‘Evita’ lights up the Buell
The truth, as Eva Perón sang to the crowds of Argentina, is that she never left them. In the musical portrayal of her life in “Evita,” with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, paints a picture of a woman beloved by her people.
But there are critics even in her own story.
It’s hard not to be intrigued by a musical that starts with a funeral. The curtain opened at the Buell Theater on Jan. 15 to mourners dressed in black and holding votive candles. People fall to their knees in their grief as they sing their “Requiem” to Evita. There is one man who questions her leadership, Che played by Tony Award nominee and strong vocalist Josh Young, wanders around the people telling them that when “the smoke from the funeral clears we’re all going to see how she did nothing for years.”
As the narrator of the story, Che takes you from the funeral to the beginning of Eva’s tale. From here we see how the girl made her way to the capital of Buenos Aires to become a star and from there how she used her “womanly charm” to get herself up the ladder.
Caroline Bowman plays Eva, and the strength of her voice gives the Argentine First Lady a fiery passion. She portrays a woman so motivated by her own ambition that she will use whatever she can to gain influence.
Halfway through the first act Eva meets her means of getting there in military man Juan Perón. Despite the aristocracy and other military member’s views of the relationship the couple thrives, and Eva pushes Juan towards running for president in the act’s climax “A New Argentina.”
Act two continues on the high note of Juan being elected president of Argentina. It shows the high life and corruption of the pair, including the charities Eva started where she would literally throw money to the people.
But then Eva begins on her decline. As cancer begins to get the better of her, Eva’s original zest in fighting for the causes of the people begins to slow. Even in her disease ridden moments Eva is as feisty as ever often singing about how her tiny body is betraying her. Eva’s one moment of vulnerability comes from the song “You Must Love Me” where she realizes that Juan was not only with her because she pushed him to power.
Aside from phenomenal singing and sensual tango dancing the cast of “Evita” provides the set is truly something to behold. The set up of lighting and large windows make it looks as if beautiful sunlight is shining down on the characters in certain scenes.
True to Lloyd Webber’s style of music, the score fits the period, but has some modern fire thrown in.
Audiences will be swept up in the story of Eva Perón, an actress who made her way to the hearts of her people through her political marriage. The cast has no lack of “star quality” in the most recent revival of Rice and Lloyd Webber’s classic.
Evita plays at the Denver Performing Arts Center’s Buell Theater through Sunday, Jan. 26. Tickets/info here.
