EVITA Reviews

[LimelightMike]

Today is Thursday, April 5, marking the official opening night performance of the Broadway revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, following previews that began March 12 at the Marquis Theatre. The cast is headed by Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award winner Elena Roger in her Broadway debut as Eva Perón, Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón, Max von Essen as Magaldi and Rachel Potter as the Mistress. Under the direction of Michael Grandage, and featuring original choreography by Rob Ashford, this is the first new Broadway production of the seven-time Tony Award-winning musical since it debuted at the Broadway Theatre over 30 years ago.

[CarlosAlberto]

Definitely looking forward to these reviews. BREAK A LEG!

[kyl3fong2]

Can't wait for these reviews! Break a leg to everyone involved in this production!

[Rainbowhigh23]

In bocca al lupo to everyone in the show! Loved it in previews and London AND the original 1978 cast, cannot wait for tonight!!

PS: Michael Cerveris on Twitter: Trying to text "in bocca al lupo" (in the wolf's mouth-Italian good luck) to Elena but spellcheck changes it to "in bocca al Lupone" #EVITA

[nypj]

I hope all goes well with the reviews... break a leg!!!

[PalJoey]

Fingers crossed!

Love this sign outside Vlada:

[Deena Jones]

Very cute... they need something to get people in the doors of that crummy bar

[ljay889]

Murray is Mixed on the production and Roger. He loves Martin??

Oh, she can hit all the notes (though not always without visibly working at it). But forget about finding the go-for-broke, stratospheric-belt vocals of Elaine Paige (in London) and Patti LuPone (on Broadway, in 1979). Roger's attack is tentative, even apologetic, and at odds with the reckless ambition of Eva as written whether of the overt ("Buenos Aires") or covert (her "I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You" seduction); there's no sting in anything she sings.

Then there's her pronounced, if not quite impenetrable, accent. Roger has apparently not mastered singing in English, and loses more words than is acceptable as the lead in a sung-through show. She runs into particular trouble when Webber's music pulls her to the topmost extent of her range; articulation is challenging up there to begin with, but Roger does not even seem to be trying to communicate the meaning, or even the bare syllables, of Rice's lyrics during those moments. Losing whole verses is a too-common occurrence.
Her acting, however, is primitive throughout.
Her performance, nothing more than adequate, leaves a gaping hole at the middle of the action that's only partially filled by the superior elements that surround her. Eva should move you, taunt you, and enrage you, but not leave you this cold.

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/world/Evita2012.html

[broadwaybabytn]

Wow. Not as expected... Hopefully the reviews will improve.

[qolbinau]

What was expected? Isn't Murray negative about everything?

[jacobsnchz14]

Broadway.com Word Of Mouth:
http://www.broadway.com/shows/evita-broadway/video/154000/word-of-mouth-review-evita/

[broadwaybabytn]

Qolbinau, when Ricky Martin is written up as a standout... Something's going wrong.

[SNAFU]

Ha! Losing words? Viva Patti during her Tony performance! One of my favorites!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGchv7kHzw

[mar97]

VARIETY review.....



EVITA

[bjh2114]

Backstage is mixed to negative:

"For “Evita” to have maximum impact you really need three triple-threat stars to meet the almost superhuman demands of the score, and they have to be unafraid to show their characters’ nasty sides. Unfortunately, each of Grandage’s headliners falls short in at least one department. Elena Roger, the Argentinean performer who played Evita for him in 2006, is an expressive conveyer of much of the role’s complexity. A tiny woman, Roger is an explosive dynamo, prowling the stage like a tiger as Evita climbs to the top, and her native accent lends a welcome authenticity. But she lacks the vocal strength to fully put across the top notes, often going into a thin head voice when she should belt. Pop star Ricky Martin can certainly sing Che Guevera, the cynical Greek chorus figure, but he lacks the necessary bite and rage to give the commentary the sting it needs. Even Michael Cerveris, who possesses both the vocal and dramatic chops to limn the ruthless dictator Juan Peron, makes the character into a kindly, avuncular figure. But that’s probably how Grandage directed him."

http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-broadway/ny-review-evita-1006686952.story

[bjh2114]

The AP is mixed:

"Much of the buzz coming from the new revival "Evita" has been about the spitfire Argentine playing the title role. But all of the heat actually comes from the guy shaking his bon-bon.

Ricky Martin is easily the best thing about this revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's bio of Eva Peron, which opened Thursday at the Marquis Theatre. He sings beautifully, dances gracefully, athletically climbs ladders, plays his role with a knowing sneer and elicits drools in his suspenders and tight white shirt. He even makes a mustache work.

...

Yet while Roger admirably throws herself into every tango and commands the spotlight, her voice doesn't always seem up for the demand of Tim Rice and Lloyd Webber's songs and gets a bit screechy at the higher registers.

Her Evita, overall, is more insistent and feral, less charismatic and glamorous. She barely pulls off such great lines as "They need to adore me/so Christian Dior me" and "Stand back – you wanna know what'cha gonna get in me/Just a little touch of star quality!" Madonna, who played the crypto-fascist first lady on film, didn't have the authenticity, but at least made those work."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120405/us-theater-review-evita/

[ljay889]

Looks like the Tony may still be Maxwell vs McDonald. Let's wait for Brantley though.

[kyl3fong2]

If Ricky continues to get these positive reviews for his performance, I think his chances of nabbing a Tony Nomination will be pretty likely.

[bjh2114]

As much as I love Jan and thinks she deserves a Tony for her performance, I almost think it's McDonald vs. Milioti at this point (plus we have yet to see Kelli's reviews/performance). There is no way Elena is winning this Tony. She very well may not even be nominated.

[TexanAddams18]

I say it's McDonald vs. O'Hara

[broadwaybabytn]

They'd be smart to petition Martin for Featured Actor if his reviews are all this good. He could win in that category, and there is precedent. (Didn't Mandy win Featured?)

[BroadwayMan5]

Variety

Mostly Possitive

Steven Suskin

Director Michael Grandage scores with a dynamic new "Evita," graced by an impressive performance from Argentinean actress Elena Roger and the ticket-selling presence of recording star Ricky Martin, who acquits himself nicely if not remarkably. The 1979 Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice poperetta comes off fairly well in its first Broadway revival, thanks to a director who doesn't seem crimped or intimidated by Hal Prince's striking original staging. That said, the flaws inherent in the material -- typified by grasping-at-straws rhymes like "That's what they call me/so Lauren Bacall me" -- remain. Look for boffo biz so long as Martin chooses to stay.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Go Ricky, Go Ricky!!!

[IdinaBellFoster]

That he did. But they may not want to put Cerveris & Martin in the same category.

[whatever2]

so, wait ... ricky martin "lacks the necessary bite" but has a "knowing sneer"?!? i guess his upper jaw is more talented than his lower jaw!

(not a fanboi ... have not even mustered the fortitude to spring for tickets yet ... but: sheesh.)

[broadwayriff]

Did someone mention before that people loved Patinkin more on opening night than Lupone? Is this history repeating itself?!