Evita
The Rise and Fall of Argentina's First (Superstar) Lady
Context
2025 was a big year for composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, as many of his musicals are selling out tickets with totally reimagined productions: Jesus Christ Superstar concert at the Hollywood Bowl, an ambitious immersive production of the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, while the original version keeps on succeeding in London, next to a revised script of his Starlight Express. But who really made his works shine last year was Jamie Lloyd. With a reimagined Sunset Boulevard, this director elevated Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music through a minimalist aesthetic, highlighting the scores and star-studded performances. After Sunset Boulevard succeeded on both the West End and Broadway, winning both critics’ awards and audiences’ hearts, everybody was expecting what would be Jamie Lloyd’s next shot.
The chosen one was Evita, the musical based on the life of Eva Perón, Argentina's First Lady. Besides the minimalist yet modern aesthetic, which decontextualizes the story to bring it closer to younger audiences, Jamie Lloyd’s other personal brand is to play a certain section of the show on the street. In this case, every day, people could see Evita singing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” from London's Argyll Street.
Before the show
I decided to see Evita on an improvised short trip during the two days off I had from my job. One of the main reasons I wanted to see it was the stadium-concert aesthetic as the setting for a reimagined Eva Perón’s story, with Rachel Zegler as the main character. There was also Diego Andrés Rodríguez in the cast, with whom I had already met on my way out of Hell’s Kitchen musical, as he was signing Playbills in the theatre next door.
I chose a two-show day for my short trip so I could enjoy both the outside section live and then see the show properly at the Palladium. Therefore, I could catch the 4 PM performance of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”.
What is “Evita”?
The sudden death of Eva Perón shocked Argentina in 1952. In the format of an obituary, the musical reviews the life of the First Lady, who arrived in Buenos Aires at 15 to become a model, actress, and radio star. Her fame brought her to meet Colonel Juan Domingo Perón, who made her his cornerstone in Argentina's presidency by winning the support of the “descamisados” of the working class.
As the First Lady, Eva became a key figure in Perón’s government, an adored symbol of the nation, thanks to her charitable contributions. But like any public figure, she also had detractors, who accused her of populism. Actually, the musical is narrated by one of them, offering other points of view on the woman who has been designated “the spiritual leader of the nation”.
A pop star
Many people criticized Jamie Lloyd for casting Rachel Zegler as Eva Perón, arguing that she was too young. Ironically, Eva’s story begins when she is fifteen (as Eva Duarte) and ends with her sudden death at thirty-three. Zegler was 24 at the time, so she was within the character's age range. In the modern setting of Lloyd’s production, in the first act, she wears a black two-piece set, looking more like a pop star than a historical figure. Her top seems to mimic Madonna’s iconic piece (who played Eva in the 1996 movie). Fabian Aloise’s choreographies also mix tradition and modernity, fusing Latin dances with Broadway-jazz.
Eva Perón’s first years remind us of the careers of many emergent female pop stars, mostly through the aesthetic and concert-stadium vibes the Palladium brought to the stage. Even Rachel Zegler’s backstory could parallel her character: she debuted in Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story at seventeen, then starred in big cinematic franchises like DC or The Hunger Games. As Disney’s Snow White, she faced backlash for her personality and statements, sparking a massive hate campaign against her.
“Buenos Aires”: A young Eva Duarte arrives to the city to achieve stardom.
Fans and haters
This story, however, is not narrated by Eva, nor even Perón or one of their followers, but by an anonymous oppositor. Presented as Che, this narrator plays the devil’s advocate, questioning Eva’s actions and getting inside her conscience. Seeing Diego Andrés Rodríguez perform is a magisterial lecture on show-stealing stage presence, despite being the antagonist.
Even though Eva was known for her radio work, her marriage to Juan Domingo Perón was her ticket to stardom. She was criticized by Argentine high society for her humble origins and her job as an actress. Despite their social differences, they get together to win the elections. It’s a win-win situation: Eva campaigned for Perón on her weekly radio show, while his political victory would consolidate her status.
“A New Argentina”, the show’s final number of act 1, Eva takes the microphone to transmit her message to her audience, the underprivileged: “let [Perón] save them as he saved me” and “[Perón] is one of you, if not, how could he love me?”. Still, Perón is annoyed that he needs a majority to win, given that he has just come out of a military regime. When Eva announces that Perón has joined the “descamisados”, James Olivas, the actor who plays him, takes off his shirt and throws it to the ground, swearing his fidelity to the movement. It’s such a strong moment that it almost covers (intentionally) how two policemen are beating up Che to force him to vote for Perón, or at least to abstain from voting against him. To symbolize the victory of the Peronist Party, a ton of blue and white confetti rains over the Palladium stalls.
