Jessica Daley: Evita actor hailed for 'remarkable' stand-in performance

Sir Tim Rice said he heard Jessica Daley's performance was "amazing"

An actor who drove 150 miles (241km) to take the lead in a musical with just a few hours' notice has been praised for her "remarkable" performance.

Jessica Daley drove from Middlesbrough to Leicester to star as Eva Perón in Evita on Saturday after the original actor and understudy both fell ill.

With less than three hours practice, Ms Daley took to the stage to fill the role at the city's Curve theatre.

Original lyricist Sir Tim Rice said he heard her performance was "amazing".

Nikolai Foster, artistic director at the Curve, said the theatre had a "chaotic" start to Saturday, when their leading lady and understudy fell ill.

"It's a pretty remarkable thing that Jess and indeed the whole team pulled off on Saturday," he said.

"It's a testament to the expertise that we've got here in the building, that they can adapt and work so quickly and methodically and safely to enable an actor to literally turn up at 16:00 and by 19:00, be delivering the performance that Jess did."

Ms Daley paid tribute to the cast and crew for seeing her through the experience

Mr Foster said Ms Daley "blew the absolute roof off the place".

"It's obviously a testament to Jess' talent and stupendous ability as an actor that she could go on stage and deliver," he said.

"This wasn't just Jess getting through the performance. This was Jess absolutely inhabiting the role, making it her own and really delivering something that will stay in our memories forever."

Sir Tim and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the musical about the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón in 1978.

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

Nikolai Foster, artistic director at the Curve theatre, said Saturday's performance was "memorable"

Sir Tim, who watched the show on Tuesday, said he had been told by former cricketer and Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew that Ms Daley's performance was "amazing".

"I've come to see Evita, which I heard was very good, and has had some dramatic, unexpected attention," he said.

"It's got a very good cast, and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

"I've heard that the regular performers are really good, and I was going to come anyway, and I'm still absolutely delighted to be here."