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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 10, 2024 0:21:36 GMT
I wonder if there’s a plan to tour this, maybe without the elaborate train set piece like they did with The King and I. I just had a look at wiki and it’s never toured the U.K? Is there enough name recognition of the show to sell this to a certain demographic, especially with a popular lead? *cough Jane McDonald cough* It toured the UK in the late 1980’s with Dora Bryan as Dolly and Kathryn Evans as Irene. I remember seeing it at the Opera House in Manchester. I wonder if there’s a plan to tour this, maybe without the elaborate train set piece like they did with The King and I. I just had a look at wiki and it’s never toured the U.K? Is there enough name recognition of the show to sell this to a certain demographic, especially with a popular lead? *cough Jane McDonald cough* It toured the UK with Anita Dobson as Dolly around 2008 (I saw it at the Lowry). She was great. The production was not. And Darren Day was a particularly awful Cornelius. I loved Janie Dee as Dolly at The Curve in 2012. It toured the UK in the late 1980’s with Dora Bryan as Dolly and Kathryn Evans as Irene. I remember seeing it at the Opera House in Manchester. Dora Bryan was a big success in Hello Dolly, many years prior to the 1980s production. She played Dolly in the original UK production at Drury Lane, then toured to a few UK cities with it. As posted elsewhere Anita Dobson and Darren Day did a more recent UK tour, and before that Danny La Rue played Dolly in Birmingham and the Prince of Wales Theatre, with Lionel Jeffries. Lesson: never trust Wikipedia |
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Post by Steve on Jul 10, 2024 0:53:12 GMT
Staunton's Dolly is not mugging for laughs (although most of the gags land!) and as a result she's hugely moving. That's the thing about this production that got me - how emotional I was. Staunton's going for the heart strings as a woman coming back to life, and she pulls at them with ease. . . Just Leave Everything To Me works really well for Staunton (better choice actually that I Put My Hand In for her I think), and Love Look Through My Window is entirely unnecessary but very moving. . . It's a solid 4 stars for now, with some little tweaks here and there it can be a 5. This is a very different take on Hello Dolly, but that's no bad thing. I SO agree with this!
I also felt that Cooke's and Staunton's brilliance in this production is in creating a Dolly who brings an immensely moving gravitas to the piece, connected to her battle against the passage of time, a universal battle that in this production is inspiring and moving.
Some spoilers follow. . .
The whole piece is about the passage of time: with Dolly taking up her "old trombone and "old baton," to prevent "the parade passing [her] by," the fact that Dolly is "still" going strong, after being "away" for ever so long, the fact that it only takes "a moment" for Cornelius to be loved a whole life long, the way Mrs. Molloy puts on those evanescent summertime "ribbons" to embrace life's fleeting moment.
Dominic Cooke brilliantly uses Imelda Staunton's nuanced affecting acting to bring out that sense of time destroying us all and Dolly fighting heroically against that.
By starting with "Just Leave Everything to Me," Cooke sneakily gets us thinking how terribly the Streisand film, which introduced that song, betrayed the principal themes of the musical by casting such a pristine, invincible 25 year old in the lead role (as brilliantly entertaining as she was), and having her effortlessly seduce a man twice her age. Instead, here, a Dolly wracked with grief, for a long-lived life with a beloved husband, pledges to take the little time she has left and make use of it. Even in the body of this song, Cooke has Staunton's Dolly pause to pledge all this to Ephraim before carrying on with the song.
For me, "Love Look in My Window," the Ethel Merman song, is also utilised perfectly by Cooke, its placement moved from Act 1 to Act 2, just before the "Hello Dolly" eleven o'clock number. This way, Cooke can soften the moment, remind us of the ravages of time first, poignantly pausing in remembrance of a lost past, like Henry V surveying his troops before battle, before Dolly returns to the fray of the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant to do battle for Vandergelder's heart.
But of course, no moment, pertaining to the ravaging passage of time, beats Staunton's end of Act 1 rendition of "Before the Parade Passes By", where she promises Ephraim to "return to the human race." At 68, still able to summon Mama Rose's ferocity, Staunton starts ever so gently and wistfully before building to a stonking great life-affirming climax. Its magnificent!
I also loved Jenna Russell's Mrs. Molloy's tentative ever-so-romantic commitment to those evanescent "Ribbons Down My Back," which I found almost as moving as Staunton's "Parade."
