EVITA at the ART - Reviews- Page 3

[Voter]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 10:47am

CoffeeBreak said: "tepid

https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/06/08/american-repertory-theater-evita-review

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/07/arts/shereen-pimental-shines-belle-bawl-arts-evita/

"

yikes

[AstroidHunter92]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 11:12am

Eh. Boston Globe review is very positive. These too -- 

https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/325967

https://www.metrmag.com/latest-reviews/evita-by-andrew-lloyd-webber-and-tim-rice-american-repertory-theater-cambridge-ma-review

 

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 11:27am

“'Evita' has always wanted you to cry for Eva Perón, has always tried to jerk those tears out of you by bookending its story with her early death.

But this Tim Rice-Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has often felt divided against itself" 

Oh, boy, do I disagree with that assessment.

[Blue_Lotus]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 12:07pm

joevitus said: "“'Evita' has always wanted you to cry for Eva Perón,has always tried to jerk those tears out of you by bookending its story with her early death.

But this Tim Rice-Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has often felt divided against itself"

Oh, boy, do I disagree with that assessment."

I completely agree with you joevitus - EVITA was not produced to illicit any sort of sympathy for Eva Duarte de Perón 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 12:15pm

Our group didn't particularly enjoy this production. The costumes were great but it's another staged concert losing the larger story and gaining little in its purposeful simplification. 

The UK produced Lloyd version should instead transfer which simplifies to MUCH stronger effect.  

Updated On: 6/9/23 at 12:15 PM

[TimeToStartLivin]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 9:23pm

Oh God not that stupid dress again.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 6/9/23 at 10:18pm

TimeToStartLivin wrote: “Oh God not that stupid dress again.”

Evita Perón was a late 40s-early 50s personality. How would you design her dress? What makes a dress stupid?

[joevitus]

Posted: 6/10/23 at 9:23pm

MichelleCraig said: "TimeToStartLivin wrote: “Oh God not that stupid dress again.”

Evita Perón was a late 40s-early 50s personality. How would you design her dress? What makes a dress stupid?"

Could be wrong, but I suspect it's the symbolic use of it hanging over the stage that he's criticizing. 

[MimiChika]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 11:10am

First b-roll. Shereen sounds so good. The production looks stunning. 
https://youtu.be/QtNAlOeDypg

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 3:56pm

Don't Cry for me "Ar-hen-teen-ya' - excuse me?

[wiggum2]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 6:26pm

QueenAlice said: "Don't Cry for me "Ar-hen-teen-ya' - excuse me?"

I disliked that sometimes they use Spanish pronunciation and sometimes they didn't... just be consistent

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/14/23 at 6:30pm

Feels very..earnest... 

I think the design looks stunning though. 

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 11:31pm

I caught this recently and was underwhelmed. The tech elements are boring and, while this may be an unpopular opinion, the text isn't strong enough to justify a watered down, no spectacle production. Everything just feels bland. Sheeren had some strong moments throughout and I thought her act two was stronger than her act one. It really is a ridiculous score for anyone to sing and she did a solid job. I've been a huge Caesar Samayoa fan for a while and he did not disappoint - his voice was excellent. I didn't really understand the purpose of the two Ches. Great dancing with a hardworking ensemble.

Overall not one of my favorites and I would be surprised/confused if it transferred. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 12:26am

Agreed.  This is not the production to transfer to Broadway.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:40am

Saw this tonight.  After seeing this, I concluded that there is probably no way to totally screw-up Evita, because I enjoyed myself, moreso in the second act, despite its being IMO a very mediocre production.

Performances and story / score aside, I thought this was really amateurish.  I should note that I saw a production at the Asolo Theater in Sarasota, FL a few years ago -- I guess pre-Covid -- that was spectacularly good, so I have a recent image of a much better production.  On a smaller scale than the original Broadway production, I still enjoyed it every bit as much as the original (which I saw multiple times), because it was just so well done.

Where to begin.  First of all, I thought they were trying to break a record for the fastest production of Evita possible...it just seemed rushed, to its detriment.  A lot of bad directorial decisions were made.  The early scene where people react to the news of Eva's death was really boring, something I would have thought was impossible to do. I also thought that A New Argentina lacked the excitement of other productions I have seen...I do believe that it was also negatively impacted by the set, which just felt closed in, this in contrast to other productions which performed this number with no set at all.  It was plain cluttered.  Also, what was the deal with the mini-me Che...to me, it was as bad a creative decision as last year's decision to have the performers mug to the audience just in case they had not gotten the point that the script was trying to make.

