ACT TWO
1. ON THE BALCONY OF THE CASA ROSADA
(PERON has just won a sweeping victory in the 1946
Presidential Election. This is the first public appearance
by PERON and EVA since that triumph. Action takes
place both inside and outside on the balcony of the Casa
Rosada – the pink Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires.)
CHE
People of Argentina! Your newly elected President–
Juan Peron!
(The CROWD begins to chant “Peron! Peron!”)
PERON
Argentinos! Argentinos! We are all workers now!
Fighting against our common enemies–
Poverty, social injustice, foreign domination of
our industries!
Reaching for our common goals–
Our independence, our dignity, our pride!
Let the world know that our great nation is awakening
and that its heart beats in the humble bodies of Juan
Peron–and his wife, the first lady of Argentina,
Eva Duarte de Peron!
(The CROWD by now are beginning to chant
“Evita! Evita!”)
2. DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA
EVA
It won’t be easy, you’ll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I’ve done
You won’t believe me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she’s dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
They are illusions
They’re not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me
Don’t cry for me Argentina……
Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance
Have I said too much?
There’s nothing more I can think
of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me
to know that every
word is true
(The CROWD is ecstatically enthusiastic; EVA goes
inside from the balcony)
Just listen to that! The voice of Argentina!
We are adored! We are loved!
OFFICER
Statesmanship is more than entertaining peasants
EVA
We shall see, little man
CROWD
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista! (Repeated)
(EVA goes back onto the balcony)
3. ON THE BALCONY OF THE CASA ROSADA 2
EVA
I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Peron in his
noble crusade to rescue his people! I was once as you are
now! And I promise you this
We will take the riches from the oligarchs only for
you–for all of you! And one day you will inherit these
treasures! Descamisados! When they fire those cannons,
when the crowds sing of glory, it is not just for Peron,
but for all of us! All of us!
AN ARISTOCRAT (mocking applause)
Things have reached a pretty pass
When someone pretty lower class
Can be accepted and admired-
ARISTOCRAT
But our privileged class is dead!
Look who they are calling for now!
4. HIGH FLYING, ADORED
CHE
High flying, adored, so young, the instant queen,
A rich beautiful thing of all the talents, a cross between
A fantasy of the bedroom and a saint
You were just a back street girl
Hustling and fighting
Scratching and biting
High flying, adored, did you believe in your wildest
moments
All this would be yours, that you’d become the lady
of them all?
Were there stars in your eyes when you crawled in
at night
From the bars, from the sidewalks
From the gutter theatrical?
Don’t look down, it’s a long, long way to fall
High flying, adored, what happens now,
Where do you
go from here?
For someone on top of the world,
The view is not exactly
clear
A shame you did it all at twenty-six
There are no mysteries now
Nothing can thrill you
No-one fulfill you
High flying, adored
I hope you come to terms with
boredom
So famous, so easily, so soon
Is not the wisest thing to be
You won’t care if they love you, it’s been done before
You’ll despair if they hate you
You’ll be drained of all energy
All the young who’ve made it would agree
EVA
High flying, adored
That’s good to hear, but unimportant
My story’s quite usual, local girl makes good,
weds famous man
I was slap in the right place at the perfect time
Filled a gap–I was lucky
But one thing I’ll say for me
No-one else can fill it like I can
5. RAINBOW HIGH
EVA
There again I’ve more to do
Then simply get the message through
I haven’t started!
Let’s get this show on the road
Let’s make it obvious
Peron is off and rolling
EVA’s DRESSERS
Eyes! Hair! Mouth! Figure! Dress! Voice! Style!
Movement! Hands! Magic! Rings! Glamour! Face!
Diamonds! Excitement! Image!
EVA
I came from the people
They need to adore me
So Christian Dior me
From my head to my toes
I need to be dazzling
I want to be Rainbow High!
They must have excitement
And so must I
EVA’s DRESSERS
Eyes! Hair! Mouth! Figure! Dress! Voice! Style! Movement!
EVA
I’m their product
It’s vital you sell me
So Machiavell-me
Make an Argentine Rose!
I need to be thrilling
I want to be Rainbow High!
They need their escape
And so do I
EVA’s DRESSERS
Eyes! Hair! Mouth! Figure! Dress! Voice! Style!
Movement! Hands! Magic! Rings! Glamour! Face!
Diamonds! Excitement! Image!
