Review by Paul Towers, 17/7/24
Hello Dolly book by Michael Stewart, music 7 lyrics by Jerry Herman
Directed by Dominic Cooke
Produced by Michael Harrison
At London Palladium until 14th September 2024
OMG what a show!
I originally booked tickets for Imelda Staunton’s Hello Dolly way back in 2020. Sadly Covid put paid to that and the production was further delayed because Ms Staunton was giving her regal best as HM in The Crown. Thankfully, four years on, I have had my dreams realised and I sat expectantly in a full house matinée in London’s Palladium theatre waiting for the curtain to rise.
The orchestra started the overture, a great traditional run through of all the tunes from the show. Then the curtain rose to the tiny figure of Dolly Levi sat at her dressing table readying herself for the tasks ahead. As the opening number of Just Leave Everything To Me builds the tabs fly back and the full spectacle of the production is unveiled.
Dolly Levi is a force of nature, she is a fixer. It doesn’t matter what you want or need fixing Dolly knows a man who can. But her main talent is matchmaking in the days long before dating apps.
Imelda Staunton’s Dolly Levi is a whirlwind of meddling as she seems to be everywhere and everything to everyone. She has her sights set on remarriage and the object of her attention is grumpy misogynist Horace Vandergelder (Andy Nyman) half millionaire owner of a Hay & Feed Store. As part of her plan to ‘force’ Horace to fall in love with her she is off to New York and the Harmonia Gardens to woo him, the best place to be seen in the city.
Meanwhile Horace’s clerks, Cornelius (Harry Hepple) and Barnaby (Tyrone Huntly - I last saw as Che in Curve’s Evita) are desperate to find girlfriends and are encouraged by Dolly to skive off to New York as well. Along the way the boys do indeed find girlfriends, Irene Molly (Jenna Russell) and Minnie Fay (Emily Lane) respectively.
This is a big, lavish production as only the London Palladium can do. A huge live orchestra of 22 is hidden under the stage and gives a full sound to the show. Choreographer Bill Deamer has the good luck to work with a very talented ensemble of dancers while Comedy Director Toby Park finds laughs right from the start.
Amazingly the show doesn’t officially open until 18th July but the previews were sold out.
This production of such a well loved show will not disappoint. While the film version was overpowered by Streisand’s grandstanding performance this is a well balanced staging with Ms Staunton, while giving a stella performance, not overwhelming the overall show.
This is a limited run so get tickets while you can.
https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/hello-dolly/
https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/
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