Conducted by Tim Whittemore via e-mail
October 31, 2001
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Michele Breeze, a multi-faceted
actress and singer from England, has played the role of Eva
Perón in many performances in theatres in England, New Zealand,
Australia, and (thanks to a humorous 'error' on the part of David
Land), Hawaii! She can be heard playing the role on the New
Zealand Cast Album LP.
TW: How did you get the
opportunity to play Eva in New Zealand?
MB: I was in the original
production of Evita at the birth of the musical as Elaine Paige's
understudy. I played the role of Eva Perón many times in London.
I was also Marti Webb's understudy and Stephanie Lawrence's too.
After this period, approximately three and a half years, I was
promised the role of Evita on a permanent basis. After
auditioning, Hal Prince gave me the role and congratulated me.
At that moment, he was called away by the stage manager who said
there was a late-comer for the audition. Hal said "keep
quiet until the office [Stigwood's] tells you to break the
news." The late comer was Jacquey Chappell whom Hal
greeted with great warmth. The next I heard was when I read
in the news that Jacquey was the next Evita and Hal had signed a
contract with her for the next year or so. I loved Jacquey, she
is a lovely person but I was so very upset at the treatment by
the management that I gave my notice in. David Land was also
upset at my treatment. After I left, less than a month passed
when David rang and offered me the lead role in the New Zealand
production. I was thrilled and accepted. David was a lovely man
who went out of his way at all times to thank people and show
appreciation for their work, no matter what their job was.
| TW:
How long did the New Zealand production run? MB: Six months in New
Zealand, a couple of months break for shipping, then I
went to Brisbane in Australia and then Hawaii. TW: Did the New Zealand
version go on tour? If so, where all did the show play?
Sylvia Stoddard told me she thought that the New Zealand
version went on tour to Hawaii (David Land, obviously not
considering Hawaii part of the USA, erroneously placed
Hawaii in the same licensing region as Australia and New
Zealand!) |
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MB: Auckland, Wellington,
Christchurch, and Dunedin. Then it toured to Australia -
Brisbane and Hawaii. David Land was persuaded to add Hawaii
by Stewart MacPherson [the New Zealand producer] who was able to
put it on there and saw that it wasn't 'specified' on the USA
contracts!
TW: What do you consider your
favorite moment/song in the show? Was there a moment in the
show you found to be difficult to portray?
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MB: I was always anxious
with "Buenos Aires." Whilst it was a
favourite song of mine - and I can dance - I am dyslexic,
so I was always terrified with the precision dancing that
I may start on the opposite leg/arm. I enjoyed it
immensely but could always relax after it was over. It's
extremely difficult to pick a particular favourite, I
loved all the 'moments': the anger, the kindness, the
strength, the illness, the decline, the power. From
an actor's point of view Evita is the most wonderful part
ever written for a woman and I loved every moment or
growth it portrayed and playing Evita was truly one of
the happiest and exciting learning periods of my life. I
particularly enjoyed "Eva's Final Broadcast." TW: Do you have any
interesting stories to share from any of your times on
stage as Evita? |
MB: Hundreds! As I was in at the
birth of Evita I was 'tipped' by the British Press as being a
'front runner' for the title role and thousands were auditioned.
I was eventually told that I would be 'an Evita'. As it
turned out I was later told by David Land, the original plan was
to have three Eva's for the three parts of her life: one
aged 15 and poor, etc., one hugely successful, and one dying.
Everyone in the world wanted this role you must remember. Evita
was actually 5 feet 2 inches tall and everyone assumed it would
be one role. The three chosen over a long period of thousands of
hopefuls, were Elaine Paige, Susannah Fellows and myself. Elaine
Paige is approximately 4 feet 10 inches tall and so she lied and
said she was 5 feet 2 inches. Susannah Fellows is
approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall and she lied saying she was 5
feet 2 inches and I'm 5 feet 7 inches plus and I lied, bent my
knees under a calf length skirt and said I was 5 feet 2 inches.
On the day Hal Prince brought us all together and we stood next
to each other, well, frankly you couldn't have chosen a more
variety of shapes and sizes if you had tried. Susannah was
extremely thin, Elaine a perfect 4 feet 10 inches and I was a
'statuesque' 5 feet 7 inches plus!
Susannah and I were both understudies
on one occasion as flu swept the cast and Elaine began the show
up till "Goodnight and Thank You" when her voice went
completely. Susannah was quickly prepared and took over for
the "Charity Concert" and her voice went after
"Don't Cry For Me" and I took over for "High
Flying Adored" and finished the show off playing it for the
next week!!! I believe this may have been a unique event
during the history of the production. No one asked for a refund
and a wonderful letter appeared in the papers shortly afterwards
saying they were thrilled to have seen three Evita's for the
price of one!
I was supposed to tour the New Zealand
production to Australia. At the time there was a good deal of
animosity between the British and Australian Equities. In the
couple of months break between these tours I returned to England.
Suddenly, at the last minute, there was a great deal of dialogue
about me being English and not a native of New Zealand or
Australia even though I had done all the pre-publicity / album
etc. for the Australian tour. A huge row erupted but I was
still on schedule for the outward flight to Australia. At
Gatwick Airport, I went to board the plane and a telex was handed
to me by saying, "Don't board plane - Australian Equity have
refused to grant a work permit for Australia - Sorry, will ring
you. Stewart [MacPherson]." ... I was
devastated.
TW: Have you been in touch with
Stewart MacPherson?
MB: I don't know where [he] is
these days. He came to London for a while trying his luck with
Mike Batt and then had a version of Phantom of the Opera Touring
the World. I last saw him in the late eighties at Lakeside
Country Club in Frimley where I was performing with my Dynamite
Show.
TW: Julie Covington, the star of the
original concept album of Evita, was supposed to play Eva in an
Australian revival of the show. She backed out at the last
minute and Stephanie Lawrence was brought in at the last minute
to play the role. One of the main things I am curious about
is if there ever were any production photos of Julie made.
If so, they would be unique and very rare.
MB: In regard to Julie Covington
and Australian revival: I have no personal knowledge of
this at all although this was the rumour that went around London
before we opened there. However it is well known in the business
that Julie has a great deal of problems sustaining her voice and
in fact had difficulty doing take after take for "Rock
Follies" and it is believed this experience put her off
doing any 'live' performances. David Land told me that
because of this, Julie was never considered for 'live'
performance of the role in London. Needless to say, her
recordings are superb throughout. Plus it was great press to
generate interest and controversy, question and doubt. Perhaps
this was used again in Australia? As Stephanie Lawrence had
sadly recently died I can't ask her either, sorry.
| Hope
this answers your questions. regards, Michele Breeze Thanks to Paul
Brett and Michele Breeze for their generosity and
kindness! Please
read on about Michele’s role as another great female
leader, Celtic Queen Boudicca. |
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