‘So beautiful’: Rachel Zegler hails accessibility of Evita’s free balcony scene

Zegler won the Olivier award for best actress in a musical for her role in Jamie Lloyd’s ‘genius’ production

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It was the most talked about theatre scene of the year: Rachel Zegler performing https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/jun/21/rachel-zeglers-evita-balcony-scene-oxford-circus">Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/jun/18/dont-cry-for-me-all-you-boozers-the-trouble-with-shifting-evitas-big-balcony-number-from-stage-to-street">the balcony at the London Palladium to crowds gathered on the street below.

At the https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/apr/12/olivier-awards-2026-full-list-of-winners">Olivier awards on Sunday night, Zegler delivered the song from Evita again – this time on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall – and took home the award for best actress in a musical.

Host Nick Mohammed said that Zegler had become “a new landmark for London sightseers” during Evita’s run last summer. “People who hadn’t bought a ticket could effectively watch it live for free whereas everyone inside had to pay to watch it on a giant screen,” he explained, jokingly calling it “a business model that I’m sure could really catch on”.