Where and when?
Originally announced to open at the Adelphi Theatre in 2020 but scrapped due to the pandemic, Imelda Staunton finally stars in Hello, Dolly! at the The London Palladium right now.
Who’s in the cast?
Imelda Staunton plays Dolly Levi, Andy Nyman as Horace Vandergelder, Jenna Russell as Irene Molloy. Tyrone Huntley as Barnaby Tucker, Harry Hepple, as Cornelius Hackl and Emily Lane as Minnie Fay.
The full company includes: Leo Abad, Craig Armstrong, Lindsay Atherton, Gemma Atkins, Alan Bradshaw, Jabari Braham, Kevin Brewis, Jenni Bowden, Daisy Boyles, Samara Casteallo, Olly Christopher, Brendan Cull, Hayley Diamond, Jacqueline Hughes, Ashlee Irish, Jodie Jacobs, Shirley Jameson, Paul Kemble, Emily Langham, Michael Lin, Amira Matthews, Laura Medforth, Matt Overfield, Tom Partridge, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Edwin Ray, Phil Snowden, Kraig Thornber, Gavin Wilkinson and Liam Wrate.
Creative team
With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (La Cage aux Folles, Mack and Mabel, Mame) and book by Michael Stewart (42nd Street, Mack and Mabel, Barnum), Hello, Dolly! is one of the most iconic musicals of all time. Jerry Herman’s timeless score includes ‘Put On Your Sunday Clothes’, ‘Ribbons Down My Back’, ‘Before the Parade Passes By’, ‘Elegance’, ‘It Only Takes a Moment’ and of course, ‘Hello, Dolly!’.
This brand-new production reunites Imelda with director Dominic Cooke, following their spectacular, critically acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at the National Theatre.
What’s the show about?
Multi-Olivier and BAFTA Award-winning Staunton plays meddlesome socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi, as she travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried ‘half-a-millionaire’ Horace Vandergelder. But everything changes when she decides that the next match she needs to make is for herself.
Assisted performances
TBC
Did I love it?
I had been excited about seeing Hello Dolly! live on stage, ever since it was announced that it would be coming to London, and it turned out to be quite a wait – but was it worth waiting for?
The music is undoubtedly iconic with beautiful renditions of ‘Put On Your Sunday Clothes’, ‘Before The Parade Passes By’ and of course, the title track, ‘Hello Dolly’.
Tyrone Huntley steals the show as Barnaby Tucker and Jenna Russell is sublime as Irene Molloy (giving a stand out rendition of ‘Ribbons Down My Back’). Jodie Jacobs brings the show to life with colour and comedy in act two as Ernestina and Andy Nyman, always a joy to watch on stage, is wonderful as Horace Vandergelder.
Imelda Staunton is a British legend and shines in every role she takes on but I felt some of the songs in this show were a little too low for her voice and struggled to emote power (especially in act one). Also disappointing were some of the big dance numbers which felt a little like some of the cast were just jumping around on stage and hoping to fit in with some other incredible movers.
Overall, I’m glad I can cross this show off of my list of things to see. If you go, it won’t be a wasted trip but I left the London Palladium wishing I had felt so much more than I did. I guess I should stick to watching the original film instead.
Where can I get tickets?
https://westendwilma.londontheatredirect.com/musical/hello-dolly-tickets
