OLC "Evita" Understudy/Alternate Mystery

[K-MO]

Posted: 9/17/23 at 8:08pm

This is super niche but thought this board may have some excellent minds who know this stuff.

I am doing "Evita" research and finding contradictions in my research regarding the original London company!! Andrew Lloyd Webber says in his memoir that Michelle Breeze was Elaine Paige's first cover/understudy, but Robert Seller's book "When The British Musical Ruled the World" (while interviewing her) says it was Susannah Fellows. Were they both covers before an alternate was found?

Conversely, why was Diane Langton initially announced as the first Eva alternate only for it to turn out to be Marti Webb?

Even more conversely, Sellers book calls Fellows the first alternate with no mention of Webb...

Any clarification and stories are much appreciated.  Cheers!