LONDON (AP) 鈥� In a new production of 鈥淓vita,鈥� one of the biggest moments isn't on the stage.
Midway through the show, , playing Argentine first lady , emerges onto an exterior balcony at the London Palladium and sings 鈥淒on鈥檛 Cry for Me, Argentina,鈥� to whoever is passing by below. The performance is streamed back on video to the audience inside.
News has spread quickly since the show began previews this week, and hundreds have gathered outside the historic venue in London鈥檚 West End theaterland to enjoy the free serenade by the star.
The show鈥檚 composer, , said that it makes for 鈥渁n extraordinary moment鈥� in his musical about a woman who rose from poverty to power and was adored by the masses.
鈥淲ithin the theater, it鈥檚 really exciting because suddenly you see her with a genuine huge crowd, which you can鈥檛 do onstage,鈥� Lloyd Webber told The Associated Press on Thursday. 鈥淚 think there will be people who are disappointed that she hasn鈥檛 sung it live in the theater, but I think it鈥檚 goinag to be greatly outweighed by the theatricality of using film in that way."
The decision by director has sparked some grumbling from ticketholders who paid up to 245 pounds ($330) for a seat, only for the musical's most famous number to be sung offstage.
It鈥檚 a technique Lloyd has used before. He had a character in 鈥淪unset Boulevard鈥� perform a song while walking down the street outside the theater, and his production of 鈥淩omeo and Juliet鈥� saw star Tom Holland play a key scene on the theater roof.
Theater blogger Carl Woodward told the BBC that he could understand why some theatregoers who鈥檇 forked out for a ticket felt 鈥渁 bit aggrieved,鈥� since 鈥渁 trip to the theater for some is really a once-a-year occasion.鈥�
But Lloyd Webber cited an opinion piece in The Times of London noting that the gesture is 鈥渒ind of what Eva Per贸n would have wanted 鈥� that people are actually experiencing her big anthem, as it were, for free.鈥�
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Lizzie Knight contributed to this report.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
