Review: The South African cast of Evita makes this a must-watch show

28 October 2017 - 14:00 By Ebrahim Teladia
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Evita, the theatre production, is a must-watch.
Evita, the theatre production, is a must-watch.
Image: Supplied

In the typical style of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Evita both fictionalises and romanticises the short life of Eva Duarte, the wife of Argentine dictator Juan Perón. But enough about the politics; on with the show.

The theatre production is showing at Montecasino in Johannesburg and, up front, it must be said this version is beautifully staged and wonderfully directed and choreographed. Overall, it's a great evening out.

Anton Luitingh shines as Magaldi and is probably the star of the show. His singing and acting is on point – there wasn't a minute the audience was not captivated by his extraordinary talent.

Jonathan Roxmouth delivers a noteworthy and enthusiastic performance as Che. Apart from being slightly breathy on his first number, Oh What a Circus, he found his voice and hit every note perfectly, earning him a well-earned standing ovation at the curtain call. (One wonders why he hasn't left us for the heady delights of the West End or Broadway.)

Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied

Robert Finlayson can always be relied on to deliver a strong performance and he did not disappoint as Perón.

Unfortunately the weakest link in this production is Emma Kingston as Eva. She struggled to find her voice, especially during her duets with Roxmouth. One hopes that for the remainder of the run she understands her vocal limitations and focuses on delighting the audience.

Despite Kingston's performance, Evita is a must-see production. As always, it is a joy to experience the talent of the South African cast – one that would deserve a standing ovation anywhere in the world.

* Evita is showing at Montecasino's The Teatro until November 26 and will move to Cape Town's Artscape Opera House from December 2 to January 7.

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