Power and passion in two Rice-Lloyd Webber shows from the 1970s, back on stage in impressive productions.

In 1978, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber premiered Evita, their second major musical, while the first, Jesus Christ Superstar, was in the sixth year of its West End run. There was much comment about the gulf in subject matter: from the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ to the political influence of the wife of a mid-twentieth-century fascist leader in Argentina.

With distance, though, it’s clear how similar the shows actually are. Each features a figure demonised by detractors as a dangerous political agitator but sanctified by supporters.

And, in both cases, Lloyd Webber’s score signals the deified status by invoking a hymn. In Jesus Christ Superstar, the crowd greets the title character with a rocky “Hosanna!” chorus, while Eva is addressed in the opening number with a direct sample from a Marian anthem used in Catholic liturgy: “Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae,/ vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve/ Salve regina.” Later, as the First Lady becomes the de facto leader of Argentina, a child sings a bespoke hymn, “Santa Evita”, glorifying her character on earth and soon (since she is dying young) in Heaven.

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