 Grandage production (which also became the 2012 Broadway production) in that it is staged like a movie (it is of course itself influenced by Alan Parker's 1996 film version). The original 1978/1979 production in London and on Broadway directed by Hal Prince was supposed to have been incredibly groundbreaking - the show was staged as a scrapbook or snapshot of Eva's life - almost like a bad dream. Most of it was black and white. Paige and LuPone were directed to have been FEROCIOUS not as wilting heroines like Elena Roger was or this tour's Eva was. Prince's production included a backdrop filled with photos of the actual Evita. It was stark, bold and fresh at the time. And I wish we could see that physical production revived today instead of the absolute rubbish that is this tour and the 2006 production.

[Deleted]

I must admit, I wanna go back maybe once just to really understand what the hell is going on. Like, the first time I watched it, I was paying attention to everything going on around the actual story, but looking back now I have no idea whatsoever what happened in that womans life. All I remember *spoiler* is she was young, she married a guy, got on a balcony then died. Like, I have pretty much no clue waht happened in between.

[BurlyBeaR]

Yes and then in then in a few years people would be saying "oh god it's really time for a change" like they do now with West Side Story. This constant harking back to "this production" or "that production" really gets on my nerves. If they're going to keep reviving these show they have to try different approaches. It doesn't mean you have to like them all of course but hankering after moments in time from a decade ago isn't going to move things along.

[d'James]

I certainly would not have described the Eva I saw in Milton Keynes a few weeks ago as a 'wilting heroine.'

There was hardly anything likeable about her throughout. I wouldn't describe her as ferocious but ruthless, yes.

[Deleted]

I'm not saying she is a wilting heroine, I'm just saying I don't really remember much of what was going on between the key moments in the show. And also, is she really a heroine? Are we supposed to like Eva, because she is a bit of a bitch.

[d'James]

Jun 16, 2017 19:07:32 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

I'm not saying she is a wilting heroine, I'm just saying I don't really remember much of what was going on between the key moments in the show. And also, is she really a heroine? Are we supposed to like Eva, because she is a bit of a bitch.

Exactly. I can't imagine any production making her very likeable unless they changed the script.

[Deleted]

I felt bad for the Mistress and how horrible Eva was to her, even though her song made her sound alot more interesting than Eva and more of an interesting story! I wanna hear the Mistress' story!

[Jon]

Jun 16, 2017 18:54:55 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Yes and then in then in a few years people would be saying "oh god it's really time for a change" like they do now with West Side Story. This constant harking back to "this production" or "that production" really gets on my nerves. If they're going to keep reviving these show they have to try different approaches. It doesn't mean you have to like them all of course but hankering after moments in time from a decade ago isn't going to move things along.

West Side Story is restricted because they have to use the Jerome Robbins choreography so it cannot be reinvented unlike something like Cabaret or Jesus Christ Superstar. 

This is why I'm against bringing back old shows if they're just carbon copies of what came before. 

[Dawnstar]

Jun 16, 2017 15:51:38 GMT @theatremonkey said:

Jun 16, 2017 10:54:47 GMT @ryan said:

all you need is a staircase and a big white frock.

The latest Kenwright tour also adds a few pillars.

Be interested to see how that all slots onto the Phoenix stage, a metre narrower than the New Wimbledon, if it happens.

There is, or at least was back in 2009-10, a smaller version of the set for use in theatres where the main set won't fit so they could always use that if necessary. However if it's only a metre difference I would think they'd manage to fit in the main set as they must be used to fitting it into a variety of tour theatres.

[daniel]

Jun 16, 2017 21:03:20 GMT Dawnstar said:

Jun 16, 2017 15:51:38 GMT @theatremonkey said:

The latest Kenwright tour also adds a few pillars.

Be interested to see how that all slots onto the Phoenix stage, a metre narrower than the New Wimbledon, if it happens.

There is, or at least was back in 2009-10, a smaller version of the set for use in theatres where the main set won't fit so they could always use that if necessary. However if it's only a metre difference I would think they'd manage to fit in the main set as they must be used to fitting it into a variety of tour theatres.

the current production's set is made up of arches (as previously mentioned) - the arches each have 3 pieces, one for each side and one for along the top. They have various different lengths of top piece to fit the width of the different stages across the country. They can add more floor pieces too to correspond with the differing widths

[Rory]

More online digging has revealed that a ticket site has listed Evita at the Phoenix between Thursday 27th July and Saturday 14th October, with The Exorcist starting at the same theatre on Thursday 19th October, nicely in time for Hallowe'en! Not sure how accurate but same site was accurate for Mary Stuart venue and dates.

[showtoones]

Jun 16, 2017 19:13:57 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

I felt bad for the Mistress and how horrible Eva was to her, even though her song made her sound alot more interesting than Eva and more of an interesting story! I wanna hear the Mistress' story!

The mistress has one of the best songs in the show and she is really used as a plot device to show that Eva will do what she needs to do to get ahead. She not the nasty woman though that some make her out to be, she sees and opportunity and she takes it. The worst role in the show is Magaldi. such a pointless song and character LOL

[Deleted]

Indeed, this is the website listing Evita at the Phoenix.

www.tickx.co.uk/venue/2604/phoenix-theatre/

[zak97]

An announcement must be imminent, the sooner the better to build up some advance.
I remember this happening last year with Guys and Dolls, leaving the announcement of the next show very late too.