Rachel Zegler, who made many headlines this year starring in the poorly reviewed live-action Snow White, made her West End debut as Eva Perón in Evita just a few weeks ago. However, even before the opening night, criticism about the popular musical and major directorial decision flooded the internet. Now, every theater kid from around the world has something to say.
The main focus is on the director of this production of Evita, Jamie Lloyd. He decided to make one major change in the musical’s staging that has some theater goers in a tizzy. Instead of performing the musical’s most popular number, “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” on stage, Zegler sings the song to a crowd on a balcony outside the theater. This means that the paying audience does not get to see the full performance of the most anticipated song, and instead, they watch a livestream of it on a screen. Meanwhile, a large crowd standing outside the theater, who have not paid anything whatsoever, gets to enjoy the full spectacle for free.
Lloyd’s decision to put Eva Perón on an offstage balcony as she sings to the citizens of Argentina (but really to Londoners on the street) has angered many, especially those who have spent hundreds of dollars on a ticket to see the show. Many believe the decision makes perfect sense, considering the message Evita attempts to convey. Eva Perón's main struggle throughout the show is her fight for the people of Argentina. Her upbringing, disdain from the upper classes, charity work, and political stance are very much at the front and center of the musical’s stage. It is perfectly in character for her to turn her back on the “high society,” or in other words, on those who paid to see her show. Now, she is performing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” the song about her love for her people, to the “common” crowd patiently waiting outside to see her. It’s a beautiful addition to an already powerful musical with a strong message and a perfect example of life imitating art. If the disappointed audience inside the theater feels like they were robbed when they didn’t get to see the performance live, all they have to do is return the next day at 8:30 PM, wait in front of that balcony, and observe the magic of Eva Perón singing to her people.
Via zeglerapp on X
This isn’t Lloyd’s first rodeo with controversial revivals of beloved musicals, and the theater community has criticized directorial decisions many times over. His production of the 1993 musical Sunset Boulevard last year also gained traction due to his “thinking outside the theater” approach. Right off the bat, as the curtains open, the audience is met with live video footage of the character Francis wandering around backstage, then walking out of the theater to dramatically perform the title number of the musical for New Yorkers and tourists. Similarly to Evita, this decision both confused and excited the theater community, and even scored Lloyd his first Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical,” alongside a nomination for “Best Direction of a Musical.” While some critics were left wondering why this extreme change to the theatrical experience was necessary for a show such as Sunset Boulevard, there was no denying that it proved that plays and musicals have a lot of potential offstage as well as on.
It’s not just Lloyd choosing to bring theater to the public for free, take the Broadway phenomenon, Ham4Ham. Beloved Hamilton director Lin-Manuel Miranda brought street performances outside the Richard Rodgers Theater, the Broadway home for his insanely popular musical. What started as a daily lottery to win tickets to see Hamilton became a much-anticipated live performance by the cast in front of the general public. Recently, Lin-Manuel Miranda decided to revive Ham4Ham in honor of the 10th anniversary of Hamilton, which brought the theater-loving crowd back to the front steps of the Richard Rodgers Theater. While no one actually needs to pay to see (or not see, if compared to Evita) the spectacle of Ham4Ham, it is another thrilling example of theater stepping out of the box.
Ham4Ham via Hamilton on YouTube
Other than these directorial decisions, making the theater more accessible to the general public is also an intelligent marketing approach. The struggle of keeping theaters alive and thriving is getting more challenging every year, especially as tickets become more expensive and are now viewed as a luxury rather than an affordable attraction. By physically taking the drama out onto the street, more people can get into the magical world of theater, even if they cannot afford to sit inside one. Surely, people who know nothing about Evita found themselves standing outside the theater as Rachel Zegler belted her heart out, even if they are not ones to cry about Argentina. At least it brought them one step closer to taking part in an art form many of us know and love; so the truth is, theater will never leave them.
Via UnBoxPHD on YouTube
