Evita as presented by Killarney Musical Society

Killarney Musical Society 

Evita 

Thursday 13th March 2025 

A visit to the INEC in March is a very different affair to the revelry that we all enjoy mid-June. For one thing, the average age in the Gleneagle bar is somewhere in the region of 67. I actually felt quite young surrounded by retirees enjoying their peaceful, mid-week getaways. If only they knew the mayhem that would be unleashed upon their tranquil retreat in three months’ time! For me, it was a pleasure to be back in the room where it all happens, only this time it was to see Killarney Musical Society’s production of ‘Evita.’ 

Front of house was busy as a very large crowd entered the INEC. I was delighted with the warm welcome and the great chat about the society and how fortunate they feel to have such a wonderful venue at their disposal. Of course, the INEC itself was transformed from what we are used to in June, with tiered seating and a full proscenium arch stage. It was a most impressive set-up, boding well for the group’s much anticipated production. 

Director Liam Butler brought his considerable experience of the show and as director to bear. The visually striking opening transported us to a cinema in Buenos Aires in July 1952. Eva Duarte's movie, ‘La Prodiga,’ played as news filtered through that she had passed away. However, this choice of film footage wasn’t quite historically accurate, as the movie wasn’t released until the 1980s, despite being shot in 1945.

There were some strong directorial touches in the show, like the clever reveal of the coffin from the cinema bench. The upper levels provided good staging options for Mr. Butler. There was some great work with the ensemble too, including some very well-timed freezes in ‘A New Argentina.’ There was, however, a lack of attention to detail in places. The folding of the Argentinian flag by the soldiers needed to be more ceremonious and careful. I felt that ‘Good Night and Thank You,’ which often provides much-needed levity, fell short in detailing Eva's rise up the social ladder. The suggestion that she had slept her way to the top, didn't quite come across for me. ‘Rainbow Tour’ cleverly interpolated authentic, historical film footage with live onstage action.

My biggest question mark was over what felt like a very abrupt ending to the show. Che spoke his final line; we went immediately to blackout and that was it. It felt like we needed something else, a moment of contemplation, a focus other than what felt like a bit of a throwaway. A small point in what was generally strong direction. 

Jimmy Brockie was musical director and joint choral director with Sorcha O'Connor. Mr. Brockie conducted with considerable flair and his superb16-piece orchestra demonstrated wonderful musicianship and great sensitivity to the wide dynamic range of the show. There was a great choral sound throughout and this was evident quite early on in ‘Requiem for Evita.’ In the harmonised section of ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall,’ we could only hear Che and one other male voice. We could see Che, of course, which was fine, but this other 

voice was appearing from nowhere. Had it been the men's chorus, as written, it would have made dramatic sense as ‘ethereal’ voices in the background. However, one lone voice from nowhere was jarring. There were really nice a cappella sections from the Aristocrats in ‘Peron's Latest Flame,’ with excellent balance and superb diction. We also had a huge choral sound in ‘A New Argentina,’ as well as ‘The Money Kept Rolling In.’ A fabulous job overall. 

Choreographer Stephen Ó Riain devised some very good routines, which were well within the abilities of his dancers. ‘Buenos Aires’ was a lively number, full of energetic exuberance. The couple dancing in ‘I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You’ were fabulous dancers but unfortunately our focus was drawn to them rather than to the more important narrative of the song, as Eva tried to convince Peron of how valuable she might be to him politically. ‘Peron's Latest Flame’ was excellent, with sharp movement and wonderful poise from the Aristocrats. The seven soldiers also did very well with their military marching perfectly in sync. I loved the strong performance levels and patterns of ‘The Money Kept Rolling In,’ which was one of the strongest numbers in the show. Impressive work from Mr. Ó Riain 

The role of Eva Peron is a hugely challenging one. Patti LuPone once described the part as “one that could only have been written by a man who hates women”! Lily McMonagle Shannon played the title role of the young aspiring actress from the wrong side of the tracks, who rises to prominence as Argentina's first lady. She had a good emotional range, which moved from powerful speeches to more introspective moments quite well. Eva Peron is a very challenging sing with a huge range and, whilst secure in her lower register, I felt that she struggled at times in her upper register, often resorting to shouting. This gave us the emotional intent but, in my opinion, fell short musically on occasion. To be fair, this could well have been due to vocal tiredness, as there is no downtime in this role. All of that said, Miss McMonagle Shannon had great dramatic intent as she moved from sympathetic to authoritative figure. ‘Eva's Final Broadcast,’ from her wheelchair, was very emotional indeed, showing great depth, sincerity, and poignancy. 

Dave Quane did well as the narrator and commentator, Che. This was a strong performance and we were left in no doubt about his scepticism as he challenged Eva’s motivations through the lens of Argentina’s disenfranchised citizens. Mr. Quane had very good presence and a strong voice which was particularly impressive in ‘Oh What a Circus’ and the beautiful ‘High Flying Adored.’ Musically, the role was well within his range. However, for me, he needed to connect more with the lyrics and really focus on telling the story at times. 