EVA
All my descamisados expect me to outshine the enemy–
I won’t disappoint them!
I’m their savior!
That’s what they call me
So Lauren Bacall me
Anything goes
To make me fantastic
I have to be Rainbow High
In magical colors–
You’re not decorating a girl for a night on the town!
And I’m not a second-rate queen getting kicks with
a crown!
Next stop will be Europe!
The Rainbow’s gonna tour
Dressed up, somewhere to go
We’ll put on a show!
Look out, mighty Europe!
Because you oughta’ know what’cha’ gonna get in me
Just a little touch of
Just a little touch of
Argentina’s brand of
Star quality!
6. RAINBOW TOUR
(PERON and some of his OFFICERS reflect on EVA’s
European progress. CHE takes over many of the
OFFICERS’ lines during this sequence and also adds
various comments of his own.)
PERON
People of Europe! I send you the Rainbow of Argentina!
CHE
Spain has fallen to the charms of Evita
She can do what she likes–it doesn’t matter much
She’s our Lady of the New World with the golden touch.
She filled a bull-ring–forty-five thousand seater.
But if you’re prettier than General Franco
That’s not hard.
Franco’s reign in Spain should see out the forties
So you’ve just acquired an ally who
Looks as secure in his job as you
But more important, current political thought is
Your wife’s a phenomenal asset
Your trump card
PERON and OFFICERS
Let’s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It’s been an incredible success
We weren’t quite sure, we had a few doubts…
CHE
Will Evita win through?
PERON and OFFICERS
But the answer is yes!
PERON
There you are, I told you so
Makes no difference where she goes
The whole world over–just the same
Just listen to them call her name
And who would underestimate the actress now?
CHE
Now I don’t like to spoil a wonderful story
But the news from Rome isn’t quite as good
She hasn’t gone down like we thought she would
Italy’s unconvinced by Argentine glory
They equate Peron with Mussolini
Can’t think why
EVA (in Italy)
Did you here that?
They called me a whore!
They actually called me a whore!
AN ITALIAN ADMIRAL (CHE)
But Signora Peron–
It’s an easy mistake
I’m still called an admiral
Yet I gave up the sea long ago
CHE / OFFICERS
More bad news from Rome she met with the Pope
She only got a rosary a kindly word
I wouldn’t say the Holy Father gave her the bird
But Papal decorations never a hope
She still looked the part at St. Peter’s
Caught the eye
PERON and OFFICERS
Let’s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It’s been an incredible success
We weren’t quite sure, we had a few doubts
CHE
Would Evita win through?
PERON and OFFICERS
But the answer is–
CHE
A qualified–
PERON and OFFICERS
Yes!
CHE
Eva started well, no question, in France
Shining like the sun through the post-war haze
A beautiful reminder of the carefree days
She nearly captured the French, she sure had the chance
But she suddenly seemed to lose interest
She looked tired
CHE
Face the facts, the Rainbow’s starting to fade
I don’t think she’ll make it to England now
PERON
It wasn’t on the schedule anyhow
CHE
You’d better get out the flags and fix a parade
Some kind of coming home in triumph
Is required.
PERON and OFFICERS
Let’s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It’s been an incredible success
We weren’t quite sure, we had a few doubts
Would Evita win through?
CHE
And the answer is–
PERON and OFFICERS
Yes
CHE
And no
PERON and OFFICERS
And yes
CHE
And no
PERON and OFFICERS
And yes… No
Let’s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It’s been an incredible success…..
We weren’t quite sure
We had a few doubts
Would Evita win through?
But the answer is….yes
Yes
7. THE ACTRESS HASN’T LEARNED
(THE LINES YOU’D LIKE TO HEAR)
ARISTOCRACY
Thus all fairy stories end
Only an actress would pretend
Affairs of state are her latest play
Eight shows a week two matinees
My how the worm begins to turn
When will the chorus girl ever learn?
My how the worm begins to turn
When will the chorus girl ever learn?
EVA
The chorus girl hasn’t learned the lines you’d like to hear
She won’t go scrambling over the backs of the poor to be
accepted
By making donations–just large enough–to the correct
charity
She won’t be president of your wonderful societies of
philanthropy
Even if you asked her to be
As you should have asked her to be
The actress hasn’t learned the lines you’d like to hear
She won’t join your clubs, she won’t dance in your halls
She won’t help the hungry once a month at your tombolas
She’ll simply take control as you disappear
CHE
Forgive my intrusion but fine as those sentiments sound
Little has changed for us peasants down here on the
ground
I hate to sound childish, ungrateful, I don’t like to moan
But do you now represent anyone’s cause but your own?
