If you're mad about Rachel Zegler's balcony solo in Evita, you're entirely missing the point

Perhaps this, then, is what makes her casting in Jamie Lloyd's West End production of Evita so perfect.

For Zegler, playing a character like Eva Perón, a woman burdened by debate – with some lauding her as a saint and others a troublemaker – is indeed fitting, and a touch ironic. And yet, that hasn't stopped the latest wave of discussion from flooding social media.

In case you've missed it, this new so-called controversy centres around one of the musical's crucial scenes.

At the beginning of act two, when Colonel Perón is elected president and Eva delivers the famous song Don't Cry for Me Argentina, Zegler and Lloyd have switched things up and taken the performance onto the London Palladium's exterior balcony.

This means every night, those outside the theatre are experiencing a live rendition of the song, while those inside are seeing it projected on a screen.

As you can expect, outrage at this has poured in from ticket buyers who have balked at paying for a ticket, only to miss out on seeing the iconic moment live.

I must admit when I first heard about the outdoor performance, I rolled my eyes a little, although this was mainly because it seemed like a carbon copy of Jamie Lloyd's other leading musical Sunset Boulevard (where the lead character's entrance to the theatre is live-streamed for the audience).

However, the more I sat with it, the more I realised what a masterful stroke this move is.

To get into the weeds of this, let's talk about the song. Don't Cry for Me Argentina is the moment Eva realises she doesn't care about fame. Instead, she says she has found her true calling in helping her subjects and will devote herself to them.

Whether you believe that or not – there's already another layer of discussion about whether this song portrays a genuine confession or is just Perón trying to manipulate her people into loving her. The message still stands.

This song is about leaving the farcical life of fame and entering the real-world. So, what better thing to do than leave the smoke and mirrors of the theatre and enter the outside world? In this scene, Zegler literally chooses real people over fame. Plus, for the cynics out there, this move gets the very thing the character wants: attention and adoration from the crowd.

With just this one scene, Zegler and Lloyd encapsulate every key theme you could wish for, leaving the audience to decide which one fits best. You've got genuine altruism and care, mixed up with fame, hunger and making yourself the spectacle – I haven't had to do this much analysis since GSCE English, so it must be smart!

Then there's the theme of charity. Again, whatever your overarching approach to Perón is, whether you believe she did it for genuine care or for clout, she famously centred her ethos on being philanthropic.

Jamie Lloyd also has spoken out vehemently about the price of theatre tickets. In a 2016 interview with The Stage, he said ticket prices in the West End were "creating a divide in the audience between the rich and the poor," and we all know the prices have only gone up further since then.

The director is a famous proponent of under 25 ticket schemes to make the theatre as accessible as possible. So again, what better way to advocate for that than a free theatre performance?

Ultimately this spectacle is taking the magic of the theatre out to everyone, not just the few who can afford it. It gives anyone on the street the chance to take part in such an important cultural moment and, most importantly, it gets eyes on the West End, which is something it desperately needs.

While I completely sympathise that those who have bought tickets may feel cheapened, the net positive far outweighs their annoyance. Plus, there's a full show the rest of the bystanders aren't getting a glimpse of and a good number of them may buy tickets after seeing Zegler sing.

At the end of the day, Rachel Zegler and Evita just became the West End's shop window, so if I were you, I'd get shopping.

What time is Rachel Zegler's balcony performance in Evita?

Rachel Zegler's performance of Don't Cry for Me Argentina takes place outside the London Palladium at around 9pm every night.

For the matinee performances, you'll want to be there for around 4pm.

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