Evita: Coming To A Theatre Near You
Now here’s an idea for a revival that’s generating enthusiasm on both sides of the Atlantic: “Evita.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice‘s musical about Eva Peron has not been seen in London or New York for nearly two decades.
It’s an A-list title, in part because of the popular movie starring Madonna, but mainly, I think, because of its great score, which remains as fresh and as potent as it was when Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin belted it out at the Broadway Theater in 1980.
When word leaked out in London last week that producer Cameron Mackintosh is planning a revival of the musical in the West End next year, Broadway sat up and took notice, for you can be sure that if a new production of “Evita” works in London, it will come to New York.
And probably because of its political dimension, a revival of “Evita” strikes many on Broadway as being a lot more exciting than, say, a revival of “Sweet Charity” or “The Pajama Game.”
“We’ve had our fill of the old shows,” says one producer. “Who can get worked up about another ‘West Side Story’? ‘Evita,’ on the other hand – that’s a great idea.”
According to reports in London, Mackintosh had dinner with Lloyd Webber a couple of weeks ago to discuss the revival.
There was another person at the dinner, too, although he wasn’t mentioned in any of the news stories – lyricist Rice, whose idea it was to write a musical about Eva Peron in the first place.
“Whoever leaked the story forgot I was there,” Rice said yesterday, chuckling.
“But Andrew and Cameron are theater producers now, and I’m merely a humble writer. However, I do think it’s time to revive their flagging careers with one of my best ideas.”
Hal Prince directed the original “Evita,” and while his production is legendary, Rice said the revival would be an entirely new production.
“The only way we can justify it is to have a spanking-new show.”
London is full of inventive directors right now. The obvious choices for “Evita” are Michael Grandage (head of the Donmar Warehouse), Sam Mendes (though his production of “Gypsy” should give Rice and Lloyd Webber pause), Steven Pimlot (director of “Bombay Dreams,” which Lloyd Webber is producing on Broadway next month), Jonathan Kent (who staged last year’s revival of “Man of La Mancha”), Matthew Warchus (a favorite of Lloyd Webber’s), the always-in-demand Stephen Daldry and of course National Theatre chief Nicholas Hytner.
As for who would play Eva Peron, Rice said that, ideally, it would be someone young and unknown who might, like LuPone, be catapulted to stardom.
“There aren’t many huge young theater stars anymore,” he said. “We will go for the best person we can find who will probably be comparatively unknown.”
Source: The New York Post