EVA
Everything done will be justified by my Foundation
8. AND THE MONEY KEPT ROLLING IN (AND OUT)
CHE (and WORKERS on choruses)
And the money kept rolling in from every side
Eva’s pretty hands reached out and they reached wide
Now you may feel it should have been a voluntary cause
But that’s not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling in you don’t ask how
Think of all the people guaranteed a good time now
Eva’s called the hungry to her–opened up the doors!
Never been a fund like the Foundation Eva Peron!
Rolling, rolling, rolling (repeat)
Rolling on in
Would you like to try a college education?
Own your landlord’s house, take the family on vacation?
Eva and her blessed Fund can make your dreams come
true
Here’s all you have to do my friends
Write your name and your dream on a card or a pad
or a ticket
Throw it high in the air and should our lady pick it
She will change your way of life for a week or even two
Name me anyone who cares as much as Eva Peron!
Rolling, rolling, rolling (repeat)
Rolling on out
And the money kept rolling out in all directions
To the poor to the weak to the destitute of all
complexions
Now cynics claim a little of the cash has gone astray
But that’s not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling out you don’t keep books
You can tell you’ve done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in
the way
Never been a lady loved as much as Eva Peron!
Rolling, rolling, rolling (repeat)
Rolling on out
Eva!!
When the money keeps rolling out you don’t keep books
You can tell you’ve done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in
the way
Never been a lady loved as much as Eva Peron!
Rolling, rolling, rolling
Rolling in and out
9. PARTIDO FEMINISTA
CROWD
Evita Peron! Partido Feminista! (Repeated)
EVA
Peron is everything! He’s the soul, the nerve, the hope and the
Reality of the Argentine people. We all know that there is only
One man in our movement with his own source of light. We all feed
From his light and that is Peron.
CROWD
Evita Peron! Partido Feminista! (Repeated)
CHE
And now she wants to be Vice-president.
ARMY
That was the over-the-top unacceptable suggestion.
We didn’t approve but we couldn’t prevent the games
Of the wife of the president.
But to give her intentions encouragement
She’s out of her depth and out of the question.
10. SHE IS A DIAMOND
PERON (to OFFICERS)
But on the other hand–she’s all they have
She’s a diamond in their dull gray lives–and that’s the
Hardest kind of stone–it usually survives
And when you think about it, can you recall
The last time they loved anyone at all?
She’s not a bauble you can brush aside
She’s been out doing what we just talked about–example
Gave us back our businesses, got the English out
And when you think about it–well why not do
One or two of the things we promised to?
But on the other hand she’s slowing down
She’s lost a little of that magic drive–but I would
Not advise those critics present to derive
Any satisfaction from her fading star
She’s the one who’s kept us where we are
OFFICERS
She’s the one who’s kept you where you are.
11. SANTA EVITA
CHILDREN
Please, gentle Eva, will you bless a little child?
For I love you–tell Heaven I’m doing my best
I’m praying for you, even though you’re already blessed
Please, mother Eva, will you look upon me as your own?
Make me special, be my angel, be my everything, wonderful,
perfect, and true
And I’ll try to be exactly like you
Please, holy Eva, will you feed a hungry child?
For I love you–tell Heaven I’m doing my best
I’m praying for you, even though you’re already blessed
Please, mother Eva, will you feed a hungry child?
For I love you–tell Heaven I’m doing my best
I’m praying for you, even though you’re already blessed
CHE
Turn a blind eye, Evita,
Turn a blind eye
WORKERS
Santa Santa Evita
Madre de todos los ninos
De los tiranizados
De los descamisados
De los trabajadores
De la Argentina
Santa Santa Evita
Madre de todos los ninos
De los tiranizados
De los descamisados
De los trabajadores
De la Argentina
(Repeats)
12. WALTZ FOR EVA AND CHE
CHE
Tell me before I waltz out of your life
Before turning my back on the past
Forgive my impertinent behavior
But how long do you think this pantomime can last?
Tell me before I ride off in the sunset
There’s one thing I never got clear
How can you claim you’re our savior
When those who oppose you
Are stepped on, or cut up, or simply disappear?
