Andrew Lloyd Webber has unveiled a brand new production of Evita, which will be the musical's first West End run for two decades will be at the Adelphi. We take a look back at the stage life of a legend...
Evita began life as an album of songs written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who had just returned from Argentina.
Rice, who wrote Don't Cry For Me Argentina in the country, never imagined the song would be a hit. "After all, who wants to buy a song about a country you've hardly even heard of?" he said. It has since been covered more than 100 times.
The original Evita was Elaine Paige, who stepped on the stage at London's Prince Edward Theatre on 21 June 1978. It opened on Broadway just over a year later, where it went on to win seven Tony awards.
Joss Ackland, who played Peron in the original production, has acted all over the world, playing opposite such leading lights as Ingrid Bergman, Glenda Jackson, Vanessa Redgrave and Maggie Smith.
Che, the narrator played by Antonio Banderas in the Alan Parker film, was played by David Essex in the original stage version.
Eva Peron was regarded as a saint by Argentinians. When the film starring Madonna came out, Peronists armed with smoke bombs rioted to stop it being shown there.
Andrew Lloyd Webber described Evita as "the most unpleasant character ..."