Derek O'Leary gave a strong, commanding performance as Peron. This was a portrayal with much nuance in reflecting the political and personal struggles of his character. Mr. O'Leary had a fabulous voice, bringing much gravitas and authority to the role with his fabulous, baritone voice. His gorgeous tone, expression, and understanding of the narrative was so evident in ‘She Is a Diamond,’ which was one of the musical highlights of the show for me. He had very good chemistry with Eva, which added layers to their relationship and to the overall narrative of the show. 

Lloyd Fitzgibbon brought great charm and theatrical flair to the role of Magaldi in one of the standout performances of the show. Mr. Fitzgibbon had a glorious tenor voice and he was quite the showman too. An excellent singer and actor, he provided some much-needed levity with his light touch and good comic understanding. ‘On This Night of a Thousand Stars’ was milked for all it was worth and beautifully sung.

Caoimhe Scanlon played the role of Peron’s mistress. It may have been a smaller role, but Ms. Scanlon infused it with much sensitivity and grace with a very nuanced interpretation of the song, ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall.’ Her beautifully poignant expression and gorgeous voice brought much depth to her brief, but impactful presence. It's worth noting that Peron's alleged mistress was only 16, so it was very refreshing to see an actual teenager bringing an almost disturbing authenticity to the role. We will definitely be hearing more from Miss Scanlon in the future. 

The ensemble was very strong throughout, with great energy, focus and commitment, whether they were soldiers, citizens, mourners or any one of the multitude of characters required from this versatile bunch. There was a super energy and sound in ‘A New Argentina’ and I was very impressed with their excellently timed freezes, which were so effective. They were most disciplined in their flag waving during ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina.’ There was super work from the dressers in ‘Rainbow High’ and the soldiers deserve much credit for their very sharp militaristic routines. The children's chorus was exceptionally good in ‘Santa Evita.’ They sang beautifully, with lovely expression. 

Stage managers Pam Brosnan and Frank Ashe kept things moving very efficiently throughout. There was good use of cast setting the bar, tables, and other furniture. They were very well rehearsed and ensured that transitions were very slick. One unfortunate moment saw a crew member getting caught walking off on stage left, in full light, having reset the balcony after ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina.’ Moments like these were very rare though.

There was great timing of bringing the screen in and out for the film sequences. 

There was a relatively simple but opulent-looking hired set, the main focus of which were three imposing upstage pieces with very high upper levels. It was on a very grand scale but it had to be to fill the vast stage of the INEC. The mostly static set allowed for smooth and efficient transitions, which helped the continuous flow of the narrative. The fabulous balcony which moved downstage at the top of Act 2 and the beautifully detailed steps added great authenticity to what was a lavishly finished design. All of this combined with wonderful, historical film footage and exquisite lighting to create a superb overall visual. 

Lighting was exceptionally good. From the outset, and the dramatic lighting picking up the coffin in the opening scene, we knew that this was going to be a very strong element of this production. It was a good choice to use follow spot for Che. However, on the night that I attended, its operation was very unsteady and this was quite distracting. Haze was used to great effect, creating great atmosphere and enhancing very dramatic beams which created a myriad stunning pictures. There were sharp-edged, dramatic spotlights on the rocking chairs in ‘The Art of the Possible.’ I loved the dramatic side lighting for Magaldi in ‘The Charity Concert.’ There was a gorgeous red and amber wash in ‘I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You,’ adding greatly to the intrigue of Eva’s manipulative intent. The slow-motion sequence as the cast waved their Argentinian flags had some very nice cross lighting. There was a stunning, ‘moving,’ dappled floor during ‘Waltz for Eva and Che,’ which was a lovely effect and gorgeously sensitive lighting as Eva passed away. 

Unfortunately, I felt that sound was the weakest element of this production. It is so important in a sung show to ensure that attention to detail is meticulous in terms of sound design. I felt that more was needed on this occasion. The balance in the orchestra was poor at times and, unfortunately, lyrics were often overpowered by the orchestra. Ensemble singing was 

generally well handled, particularly off-stage chorus singing. However, the timing of microphone cues was not as secure as one might expect for a final performance. 

There was good work done in the props department, with everything appearing to be authentic to the era. There were lots of period-specific items, from the candles in the bottles to the wonderfully matching rocking chairs in ‘The Art of the Possible.’ The Argentinian flags,, 1950s style mic, handkerchiefs and wheelchair all looked very well. A lot of thought had gone into the props plot for this show. Well done to all involved. 

I felt that more attention to detail was needed in recreating the hairstyles of the era for the ensemble ladies. Eva's blonde wig needed attention as it was a little messy and set very far back on her head. In general, there was good attention to detail in the makeup department in creating era-appropriate looks. There was good distinction between the various classes, with the Aristocrats looking particularly sharp. 

Costumes for the most part were reflective of the era and characters' statuses. Citizens were suitably turned out and the Aristocrats looked suitably upper class in their formal black and white. I did feel though that Che's look could have been better defined to set him apart from everyone else, as he was distinct enough. All military attire was sharp and suitably uniform. Eva's wardrobe was particularly well chosen, showcasing her evolution from humble beginnings to her glamorous public persona as First Lady of Argentina. In general, really good work from the costume department. 

This was a most entertaining production from Killarney Musical Society. With powerful choral work, strong visuals, and some very memorable performances, it was a pleasure to attend. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and I wish the society the very best for their 40th anniversary next year. Exciting times. 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025