EVA
Tell me before you get onto your bus
Before joining the forgotten brigade
How can one person like me, say,
Alter the time-honored way the game is played?
Tell me before you get onto your high horse
Just what you expect me to do
I don’t care what the bourgeoisie say
I’m not in business for them but to give all my
descamisados
A magical moment or two
CHE and EVA
There is evil, ever around, fundamental
System of government quite incidental
EVA
So what are my chances
Of honest advances?
I’d say low
Better to win
By admitting my sin
Than to lose with a halo
CHE
Tell me before I seek worthier pastures
And thereby restore self-esteem
How can you be so short-sighted
To look never further than this week or next week
To have no impossible dream?
EVA
Allow me to help you slink off to the sidelines
I’ll mark your ado with three cheers
But first tell me who’d be delighted
If I said I’d take on the
The world’s greatest problems
From war to pollution?
No hope of solution
Even if I lived for one hundred years
CHE and EVA
There is evil, ever around, fundamental
System of government quite incidental
EVA
So go, if you’re able
To somewhere unstable
And stay there
Whip up your hate
In some tottering state
But not here, dear
Is that clear, dear?
Oh what I’d give for a hundred years!
But the physical interferes
Every day more–O my Creator!
What is the good of the strongest heart
In a body that’s falling apart?
A serious flaw–I hope You know that
13. YOUR LITTLE BODY’S SLOWLY BREAKING DOWN
PERON
Your little body’s slowly breaking down
You’re losing speed, you’re losing strength–not style–
that goes on
Flourishing forever, but your eyes, your smile
Do not have the sparkle of your fantastic past
If you climb one more mountain it could be your last
EVA
I’m not that ill–bad moments come but they go
Some days are fine, some a little bit harder
But that doesn’t mean
We should give up our dream
Have you ever seen
Me defeated?
Don’t you forget what I’ve been through and yet
I’m still standing.
PERON
Eva, you are dying.
EVA
So what happens now?
Where am I going to?
PERON
Don’t ask anymore.
14. YOU MUST LOVE ME
EVA
Where do we go from here?
This isn’t where we intended to be.
We had it all
You believed in me
I believed in you
Certainties disappear
What do we do for our dream to survive
How do we keep all our passions alive
As we used to do?
Deep in my heart I’m concealing
Things that I’m longing to say
Scared to confess what I’m feeling
Frightened you’ll slip away
You must love me
You must love me
Why are you at my side?
How can I be any use to now?
Give me a chance and I’ll let you see how
Nothing has changed.
Deep in my heart I’m concealing
Things that I’m longing to say
Scared to confess what I’m feeling
Frightened you’ll slip away
You must love me
You must love me
You must love me
15. EVA’S FINAL BROADCAST
EVA
The actress hasn’t learned the lines you’d like to hear.
She’s sad for her country.
Sad to be defeated by her own weak body.
(a microphone is switched on–she is now on the air)
CROWD
Evita! Evita! Evita!
EVA
I want to tell the people of Argentina
I’ve decided I should decline
All the honors and titles you’ve pressed me to take
For I’m contented–let me simply go on
As the woman who brings her people to the heart of
Peron!
Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I shall not leave you
Though it may get harder
For you to see me
I’m Argentina
And always will be
Have I said too much?
There’s nothing more I can think
of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me
to know that every
word is true
16. LATIN CHANT
CHE
She had her moments–she had some style
The best show in town was the crowd
Outside the Casa Rosada crying, “Eva Peron”
But that’s all gone now–
17. LAMENT
(In her last hours, images, people and events from EVA’s
life flow through her mind, while the grief of the nation
knows no bounds)
EVA
The choice was mine and mine completely
I could have any prize that I desired
I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire
Or else–or else I could choose time
Remember I was very young then
And a year was forever and a day
So what use could fifty, sixty, seventy be?
I saw the lights and I was on my way
And how I lived! How they shone!
But how soon the lights were gone!
(The moment EVA dies, EMBALMERS move in to
preserve her fragile body)
CHE
The choice was your’s and no one else’s
You can cry for a body in despair
Hang your head because she is no longer there
To shine, or dazzle, or betray.
How she lived, how she shone
But how soon the lights were gone
EMBALMERS
Eyes, hair, face, image
All must be preserved
Still life displayed forever
No less than she deserved