The show must go on! Actress travels over 150 miles to save Evita performance after leading lady and her understudy both fall ill

Jessica Daley travelled from Middlesbrough to Leicester to sing the starring role 

An actress travelled more than 150 miles to save performance of the musical Evita after both the leading lady and her understudy became ill.

Jessica Daley travelled from her home in Middlesbrough to the Curve theatre in Leicester to sing the starring role of Eva Peron in a 7.30pm performance of Evita on Saturday.

The theatre had spent the day trying to find a replacement and Daley responded to the call, arriving to sing the demanding role from the side of the stage while the rest of the cast performed.

Martha Kirby and her understudy Chumisa Dornford-May were too ill to go on, although Dornford-May has since recovered and will return to the stage for today’s performance.

The theatre shared a picture of Daley receiving a standing ovation, with audience members later replying to the post to thank Daley for her ‘amazing’ performance.

Actress Jessica Daley (centre) travelled more than 150 miles to save performance of the musical Evita after both the leading lady and her understudy became ill

Actress Jessica Daley (centre) travelled more than 150 miles to save performance of the musical Evita after both the leading lady and her understudy became ill

Martha Kirby (pictured) and her understudy Chumisa Dornford-May were too ill to go on, prompting Daley to take over the starring role of Eva Peron in a 7.30pm performance yesterday

Martha Kirby (pictured) and her understudy Chumisa Dornford-May were too ill to go on, prompting Daley to take over the starring role of Eva Peron in a 7.30pm performance yesterday

Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir Tim Rice wrote the musical about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Peron in 1978

Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir Tim Rice wrote the musical about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Peron in 1978

The Curve posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘She is a diamond – a huge round of applause for Jessica Daley!

‘@jessicacaca7 joined us this evening to perform as Eva Peron, meaning our production of Evita could go ahead.

‘Here she is receiving a well deserved standing ovation from our loyal and supportive audiences.’

Ms Daley replied saying: ‘A moment. Lord’, with a crying face emoji, and has pinned the post to her X account.

Audience members also showed their gratification for the actor in the comments, with one saying: ‘Amazing performance…so glad that the show could go on! Thank you Jessica…what a star!!’

Another wrote: ‘She was amazing, as were the whole cast. Thank you, Curve, for pulling out all the stops to put on the show this evening. Special thanks to @jessicacaca7 for being so courageous. Brilliant performance.’

In 2019, Ms Daley led the international tour of Evita to ‘high acclaim’. She has also performed in stage versions of Billy Elliot, An Officer And A Gentleman and The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir Tim Rice wrote the musical about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Peron in 1978.

It was turned into a film in 1996 with Madonna in the title role.

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