“A New Argentina”: Eva celebrates the victory of the Peronist Party with her husband, while their rivals are being silenced.
The two sides of a symbol
Another of Jamie Lloyd’s signature features is the use of cameras on stage. At the opening of the second act, Eva Perón comes to the balcony of the Casa Rosada as a symbol of hope for the people, but also as their show. As I mentioned before, people on Argyll Street could see Rachel Zegler, fully dressed in an historically accurate costume, talking to them as if they were her “descamisados”, while the audience at the Palladium followed her speech through a gigantic screen. Just after “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”, we can see how Eva takes off her “official” costume to go back to her pop-star look, this time in a white two-piece set covered in diamonds. While she prepares for her “Rainbow Tour,” she asks to be dressed up in luxury to impress Europe and promote relations with Argentina. She was heavily criticized for wearing brands like Dior while asking for social justice.
Fabian Aloise transformed Eva’s “Rainbow Tour” into an actual stadium tour. Even Juan Perón joined the ensemble's choreography to cheer up Eva. James Olivas definitely had fun stepping out of character for a few moments. Still, Eva’s tour has mixed reviews: Spain adores her, but she is despised by the British. Following her mission to fight for the working class, Eva creates her own foundation to help them. Che, always wandering on stage, points out that Peronism only offers short-term solutions, and teases that the foundation’s benefits could be related to money laundering.
“Rainbow High”: Eva dresses up to impress Europe in her upcoming “Rainbow Tour”.
A star’s decline
During a mass to consign Eva to sainthood, she receives a child dressed like her in the speech on the balcony of La Casa Rosada. Suddenly, she faints and meets Che in a dream-like sequence. Che represents both her opponents and her own mind, and they dance together in a waltz while teasing each other. Eva wins, shutting him up by making two policemen covering him in blood, representing the harsh oppression of Perón’s government. To finish him off, they throw buckets of blue and white paint, Argentina’s national colors, the same ones as the Peronist Party. Despite that, Che’s voice is still present on stage to keep on telling the end of the story.
Eva had the intention to run as vice president, but her cervical cancer cut her all the chances. She announces that she retires in a last broadcast, reprising the theme of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” and ends up dying in her husband’s arms. There was a national mourning, a state funeral and even many flower shops sold out all their stock. After Eva’s death, Perón’s government fell and her body disappeared for sixteen years.
“Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”: Eva addresses herself to the nation from the balcony of La Casa Rosada
Stage door
The Evita stage door was fully packed. Most of the people gathered were expecting Rachel Zegler to come out, as well as Diego and James, whom the fans had become very fond of. While we waited for the cast to come out and sign our programs, we met the famous Danny, Zegler, the security guard who went viral after a video showed him defending her against a crazy fan who asked, “Not disrespect her Danny.” I even got to meet my program, Diego, and tell him I came from Barcelona just to see the show. James was also kind and signed it too. Rachel came out as the last one, and thanks to a girl in the first row of the barricades, I was able to get my program passed and signed by her. Last but not least, we had the opportunity to see how Lenny, Rachel’s dog, joined her in the car right before leaving.
Jamie Lloyd’s Big Three: Diego Andrés Rodríguez (Che), Rachel Zegler (Eva) and James Olivas (Perón).
Recommendations
Even though Evita closed last September at the London Palladium, the good news is that the same production is coming to Broadway in Spring 2027 at the Winter Garden! Rachel Zegler has been confirmed to return, while the rest of the cast has yet to be confirmed (rumors suggest Rodríguez and Olivas will reprise their roles, following Lloyd’s tradition of keeping his main cast for transfers while renewing the ensemble).
Meanwhile, the full cast album recorded live at the Palladium is expected to be available this August, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the highlights album, featuring ten songs from the show, as well as the newly released single of the “Rainbow Tour”.
At last, I also recommend taking a look at Emilia Suárez’s YouTube channel. Although her channel focuses on her daily life as an actress with Lyme disease, she is James Olivas’ girlfriend and made him record a vlog of a day in his life at the Palladium, so you can take a look here.
