Elaine Paige discusses watching herself in 'Cats' in 2020
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BBC Two will air ‘Evita: The Making of a Superstar’ tonight, exploring the world of musical theatre and the colourful landscapes of Argentina. Host Suzy Klein discovers the story behind one of the West End’s most celebrated characters, the subject of the musical ‘Evita’ – Eva Peron. Intertwining the stories of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s creation with the true story of Eva Peron, Ms Klein celebrates the extraordinary show in the 40th year after its creation. Nicknamed Evita, Ms Peron was the First Lady of Argentina and wife of Argentine President, Juan Perón.
He was a populist and authoritarian leader in the country, and both Juan and Eva’s charisma meant they garnered huge support in the Forties.
Eva was not just Argentina’s First Lady, but also an actress, political activist and philanthropist.
The role was perfect for Elaine Paige, the star of British theatre who played Ms Peron on stage.
This is because Ms Paige admitted that her 5ft height had previously held her career back, and that the role of Ms Peron was a saving grace.
In June last year, Ms Paige told the Radio Times: “No one takes any notice of you because you’re living life down here and a lot of the time you get overlooked, literally.
“In a way, Evita saved me because she was only 5’5.”
The entertainer revealed she had even asked friends in the business about the problem.
She added: “I’ve spoken to other very short people like [the late French singer] Charles Aznavour about it. I’m not even 5ft tall and I felt – and still do on some occasions… [overlooked].
“This is all part and parcel of this insecurity if you like, and terrible shyness because you’re not the same as everybody else and I was patronised a lot as a young girl.”
Mr Lloyd Webber and Mr Rice released the album for Evita in 1976, before they then went on to create the show.
They had a hit with ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’, and Ms Paige knew at this stage she wanted to get involved.
She told The Guardian in 2014: “It was the show that changed my life – overnight. I hadn’t wanted to take on another musical. I’d just told my agent I wanted to concentrate on ‘serious’ acting.
“But when the Evita LP came out, she said I had to listen to it, the part was perfect for me.
“I rushed out and bought it and saw exactly what she meant. Eva was a wonderful actress: strong, forceful, but with a vulnerable side. I just had to play her.”
Ms Paige also opened up on how difficult it was to get the role.
She had to go through eight auditions, including one where she went to Mr Lloyd Webber’s house in Belgravia to sing for him.
Ms Paige eventually got the part, and discussed how the nature of the show made it more challenging than others.
She added: “The rehearsals were intense: the score was very challenging. We were attempting something completely new for British musicals.
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“Usually, they have a ‘book’ – dialogue between songs – but Evita was all sung. It was more like a tragic opera. And Hal was determined to do something different with the staging, too.
“The first production had no set, just a black box we all had to step on and off, plonking down chairs.
“I’ll never forget the opening. When I left the stage, the audience began chanting ‘Evita! Elaine!’ I’d just reached my dressing room, up two flights of stairs, when the manager called me back down.
“I stood in the wings, unable to believe what was happening. He had to push me back on. Then we had the most fantastic party on the Thames, in a boat called the Tattershall Castle.
“There was champagne and all the glitterati from the industry came. At 1am, someone went to buy the next day’s papers, and there was my face splashed all over the front pages. Heady times.”
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