Anyhow, while I think the raison d-etre of this production is the focus on time, and Staunton's senstivity to that, I also thought there was so much wonderful comedy in this production:
(1) Laughs per line were probably greatest with Emily Langham's Ermengarde, who makes a series of wails into an almost comprehensible language of anxiety and distress;
(2) Harry Hepple is SO charming and likeable as Cornelius, and makes such a great comedy double act with the overenthusiastic and hysterical Tyrone Huntley's Barnaby;
(3) Emily Lane's Minnie Faye discovering hidden men in cupboards, and acting as an echo for Jenna Russell's Mrs. Molloy, was a hoot;
(4) Jodie Jacobs nails the overblown crass pushiness of Ernestine;
(5) Andy Nyman gets great laughs out of the money-minded Vandergelder's "Penny in my Pocket" at the top of Act 2, and is a great straight man for Staunton's comedy act;
(6) Jenna Russell's Mrs. Molloy is wonderfully knowing and quirky;
and (7) Staunton's Dolly, when not being tremendously moving and wistful, is wonderful in timing Dolly's Jedi mind-trick lines, especially when Andy Nyman's furious Vandergelder is her victim.
Oh, and I loved the train and the travelator, which were great production value for such a brief run.
I agree that this is a brilliant production, and I give it 4 and a half stars, with the expectation that added tautness and contrasts will be discovered imminently, rendering this 5 stars by press night. I voted 4 stars in the poll at the moment, but I really feel this one is close to 5, and I will be back for sure lol.  |
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 10, 2024 8:11:32 GMT
Lots of the show did jar with me as I know the Broadway show so well, so there were lines that definitely should have had a stronger impact for me than they did - iconic lines like 'I have decided to rejoin the human race and I want you to give me away' are just lost in the middle of Staunton's speeches (because they're using a different book) and that may be due to the direction or just the way she's playing it.
If you're not a Hello Dolly aficionado then k think this won't matter, but I definitely did have points where I felt like I was watching an entirely new show.
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jul 10, 2024 8:40:19 GMT
There was also the Open Air production at Regents Park with Samantha Spiro in 2009 Still get goosebumps when I remember walking back after the interval to the stage, at dusk, the set covered with tiny fairy lights. Quite beautiful. |
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Post by ladidah on Jul 10, 2024 9:27:01 GMT
Trying to get a Rush for this, but I really want to avoid Grand Circle.
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Post by ceebee on Jul 10, 2024 9:30:03 GMT
Trying to get a Rush for this, but I really want to avoid Grand Circle. Have you tried for a row A stalls seat booking ahead? |
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Post by critchyboy on Jul 10, 2024 11:39:06 GMT
Trying to get a Rush for this, but I really want to avoid Grand Circle. Just had a Quick Look and got offered I50 in the Royal Circle..! |
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Post by A.Ham on Jul 10, 2024 12:03:56 GMT
I just tried too (for a single admittedly) and got offered Royal Circle J35 which looks to be pretty good…
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Post by wefox on Jul 10, 2024 16:14:14 GMT
Trying to get a Rush for this, but I really want to avoid Grand Circle. Don’t forget the lottery, last year it was very easy for me to get stall tickets for the Wizard of Oz Rush tickets are already offering circle seats, and looking at the available seats for the shows ahead, I wouldn’t be surprised that they will soon offer stalls tickets too (specially at evening shows, lots of availability) |
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Post by danb on Jul 10, 2024 16:38:20 GMT
Thoroughly enjoyed that! A bit of a curates egg in terms of wafer thin story, but I guess it’s just a woman's journey through life…with a few big cheesy tunes thrown in. Nice. £20 seats fine other than the amount of people that have to get out before you!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 10, 2024 16:52:34 GMT
I think the last £20 front row TheatreBoard club was at 42nd Street wasn’t it?
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Post by alece10 on Jul 10, 2024 17:36:24 GMT
I think the last £20 front row TheatreBoard club was at 42nd Street wasn’t it? Oh yes I remember it well (or was it £15?). Anyway I went many times and met up with lots of board members. In fact, I think we had the whole 2 front rows for the final night (although we had to pay full price). |
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Post by danb on Jul 10, 2024 18:04:26 GMT
The standing at the back would still be a bargain & theres not a lot going on at the top of the stage .
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Post by BVM on Jul 10, 2024 19:33:54 GMT
Saw this last night.
Really great production. Was moderately lavish by today's standards (especially for a limited run) and with a big cast and orchestra. Was surprised to read in programme was produced by Michael Harrison as generally think of him as cheap. But given his recent productions may need to reassess this.
Imelda was great I thought and very natural; the laughs were genuine rather than her playing for gags. Harry Hepple was great too and absolutely leading man material.
The piece itself I thought was average. Can see if you like the golden age of Broadway would be right up your street, but it was a long way in before I became remotely invested in the story. (I have never seen the musical or film so came in blind ish). Didn't really understand why Dolly wanted everyone to meet at the hat shop at the same time, though that did eventually become apparent. Also has the Jenna Russell character always been so much older than the Harry Hepple one?
Also did these matchmaker people actually exist in America whenever it was set? There are some timeless themes but also not much that most younger audiences would identify with I don't think. (And did sit there pondering if you can reinvent these musicals for the next generation like JL did with Sunset. I guess the recent Oklahoma sort of did....)
