Evita as presented by St. Mary’s Musical Society, Navan.

St. Mary’s Musical Society, Navan - Evita

Saturday 12^th April 2025

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's biographical musical ‘Evita’ chronicles the meteoric rise of Eva Duarte, under rather questionable circumstances, through society during one of the most tumultuous periods of Argentinian history. St. Mary's Musical Society, Navan presented a wonderful production of this very challenging show, which is fast approaching its half-century anniversary. With exceptional principal performers, a hugely committed ensemble, and a very talented production team, this was always going to be a special show.I received the warmest welcome from the society chairperson in the foyer of the Solstice Arts Centre.

With lots of personnel in place, things moved along very smoothly as the sold out audience took their seats. Much of the front of house operation is looked after by in-house staff. And it was disappointing that latecomers were being admitted throughout the early stages of the show.

Director Sharon McNamara did a great job pulling together the myriad elements required visually and dramatically to stage such a mammoth production. There was great attention to detail in principal characterisation. The ensemble was very well prepared and very much a part of the action as they supported the principal cast brilliantly in driving the narrative. Ms. McNamara did a wonderful job in clearly defining the social status of the aristocrats who carried themselves with pomp and grandeur, contrasting with the raw energy of the lower classes. She brought the audience right into the story. Che's cleverly delivered narration and Eva's movement downstage towards the audience during ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina,’ as the balcony came forward, made this a very immersive experience for the audience. She captured the emotion and tension of the piece quite perfectly. Santa Eva was a beautifully poignant moment and I loved the flying of Eva's iconic white dress at the end of the show. 

Musical director Dylan Browne presided over a magnificent orchestra, which was powerful but never overpowering. They brought out the intensity of Lloyd Webber's eclectic score perfectly. Chorus mistress Helen McHugh did exceptional work with the ensemble in particular. There was a stunning choral sound in ‘Requiem for Evita,’ which sent shivers down my spine. Equally impressive were the male harmonies in ‘I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You.’ The gentlemen did extremely well also in ‘Peron's Latest Flame’ and there was a an incredibly strong choral sound from the ensemble at the top of Act 2 for ‘On The Balcony of the Casa Rosada’. Excellent work all around from Mr. Browne and Ms. McHugh.

Laura Douglas's exciting choreography was always embedded in the narrative, driving the story at all times. ‘Buenos Aires’ was full of raw energy, in contrast to the mourning at the top of the show. The brilliant timing of the musical chairs routine in ‘The Art of the Possible’ was most impressive. I loved the tango section of ‘I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You’, which was so sensual and brimming over with sexual tension between Peron and Eva.There was excellent movement from the various different groups in ‘Peron's Latest Flame’ and even if the soldiers were slightly out of sync on occasion, the overall picture was very impressive. ‘A New Argentina’ was hugely powerful, very precise and synchronised from the large ensemble and there was exceptionally sharp, exhilarating movement in ‘And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out),’ which was a brilliantly clever and unique routine. I particularly liked Che popping up from the crowd, which was a very nice touch.

Jenny McCabe played the iconic role of Eva Peron and brought so many layers and nuance to her well-studied performance. It is no secret that the role is a punishing sing but Ms. McCabe did an incredible job with magnificent power and control in her crystal clear voice, which was so well supported in the extremely challenging upper register. The iconic ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina’ showcased Ms. McCabe's stunning vocal capabilities and ‘You Must Love Me’ was utterly gorgeous. One of Ms. McCabe's great strengths as a singer was that every word had weight and meaning. As challenging as the vocal requirements were, the narrative was always clear and storytelling was the priority. Eva’s demise as her health failed, was heartbreaking and beautifully played by Ms. McCabe. We felt every laboured breath as she faded before our eyes. A top notch, professional performance.

Ciarán Mooney was a very strong Juan Peron. He played the role with great dignity and poise and his utter devotion to Eva was very clear. Mr. Mooney had a most authoritative presence, bringing great gravitas to his portrayal of the powerful, influential statesman. Whilst he was stern at times, there were some lovely tender moments too, particularly as Eva's health failed. Mr. Mooney displayed a wonderfully rich baritone voice with exceptional tone and this was particularly strong in ‘I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You.’ But it was ‘She Is a Diamond’ which really showed Mr. Mooney's wonderful vocal at its best, in what was one of the many musical highlights of the show.

Peter Manning was a very charismatic, thought-provoking Che. He drove the narrative brilliantly, giving us a masterclass in blending sublime vocals with a very clever, nuanced characterisation. Every word he sang was loaded with understanding and meaning. Mr. Manning was an incredibly generous performer, never competing for attention as he observed and commented on the world around him. His effortless vocals were a joy. ‘High Flying, Adored’ was an outstanding musical highlight from Mr. Manning and his soaring tenor in ‘Waltz for Eva and Che’ was simply beautiful.

Craig Regan was a very theatrical Magaldi with great flair and good comic understanding. He was very strong as Eva's first lover, who gets ditched as soon as she has no more use for him. He was quite the crooner too and his ‘On This Night of a Thousand Stars’ was well sung and great fun. Mr. Regan also shone throughout the show as he frequently popped up in the ensemble and was a particularly strong dancer throughout. 

