'Hello Dolly' by Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart
13 September 2024
Last Saturday we were at the London Palladium to see ‘Hello Dolly’ starring Imelda Staunton. Jerry Herman’s 1964 musical is one I'm not at all familiar with: I had not previously seen it, nor the 1969 film with Barbara Streisand. And I think the only song I knew was the title track. It's a really enjoyable old-fashioned screwball comedy musical, genuinely funny and a great showpiece with a brilliant headlining role for the eponymous matchmaker. Based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce ‘The Merchant of Yonkers’ (later revised by Wilder as ‘The Matchmaker’, it tells the story of a New York widow Dolly Levi who mischievously engineers unions between unsuspecting eligible suitors while beginning to look for a later-in-life profitable union for herself. This production, directed by Dominic Cooke, who also directed Imelda Staunton in the great National Theatre production of Follies, reviewed here in November 2017), is a joyous celebration of song and dance on the big Palladium stage. Rae Smith’s set, featuring a moving sidewalk along which the characters process, as well as full-size trolleybuses and trains, is lots of fun. There is a large cast and brilliant choreography by Bill Deamer. Andy Nyman is great as the grumpy businessman at the heart of the matchmaking intrigue, and Jenna Russell, Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple also impress with Emily Langham stealing most of her scenes with her comically miserable sobbing. But this is Imelda Staunton's show and she is magnificent. Her rapturous reception and genuine standing ovation showed a true warmth from the packed audience for the musical leading lady who can't put a foot wrong.
posted by Robin Simpson @ 1:35 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home