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    Review: Rachel Zegler Delights in an ‘Evita’ for the Masses

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    The actress is making her West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s latest take on an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.“She’s a diamond in their dull gray lives,” sings the Argentine president Juan Domingo Perón of his wife in “Evita,” Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sung-through musical about Eva Perón. She was a former matinee star whose popularity among the working classes bolstered support for her husband’s government, and “Evita” expresses some skepticism about political populism. Yet a new revival, directed by Jamie Lloyd and running at the London Palladium through Sept. 6, is emphatically populist in its relentless bombast, heavy symbolism and button-pushing grandiosity.The initially moody staging — industrial gray metal stairs, smoke effects, dark costumes — belies the sensory overload ahead: Balloons are popped; lights are turned up blindingly bright; blue and white confetti rain down on the audience. Rachel Zegler (“Snow White” and “West Side Story”), making her West End debut, is a delight in the title role, strutting bossily in a black leather bra and hot pants while a chorus — representing soldiers or ordinary citizens — cavorts elaborately around her to a brassy tango-inspired soundtrack, delivered by an 18-piece band. (Choreography is by Fabian Aloise, lighting is by Jon Clark and set and costumes are by Soutra Gilmour.)The show begins and ends with Evita’s death from cancer, at the age of 33, in 1952. In the intervening two hours she is goaded and reproached in song by Che (Diego Andres Rodriguez), a wisecracking Everyman in a black T-shirt and cargo shorts, who teases Evita for cozying up to an authoritarian leader and sleeping her way to the top. In one song he quips bitterly, “Don’t you just love the smack of firm government?” (For this impertinence, he is later killed — doused with fake blood, then with blue and white paint, the colors of the Argentine flag.)Diego Andres Rodriguez as Che, Zegler, center, and James Olivas as Juan Perón. The set and costumes are by Soutra Gilmour.Marc BrennerEvita is portrayed as a cynical, ruthless social climber, and the audience is invited to sympathize with the people she hurts along the way. She unceremoniously dumps a boyfriend — the tango singer Agustín Magaldi (played with hangdog charm by Aaron Lee Lambert, who sings beautifully) — once he has ceased to be useful to her. And she breezily steals Perón (James Olivas, physically imposing but stiff — and thus convincingly military) from his girlfriend (Bella Brown), who sings a doleful song before vanishing, never to be seen again.Much preshow hype surrounded Lloyd’s decision to stage the famous scene in which Evita sings the show’s signature tune, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” on the theater’s exterior balcony; members of the public see the spectacle in the flesh, while theatergoers make do with video footage beamed onto a big screen in real time.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Rachel Zegler’s Balcony Scene in ‘Evita’ Has London Talking

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      Crowds are converging outside the London Palladium to watch Rachel Zegler sing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from a balcony — while paying theatergoers inside see it on a screen.One recent afternoon, I arrived at the London Palladium to a disappointing scene: The West End’s most talked-about seats were already taken.Outside on the street, not far from the theater’s grand entrance, two men had perched themselves on the seats — actually piles of cardboard awaiting recycling — to get a perfect view of a scene that has London’s theater scene buzzing.In a few moments, Rachel Zegler, the actor playing Eva Perón in a revival of “Evita” at the Palladium, would appear on a balcony and belt out “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” the show’s signature song, to the hundreds of musical lovers, celebrity spotters and confused tourists gathered below.Members of the public watching Rachel Zegler’s balcony performance on the street outside the London Palladium.Jeremie Souteyrat for The New York TimesThe audience inside, some of whom had paid 240 pounds, about $327, for seats that weren’t made out of trash, would be watching her on a big screen.Adam McCollom, 41, an academic who had scored a spot on one of the cardboard perches, said that Zegler’s street scene was apt for a musical about Perón, the wife of Argentina’s socialist president’s who was adored by the working classes. “Here I am, the pleb on the bins, about to clap the woman who’s paid billions,” he said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Review: Imelda Staunton Has the Wow, Wow, Wow Factor

