MAKE sure you go and see the latest Theatre Whakatane show Evita. It is very polished with outstanding vocal and acting performances by everyone. The professional director, Scott Andrew, has done an amazing job, creating a fast-paced dramatic masterpiece with very creative staging ideas. Cole Bockman's choreography expresses gentle, harsh, happy, funny, desperate and sad moments with equal dramatic force. The live band of local musicians, under the expert guidance of Adele Dixon, performs the Lloyd Webber music in a way that helps the actors and singers bring out the calculated manipulations of the Argentinians by the Perons. Trace Tidd as Evita, Phillip Reade as the commentator Che, and Gareth Moore-Jones as Peron perform their demanding leading roles with outstanding vocal and dramatic skill. Eve Lyford, who plays Peron's jilted lover, sings the Another Suitcase song magnificently. This is a very different show to the one I was involved in 20 years ago and I like it. This production would be good enough to tour the country and perform to full houses in our major cities.
Sue Whale