In terms of production values, costumes and lighting were fine, but it had an absolutely horrible set design.  In the first scene -- we were seated 6th row center -- there was this thing in front of us that looked like it was filled with wads of tissue paper...we could not figure out what it was.  Eventually, we concluded it was supposed to be flowers.  During the Don't Cry number, a succession of (I think) 11 rows of these things descended from the ceiling (I think some may have been elevated from the stage floor) to create a series of steps, essentially draped in flowers.  I guess they spent their scenery budget on this effect, which was probably expensive and really, really ugly.  This was only exceeded in bad design by the excessive use of neon throughout the show.  Just horrible.  On a positive note, the choreography was very good, making use of tango extensively.  There was one duet danced while Evita and Peron were singing I'd be Surprisingly Good for You that was so damn good that you wanted it to go on longer than the song permitted.  So, if they really are thinking Broadway, they should replace the director and keep the choreographer,

No programs, so I don't know the names of anyone in the cast.  I thought the actors playing Evita and Che were both excellent.  Evita had a very strong voice, fully capable of doing the score justice.  Despite that, I still felt that she was miscast...she never felt like a woman ranging in age from late teens to 32.  She also didn't feel like a woman who slept her way to the top.  My wife thought her voice was wrong for Evita; I thought she was just different from the Evita's we have seen in the past...several times, her voice sounded like she could have sequed into some famous aria for a mezzo-soprano.  Of all the Che's I have seen (7 - , tonight's performance was top tier.  He had enormous charisma and sang the role very well.  That said, his role seemed smaller somehow, although I don't remember anything of his being cut.  The woman who sang Another Suitcase was as good as anyone I have ever seen in the role (other than perhaps in Sarasota (slight changes were made to have Evita sing that song).

The real issue is that, unless it is changed drastically, it will never be a hit on Broadway.  After the last flop, I doubt the creators want to see a second flop in a row.  They should decide to let it end in Cambridge or go back to the directorial / production design drawing board.

Updated On: 7/7/23 at 12:40 AM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:59am

Updated On: 7/7/23 at 12:59 AM

[George in DC]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 9:40am

Jarethan said: "The real issue is that, unless it is changed drastically, it will never be a hit on Broadway. After the last flop, I doubt the creators want to see a second flop in a row. They should decide to let it end in Cambridge or go back to the directorial / production design drawing board."

As stated before, this is a co-production with Shakespeare Theatre in DC and no matter what, will be opening their season on Sept 5. Hopefully they will listen to their critics and make some changes. We shall see.

[AstroidHunter92]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 9:48am

If by listening to their critics, you mean their actual critics, it was just named a Critic's Pick by the Boston Theater Critics Association, which is a committee of Boston's critics, sooo

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 9:54am

I saw it a few weeks ago, too....its a mixed bag....NOT worthy of heading to broadway, IMHO. The staging is boring, the acting is mediocre at best. The voices were tremendous.

Their "actual" critics are anyone that sees it and posts about it.  I'm more inclined to listen to my friends opinions over "professional" recommendations any day.

 

 

 

 

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 7:57pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Agreed. This is not the production to transfer to Broadway."

My agent friend saw it and hated everything about it especially Shereen Pimentel. He said this production will not land on Broadway and not with her as she's all wrong for Eva! So, that should put us all at ease.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 8:34pm

She's not going to broadway.(unless as an understudy) Word has been, for several months now, that Rachel Zegler is taking the part for Broadway.

[Voter]

Posted: 7/9/23 at 10:12pm

Saw this last night and I enjoyed it. This is a great REGIONAL production; this is not ready for Broadway. Needs a better director and set design. 

[Voter]

Posted: 7/29/23 at 2:17pm

Due to COVID outbreaks, this show is now closed and played its last performance last night.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/29/23 at 4:47pm

Would Zegler really want to take this to Broadway?

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 7/29/23 at 5:26pm

A production with mixed reviews, no stars, and the last revival struggling even with a major star. It seems a risky transfer option.

Most people won't have a clue who Rachel is, her movie record so far is flops. They'd have to be pinning their hopes on Snow White being a hit. But with Little Mermaid underperforming and now many industry expects predicting snow white to go similar way, I wouldn't hold breath.