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      The veteran British actress shines in a new revival that is the musical theater highlight of the West End summer.Love affairs in the theater take different forms — between characters onstage, of course, but also between a performer and the public.In a new London revival of “Hello, Dolly!,” the leading lady, Imelda Staunton, grips the audience from the beginning and holds them in a shared embrace throughout. Ths show is the musical theater event of the West End summer, running at the London Palladium, through Sept. 14.“Hello, Dolly!” has always been a star vehicle. Carol Channing first played the matchmaking Dolly Gallagher Levi on Broadway in 1964 and made it her signature part, returning to the role of the deliciously meddlesome widow throughout her storied career. The others to take it on have included Pearl Bailey, Ethel Merman, Bette Midler and, on film, Barbra Streisand. This production, indeed, owes quite a bit to the 1969 movie, the choice of opening song (“Just Leave Everything to Me”) included.But Staunton — who on Wednesday received an Emmy nomination for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in “The Crown” — is probably the only English performer who can command as much respect in the role as those American ladies. She occupies a special place in British playgoers’ hearts, which this production, directed by Dominic Cooke’, taps into directly. Her acquaintance with the classics — Albee, Chekhov, Sondheim — lends a gravity to the performance, so that we understand Dolly as a fully realized person, pain and all, and not just a figure of fun.Staunton plays Dolly Gallagher Levi, a widow who has taken on the role of matchmaker in her community.Manuel HarlanWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      What to See on London Stages This Summer

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      British theater recommendations for visitors and residents of all ages — and inclinations.London’s theaters offer something for everyone. Whether in big West End venues or on stages tucked away above a pub, the city’s shows include the classics, new plays and some productions that defy classification. Open air playhouses attract audiences willing to brave the unpredictable summer weather, and venues spread throughout the city make for an accessible theater landscape that extends far beyond the heavily trafficked tourist hot spots.Whether you’re looking for frothy musicals or fiercely charged political writing, chances are your wishes can be answered somewhere around town. Below, in seven categories, are some of the shows vying for the attention of visitors and residents seeking out London theater this summer.Give Me Serious DramaDenise Gough as Emma and Malachi Kirby as Mark in “People, Places & Things.”Marc BrennerAlma MaterFew London playhouses generate as much buzz as the Almeida, and expectations are high for its run of this new play from the Australian playwright Kendall Feaver, whose theatrical debut, “The Almighty Sometimes,” impressed British critics when it played in Manchester, England, in 2018. Feaver’s latest is set on a university campus rocked by sexual assault allegations, and Polly Findlay directs a cast led by Phoebe Campbell and Justine Mitchell. Through July 20 at the Almeida Theater.The Boys from the BlackstuffThe regional accents may prove a challenge — especially if English isn’t your first language — but there’s no denying the passion and power that course through James Graham’s stage adaptation of this era-defining 1982 British TV show. Through a community of Liverpool road builders’ struggles, Kate Wasserberg’s empathic production reminds us that employment is crucial to self-esteem. Through Aug. 3 at the Garrick Theater. More

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      Days After Reopening, London Theaters Must Shut

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Coronavirus OutbreakliveLatest UpdatesMaps and CasesThe Latest Vaccine InformationU.S. Deaths Surpass 300,000F.A.Q.AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyDays After Reopening, London Theaters Must ShutThe musical “Six” and a concert version of “Les Miserables” are among the shows that will close because of rising coronavirus cases in the city.Pedestrians walk past the Lyric Theatre before the performance of the musical “Six” in London on Dec. 5.Credit…Suzanne Plunkett for The New York TimesDec. 14, 2020LONDON — On Dec. 5, “Six” — the hit show about the wives of Henry VIII — staged a triumphant comeback when it became the first musical to be staged in London’s West End since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.Now, just nine days later, that comeback has been brought to a sharp halt.Matt Hancock, Britain’s health secretary, announced on Monday that the government was tightening restrictions in London, as well as other parts of southern England, because of a “very sharp, exponential rise” in coronavirus cases. The new restrictions, which include a ban on theatrical performances and the closure of other indoor cultural institutions, like museums, would take effect Wednesday, he added. Pubs and restaurants would also close, though they could still offer takeout.“For businesses affected, it will be a significant blow, but this action is absolutely essential,” Hancock said, addressing Britain’s Parliament.Many theaters in London have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic, in March, though some smaller shows returned in the summer, with reduced audiences and socially distanced performers.In November, some major productions, including “Six,” were slated to return, but the British government announced a national lockdown that scrapped their plans.That lockdown lifted on Dec. 2 and England moved to a tiered system of restrictions, with differing rules around the country, including for cultural events.The Coronavirus Outbreak More

