ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S musical Stephen Ward about the Profumo scandal is currently playing in the West End, but it’s not the first time the composer and impresario has put a true story to music.

Rewind more than 30 years to Evita, the Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical charting the rise to power of Eva Peron.

Of course, nobody expects a history documentary here, but what we do get is a telling of the rags-to-riches tale of a small town Argentinian girl who rose to global fame and adoration as the president’s wife before her tragically young death in 1952.

Top-billing goes to Marti Pellow as Che, our hard-bitten, world-weary narrator, but his delivery is a little too breathy, his performance too stilted to wholly convince.

It is Madalena Alberto who is the shining star here. Eva is a tricky woman, seen on the one hand as a voice of the people and the other as a power hungry manipulator who slept her way to the top.

The anticipation for the famous Don’t Cry For Me Argentina is palpable, but Alberto is a compelling actor as well as a superb singer and it is her death-bed rendition of You Must Love Me that really stirs the emotions.

She has strong support from Mark Heenehan as Peron, as well as the excellent ensemble (including children from the Tyne Theatre Stage School) who bring energy to this allsung musical.

  • Until Saturday. Box office 08448-112121 and online theatreroyal.co.uk Alison Carr