GLAM gorgeousness South American-style hits Sunderland in time for the World Cup. The partnership of Lloyd Webber and Rice was at its height for this classic aspirational musical.

This show’s been around (like its lovely heroine) and for me, it’s fraying a bit around the edges. Sure it had the audience leaping to their feet and all at the end, but for a show about hunger — for power, diamonds, food, life itself — it was a little too… phoned in, especially in the first half.

The staging is fabulous, as are the costumes, especially those of Evita, who starts life dirt poor and drags herself up by her nails via a career in showbusiness to claim the ultimate prize — the hand and heart of Perón (played with great sensitivity by Andrew Wadsworth).

Huge, cathedral-like pillars grace the stage at beginning and end and the sets and lighting are slick, with a beatific glow around Madalena Alberto as Evita, which increases as her hair gets lighter and the costumes and bling become those befitting an Argentinian president’s wife.

Marti Pellow works hard to win over the crowd as Che,the cynical narrator and, judging by the whoops at the end he succeeds. Madalena as Evita is pitch perfect, but there was more than a hint of autopilot until the interval from many of the company.

This show has been touring for over a year now and last night it showed. My theatre buddy was totally won over by the second half, but my heart was already broken by the lacklustre first.

This is a stirring show with the potential for a landslide victory. But when Evita begged Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, my eyes were dry.

  • Runs until Saturday. For tickets ring 0844-871-3022 or atgtickets.com/sunderland

Sarah Scott