As in: Evita was also there. The second wife of the Argentinian president Juan Perón, Eva, was immortalised in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1978 musical, Evita. But Isabel, Perón’s third wife and his successor as president of Argentina, has been largely relegated to a footnote in history. In Evita Too, a wonderfully chaotic exploration of power and populism told through an underfunded DIY mega-musical, Sh!t Theatre focus their attention on the curious figure of Isabel and her extraordinary role as one of the world’s first female presidents.
The eccentric story of this near-forgotten leader, who was made president upon her husband’s death and after only 21 months was overthrown by a military coup and placed under house arrest, would be fascinating in any form. But in the unruly hands of Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit, the tale of Isabel Perón crackles into a hilarious, sinister, hectic ride, as they mine comedy from tragedy and discos from death squads.