And when Dolly arrived at the restaurant was unclear why this was such a big thing for all the people that worked here (also could have sworn that had been said 5 mins previously she'd booked the table that the guy she eventually married was at with Miss Money so wasn't sure why her arrival was such a surprise!)
Anyway - it all came together in the end and the title number was fantastic. As is usual for me in this sort of thing though I didn't think the paper thin plot justified the loooooong spoken sections and I was generally desperate for more singing and more dancing!
Score decent but is not banger after banger like (IMHO) My Fair Lady, Anything Goes or 42nd Street. Out of the recent revivals and old school stuff I probs engaged with Crazy For You more, daft though it was.
Still, it deserves to do well and I hope it does.
Also a shout out to the perfectly behaved audience. For whatever reason the musicals I love the most seem besieged by audience problems so was lovely to be sat in a more traditional audience (and one that unusually made me feel young).
I was in A1 Dress Circle and after the title number looked round into Stalls and Circle and the smiles and sheer joy on the faces of some of the (mainly older) audience members brought joy to my heart. Hope I'm not becoming sentimental lol. But this is clearly doing something right. Incredible reception.
4.5 star production of a 3 star musical.
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Post by BVM on Jul 10, 2024 19:36:29 GMT
Oh and has the speech at the end about money always been in it or did they add it for this production?
And is the first number (Just Leave Everything To Me?) a melody that is present on the Bette Midler recording under a different name? As it's the only version I have listened to and it doesn't seem to be on it but the melody sounded very familiar to me!
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Post by alece10 on Jul 10, 2024 19:49:00 GMT
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Post by damaskanddark on Jul 10, 2024 20:37:24 GMT
The 2017 production was recorded, so hopefully We still get a cast album. But I remember they wanted to film the 2017 Midler version for the public and they didn't in the end - probably same issues. |
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Post by damaskanddark on Jul 10, 2024 20:38:41 GMT
Oh and has the speech at the end about money always been in it or did they add it for this production? And is the first number (Just Leave Everything To Me?) a melody that is present on the Bette Midler recording under a different name? As it's the only version I have listened to and it doesn't seem to be on it but the melody sounded very familiar to me! The money speech has always been there. It's basically pulled straight from Thornton Wilder. It's a famous dramatic speech on its own anyway, frequently used for monologues for auditions, etc. Just Leave Everything includes the 'Call on Dolly' sequence which is also part of I Put My Hand In which is used for the Bette Midler recording, so you would have heard elements of it there - including the 'I have always been a woman who arranges things' - this is used in both songs. |
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Post by damaskanddark on Jul 10, 2024 21:41:46 GMT
What are people thinking for possible Olivier nominations/wins next year for this production?
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Post by avfan on Jul 10, 2024 21:41:50 GMT
Overall this was an enjoyable show. The set is stunning and the performances across the board were great. Imelda is wonderful, her singing is a bit underpowered which wasn’t the case when I saw her in Gypsy but her comic timing and song interpretations are wonderful. I know it’s still in previews and may change but the choreography for me was a let down. For such a big cast, there were moments where the stage looked pretty bare especially during some of the dance numbers. It also feels like the brilliant orchestra are underpowered in some of the numbers as you can audibly hear the dancers feet, maybe it’s a choice but it feels like numbers that look like they’re about to sore kind of fade out. Even Hello Dolly had a really slow build and as it crescendoed it sort of faded out again. Some interesting directing choices in act 2, pacing is off and will pick up throughout previews but again it felt like such a big stage was left unnecessarily bare at points. There was also a show stop 40 Mins in as someone collapsed in the dress circle. I did enjoy it, Act 1 more than Act 2, it’s a 3.5 / 5 for me. I’ll give it a 4 as it doesn’t deserve a 3. Perfectly enjoyable show.
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Post by crabtree on Jul 10, 2024 21:58:35 GMT
I'm glad that they seem to have found some substance in what, until now, for me at least, has been about little more that a truly annoying, interfering woman with a penchant for staircases.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 10, 2024 22:09:19 GMT
So Baz says she comes down the staircase in red.. others say green .. what is it??!
Love the mention of a mouse running past- that’s the state of ALW’s theatres for you.
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Post by damaskanddark on Jul 10, 2024 22:11:17 GMT
The Americans have never had a problem with this property or its original source. This is so very British - the need for more substance. Dominic Cooke follows in the tradition of Trevor Nunn, Nicholas Hytner, and Sam Mendes in needing to 'investigate' the American musical comedy, only to highlight its flaws.
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Post by BVM on Jul 10, 2024 22:12:17 GMT
It is on in Britain to be fair!
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Post by BVM on Jul 10, 2024 22:12:50 GMT
She was resplendent in green last night.
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