Tracy Armstrong gave a very mature performance in the role of Peron’s mistress. Her ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ was beautifully sung, so thoughtful and considered. Her character's vulnerability was clear but she never overplayed it, ensuring a very honest portrayal, firmly rooted in reality. This was a wonderful example of acting through song as every word that Ms. Armstrong sang had thought and nuance behind it.

The ensemble was exceptionally strong. Vocally, they were wonderful with a superb choral sound in numbers such as the spine-tingling ‘Requiem for Evita,’ and the high energy ‘Buenos Aires.’ The ensemble was always in tune with what was going on around them and very disciplined in their carefully devised background business. Their excellent cast freezes were very effective, complemented by stunning lighting states. 

The aristocrats were superb throughout. There was excellent work from all in numbers like ‘And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out),’ with their raucous cheers adding layers of authenticity and realism to the number. Throughout the show, there were outstanding energy levels and excellent command of the complex vocal harmonies, so well drilled by Ms. McHugh. Bravo to all.

Brian O'Neill did excellent work as stage manager. Mr. O'Neill and his crew ensured that transitions were extremely fluid, which is very important for a fully sung show that needs to keep moving without interruption. The fly system in the Solstice Arts Centre, although motorised, takes quite some time to bring in and out and can be very challenging for a stage manager. However, Mr. O'Neill ensured that everything was timed to perfection. Most impressive was the movement of the balcony, which travelled forward so smoothly during ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina’ before returning upstage again by the end of the song. 

The impressive multi-level set was beautifully finished, transporting us to Argentina of the 1930s and 1940s. The arches were evocative of the era’s architecture and offered some very effective staging and lighting opportunities. Magaldi's retractable stage and backdrop were cleverly designed and the door piece for ‘Goodnight and Thank You’ looked very well, as did the large Argentinian flag which flew in at the end of Act One. All of the flying pieces were very well constructed and scenic artistry was extremely professional. Of course, the centrepiece was the highly impressive balcony for the iconic staging of the show’s signature number. This was superb in its design and was operated seamlessly by crew.

An exceptional lighting design enhanced the atmosphere beautifully. Timing of operation was incredibly good. There was great use of haze to accentuate dramatic beams and there were brilliantly positioned beams shining through the arches, which were most effective. The musical chairs routine for ‘The Art of the Possible was brilliantly lit, with each chair lit, showing that lighting was very much a part of the storytelling in this show. There was wonderful use of colour to reflect the different locations in ‘Rainbow Tour’ and I loved the side lighting which often picked up Che as he observed the action, adding to an ethereal atmosphere with its shadowy effects.

Any show that is entirely sung through requires exceptional work from the sound department, especially a show with such a dynamic score as ‘Evita’. Thankfully, the sound was in excellent hands for this production and nothing was missed throughout the course of the night. The orchestra was exceptionally well balanced, and vocals were always very clear, full, and warm. Eva's speech after ‘Don't Cry for Me Argentina’ might have benefited from an effect to give a sense of addressing a large crowd over a microphone but this is a tiny point in what was an exceptional job overall. 

Graphics were used to good effect at the top of the show and the opening montage of pictures of Eva, after the announcement of her death, used some very striking images from her life. However, the snap changes from image to image were very sudden and slightly jarring. A  slow fade in and out of these might have worked better and been more subtle and in keeping with the funereal mood.

Generally, there was good attention to detail with props. There was good use of parasols, cigarette holders and fans for the aristocrats. My one big concern was the Argentinian flag, which should have been cloth rather than the polyester-type material, which was too modern, creased, and cheap looking. The ballot box looked very well. Cases, trunk, and luggage were all very authentic and hats off to whoever managed to source what looked like an antique wheelchair for Eva. A standout piece, which can't have been easy to find. All other props appeared authentic and appropriate to the era.

There was great work in the costume department with meticulous attention to detail across the board. The lower classes’ social status was reflected in their earthy costuming and at the other end we had the aristocrats who were sharply attired to reflect their standing. Magaldi's pinstripe suit, spats, and ruffled pink sleeves were wonderfully theatrical and I really liked the foreboding of Eva's red dress as she met Peron. It was never going to end well. The generals in ‘The Art of the Possible’ were very sharply turned out. However, the soldiers in ‘Peron's Latest Flame’ were less successful, as one or two gentlemen were wearing white trousers which were a little ill-fitting. Eva’s iconic white dress was a beautiful creation. An excellent job from all involved.

There was great attention to detail with the ladies' hairstyles for Buenos Aires and superbly authentic wigs for Eva, which greatly added to the show's realism. I loved the detail of Eva becoming paler as the second act progressed and her health began to fade more and more. 

This was a highly entertaining production of ‘Evita’ and one which the society should be very proud of. It is a hugely challenging show to produce but St. Mary’s Musical Society was more than equal to the task, thanks to a highly talented production team, cast and crew. It was a privilege to attend. 

Pat McElwain

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025