Musical veteran takes on new production of her dream role in Evita

May 23 2008 by Philip Key, Liverpool Daily Post

IT IS a long way from Buenos Aires to the Bedfordshire town of Leighton Buzzard where West End musical star Louise Dearman was born.

But it was an equally long journey for Eva Peron whose life story Louise is about to portray on stage.

Eva was born out of wedlock in rural Argentina but via stage and film careers made it to the capital to become the strongest woman in the country, wife of the president Juan Peron.

It was her life story that became the unlikely subject of Evita, the third musical collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and went on stage in London’s West End in 1978 and became their biggest success to date. It remains one of their most popular with songs like Don’t Cry for Me Argentina and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.

The original made a star of Elaine Paige and now Louise Dearman is taking on the role every female singer would love.

She is in a brand new production created by Liverpool producer Bill Kenwright specifically for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. It opened with previews at the Empire Theatre last night.

I caught up with Louise and the rest of the cast earlier in a church hall off London’s Edgeware Road, one of two London rehearsal spaces for the huge show.

It’s been a tough rehearsal schedule and she laughs that she is "just about coping". The truth is that she is pretty much a veteran of musical shows.

"Well, I started dancing when I was three and had singing lessons when I was 12. I auditioned for music college at 15, went there at 16 and it has all kind of flown from there, really."

In fact, she was in the children’s choir in the London Palladium production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat when she was just 12. "I always wanted to play the narrator and the first job I had when I came out of theatre college was as narrator."

It was the sort of wish fulfilment which has followed a career that has included leading roles in London shows like Grease, Kiss Me Kate and Guys and Dolls.

When a new musical with Paul Nicholas – Jekyll and Hyde was announced, she set her sights on the role of Lucy Harris and got that, too. "She was a lady of the night and while I got murdered it was a great part." Alas, it was one of her few shows that never achieved the sort of success it deserved.

Louise was appearing in Make Me a Song at the New Players Theatre, London, when one of Bill Kenwright’s team went to see it and spotted her as Evita potential. "I had a call from his office inviting me to audition (and who hasn't heard of Evita?) so of course I wanted to go." She auditioned twice and went straight into rehearsals after being offered the part.

"I have done many leads but this is the biggest role I have taken on. You just can't get a much bigger role than Eva Peron so it’s nerve-wracking but very exciting and I just can't wait to get on stage.

"The exciting part about it is that it is an entirely new production, not just a London show going on tour. There is new choreography, new direction from Bob Tomson and a brand new cast."

Louise and the rest of the company, including Any Dream Will Do finalist Seamus Cullen as Che, Mark Heenehan as Juan Peron and Liverpool newcomer James Waud as tango dancer Magaldi, were being put through their paces in the rehearsal, and tough paces they were.

Louise was at one point called away to try out another costume.

"There are a ridiculous number of costume changes, so many I have lost count. I keep getting dragged away to try on another dress or another suit – they have really gone to town on the costumes, making it as real as possible as Eva had a massive wardrobe.

"In the show, if I’m not on stage performing I am offstage changing into another costume. I will have a dresser in the wings as one outfit change involves getting out of a robe into a full costume is just five seconds." That’s all in one piece and I just step into it and that’s it."

Louise has signed on to the show for six months (it will tour for at least a year after Liverpool) and she realises there will be some life changes just to preserve the voice.

"In some roles, it is possible to take it easy, have a glass of wine, stay up late. But not this one. The vocal requirements are very demanding, from very low to very high and it is constant, a sung-through show with no dialogue. So it will be early nights and steam inhalers for me for the next six months. There will be no parties but if there is one I will be in the corner sipping water like a hermit. That is what you have to do to go on and perform 100%."

* Evita is at the Liverpool Empire until June 7.