A leading lady and her understudy fell ill before a production of Evita at Leicester’s Curve Theatre, putting the show in jeopardy. However, after a day of trying to find a replacement, actress Jessica Daley travelled more than 150 miles from Middlesbrough to ensure the show went ahead for its 7:30 pm start time on Saturday. Ms Daley received a standing ovation for her last-minute performance as Eva Peron in what the theatre described as “amazing”. The venue posted a picture of Ms Daley, calling her a “diamond”.
Her understudy, Chumisa Dornford-May, has since recovered and is expected to return to the stage. Audience members commended Curve Theatre for their efforts in ensuring the show went on, saying, “what a star!” and “thank you, Curve, for pulling out all the stops”.
In 2019, Ms Daley led the international tour of Evita to “high acclaim”. She has also acted in stage versions of Billy Elliot, An Officer and a Gentleman and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The musical about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Peron was written by Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Sir Tim Rice and was first staged in 1978. Madonna starred in a film adaptation in 1996.
Ms Daley’s commitment to her craft and her quick thinking saved the day for audiences looking forward to the musical. Her efforts were praised by theatregoers and the theatre alike as another triumph amid the challenges of Covid-19 restrictions and ensuring the curtain goes up
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