Video: Dame Elaine Paige Praises EVITA Revival: 'It's Fantastic'

Dame Elaine Paige, who played Eva Perón in the original production of EVITA on the West End, recently shared her thoughts about the revival, now running at London's Palladium Theatre. During a visit to the UK show This Morning, Paige shared that she recently saw the Jamie Lloyd production, calling it "fantastic."

"It was a brilliant show forty-plus years ago when I did it, and now it's been reinvented," she explained. "[Rachel Zegler is] marvelous in it, wonderful. She sings beautifully," Paige said of the performer who takes on the leading role.

She continued, noting, "It was very nostalgic for me sitting there watching it. I think my favorite moment is the moment that everybody's talking about, which is the balcony scene... It's so cleverly done. That for me was the real moment in the show because it is so realistic, whereas the rest of it is more like a rock concert."

EVITA first began as a rock opera concept album released in 1976. Its success led to the first production in London's West End in 1978, which starred Paige, David Essex, and Joss Ackland. It won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, with Paige taking home the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Musical.

Watch the rest of the interview, where she also talks about this year's WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS). Paige and Bernadette Peters will return to co-host their third annual live event at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden on Saturday 9 August from 10.15am. Learn more here.

Rachel Zegler is starring as Eva Peron in The Jamie Lloyd Company’s West End production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s EVITA. James Olivas portrays Juan Perón opposite Zegler and Diego Andres Rodriguez (Che), joined by Aaron Lee Lambert as Agustín Magaldi and Bella Brown as  The Mistress / Alternate Eva. The production will run at The London Palladium through September 6.

The Ensemble are Carl Au, Gabriela Benedetti, Shakara Brown, Damian Buhagiar, Kyeirah D'Marni,  Sally Frith, DeAngelo Jones, Lucas Koch, Natasha Leaver, Michael Lin, Dianté Lodge, Louis  Mackrodt, Mireia Mambo, Mia Mullarkey, Perry O’Dea, Alysha Sontae, Monica Swayne, Jon  Tsouras and Harrison Wilde, with Myla Carmen, Barney Hudson, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Kirsty  Anne Shaw, Ricardo Spriggs and Regan Bailey Walker as Swings. Auora Breslin, Lois Haidar, Siena  Merilind-Wu and Ffion Rosalie Williams share the role of The Child. 

The creative team are Fabian Aloise (Choreographer); Soutra Gilmour (Set and Costume  Designer); Alan Williams (Music Supervisor and Musical Director); Jon Clark (Lighting Designer);  Adam Fisher (Sound Designer); Will Burton CDG (Casting Director); Jim Carnahan (US Casting  Director); Carole Hancock (Wigs, Hair and Make up Designer); Harry Blumenau (Children’s Casting/  Children's Administration); Kate Waters (Fight Director); Lily Mollgaard (Props Supervisor); Ingrid  Mackinnon (Intimacy Coordinator); Rupert Hands (Associate Director); Amy Thornton (Associate  Choreographer); Cory Hippolyte (Resident Director); Paris Green (Resident Choreographer); Rachel  Wingate (Associate Set Designer); Kelsh B-D (Associate Sound Designer); Lucía Sánchez Roldán (Associate Lighting Designer); RACHEL WOODHOUSE (Costume Supervisor); Harry Barker (Assistant  Sound Designer); Andy Barnwell and Rich Weedon for BW Musicians (Orchestral Management) 

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