![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/EvitainSG2.jpg?resize=800%2C1100&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n\u2018Evita? In Singapore?\u2019 I raised my eyebrows when I first caught sight of the advert last year. \u2018This would truly be a first\u2019 I thought, and in many ways it is.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After all, this is not your typical Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that would usually land on Singapore shores. There\u2019s no dramatic love story with a sweeping score (Phantom of the Opera), no colorful dances and jig-worthy tunes (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) nor are there any make-believe animals (CATS) or one with highly energetic and engaging acts (Starlight Express). Set in 1940s Argentina during the political unrest that saw the rise to power of Juan Peron as Argentina\u2019s president, Evita does seems remote for majority of the Singapore audience.<\/p>\n
Why catch EVITA then? Here\u2019s our take on why EVITA is still a musical worth watching.<\/p>\n
Broadway\u2019s Best<\/strong><\/p>\n Hal Prince:<\/strong><\/p>\n Helming the Asian debut of EVITA here in Singapore is legendary Broadway director, Hal Prince. The rendition of the story was cleverly percolated through, short, and succinct with the actors\u2019 acting and dance moves tack-sharp keeping the audiences engaged throughout the musical despite it being \u2018not your typical Webber\u2019 musical.<\/p>\n Evita?<\/strong><\/p>\n British theatre actress, Emma Kingston\u2019s Evita had us spellbound. Though we may not be familiar with the history of Argentina, Kingston convincingly brought out the essence of the late First Lady\u2019s persona particularly in her soliloquys. One should not miss her rendition of \u2018Don\u2019t cry for me Argentina\u2019, her commanding presence, resplendent in the white ball gown, kept the entire audience in the MasterCard Grand Theatre, riveted.<\/p>\n Che<\/strong> The Music<\/strong><\/p>\n This is, again, not your typical Webber. Right from the get-go, the dissonance in the harmony during the opening funeral scene puts one in relative unease. Save for some scant melodic lines, the dissonance in harmony runs throughout the entire musical to symbolize the strange phenomenon that is Eva Peron\u2019s meteoritic rise and cult-like saintly influence on the Argentinian public.<\/p>\n But it is this dissonance that enhances the tunes which Evita carry \u2013 which almost always burst into the scene with sweeping melodic lines and moving chord progression \u2013 think \u2018 Don\u2019t cry for me Argentina\u2019 and \u2018You must love me\u2019 among them. It is this interplay of dissonance and harmony that was strangely captivating, especially when played live by the accompanying orchestra. Over and above this are the Argentinian tunes with its subtle tango rhythms, accompanied by a live accordion that makes the music accompaniment refreshing yet provoking.<\/p>\n The Set<\/strong><\/p>\n The set is relatively simple but yet profoundly clever. Slightly understated for an iconic Webber musical but through it helps the audience to focus on what is essential \u2013 the acting and the melodrama unfolding. Noteworthy is the scene \u2018Charity Concert\u2019 where Eva Duarte first meets Juan Peron. Audiences were made to see the stage from a side profile with performances still \u2018ongoing\u2019 while both Peron and Evita flirted backstage. <\/p>\n Suitable for Children?<\/strong><\/p>\n The political backdrop and sexual innuendos in the musical do not lend itself suitable for children. Moreover the conversations are mainly driven by political ideology which will be lost on them. There are other family-friendly productions lined up this year (such as Lion King!) which you can save up to bring the kids.<\/p>\n Evita in Singapore:<\/strong><\/p>\n EVITA is like a coming-of-age for Singapore\u2019s musical theatre scene. Aside from the family-friendly productions, a musical such as EVITA provokes us to reflect on our own place in our communities. When does dictatorship end and when does true altruism for nation rise above self-ambition and how do each of us play a part in carving out the story of our lives and collectively, that of our nation. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/EvitaInSG3.jpg?resize=725%2C565&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe person that held the entire musical together is undeniably Jonathan Roxmouth\u2019s Che. For that, he clearly deserved the loudest applause at curtain call. He played Che Guevera, the late Argentinean Marxist and guerilla leader and Evita\u2019s critic. Roxmouth\u2019s Che moved effectively in between scenes to assertively counter Evita\u2019s political advances and ideology. He linked the scenes and the storyline seamlessly. This is a musical that is clearly not carried by popular tunes or lively dances but by the human emotions and drama of the 5 main characters.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/EvitaInSG4.jpg?resize=726%2C565&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/EvitaInSG7.jpg?resize=1024%2C561&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/EvitaInSG6.jpg?resize=726%2C565&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n