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      The Reggies 2019: Deluxe Edition – Part Two

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      The tribute act was once looked upon with disdain: it was quietly restricted to holiday camps and cruise ships. Nowadays it has turned into an industry, with quality acts playing major theatre venues. This is a very different beast from the jukebox musical, which has a narrative built around the songs of a particular artist: it is a genuine impersonation featuring their greatest hits. I’ve seen half a dozen play this year, so it seems only right to introduce a new category of Best Tribute Act. In third place we have The Greatest Love of All; a Tribute to Whitney Houston at the London Palladium. Belinda Davids turned in a slick tuneful performance as one of the greatest divas in pop history. In the runner-up spot is The Bowie Experience: The Golden Years Tour at the Hackney Empire. Lawrence Knight on occasion looked and sounded spookily like David Bowie. But the winner by a country mile is George at the Eventim Apollo. Backed by members of his original band, Rob Lamberti pulls off a brilliant impersonation of George Michael.
      So ever onward to the works of William Shakespeare, a category we have dubbed Dear Old Will. No theatre reviewer can get through the year without the bard featuring at some point. In third place is Macbeth: The Musical at the White Bear Theatre, a refreshingly new approach to the story featuring Avenue Q style puppets. Second spot goes to Twelfth Night at the Rose Playhouse; an ultra-smart musical version set on a cruise liner in the 1920s. Great fun if you can stop shivering for long enough. This year, though, the fat cigar goes to the Iris Theatre for their brilliant production of Hamlet at St Paul’s Church. The masters of open air theatre just seem to get better and better.
      And now the fluffy, feel-good world of Best Musical. You know the type of show: switch your brain into neutral and have a good old sing song. In third place, winning its second nomination, is Ragtime at the Bridewell Theatre. Nothing more could be asked of cast and crew in this recreation of a Broadway classic. In second place is The Pirates of Penzance at Wilton’s Music Hall. Gilbert and Sullivan have always had a touch of Marmite about them, but there was no doubting the quality of this production. An all-male cast (some clad in basques!) were note perfect throughout. And the proud winner of this hotly competed category is Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Southwark Playhouse. The Fats Waller musical has never sounded better than in this confident production featuring an excellent cast.
      I’ve saved the blue ribbon event for last. The award for Best Play is the most difficult category to cast with the volume, depth and quality of production in London theatre. My top three constantly changed even as I drafted. Finally I settled my troubled mind: in third place, The House of Yes at the Hope Theatre; a marvellously inventive play with strong characters and a tight script. In second place, Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train at the Young Vic; a great title, great script with cool acting in the coolest of venues. So why on earth didn’t it win? Death of a Salesman rose like a giant casting a shadow over everything in its wake. The play is a classic of 20th century theatre, but like so much of Arthur Miller’s work is still considered a writer’s play. Critics will love it but it will often garner a mixed reaction from the public. It may be long but in the hands of a great cast it becomes a moving, almost electric portrayal of life in all its pain and glory.
      I expect 2020 to be another outstanding year in the theatre.  We seem comfortable to continually raise the bar, and expect even greater things from our actors and creatives, but somehow you just know it’s going to get better. See you the other side of Brexmas! More