Evita

This is the third touring production of Evita I have seen and it is one of my favourite musicals - well, potentially. It is a tricky one that needs to be sold to the audience with utter commitment or it can fall horribly flat. And I do mean horribly.

Fortunately this production gets it right. The energy is maintained throughout, the singing is strong, characterisation is on the nail and the chorus is completely committed to the show and give their all - hugely disciplined and high on effort. Congrats to the Directors on getting the pace right and keeping the show moving, helped by a fluid set design that helps keep the show moving.

It is not an easy story and it doesn't really take sides - Eva Peron was both good and bad, loved and hated, lauded and laughed at - Emma Hatton's performance gives us all of these counterpoised with a carefully portrayed Peron from Kevin Stephen-Jones. I think Che, as narrator, has a hugelydifficult path to tread through this show and Gian Marco Schiaretti gets it pretty well and he has a great voice. Loved the Aristocrats and Officers, by the way, great choreography beautifully performed.

In all, a great night ...