They say you should never meet your heroes. Kevin, a gay, forty-something year old, failing comedian, does just that in this new Dolly Parton musical. With his career at a standstill, living in the attic of his parent’s house during the Covid pandemic and his relationship coming to an end, Kevin’s life can’t seem to get any worse. Not knowing where to turn, he seeks support from his icon, Dolly Parton. Right on cue, she appears and offers him the advice he needs to get his life back on track.
Having heard very little about this brand-new show, with a transfer to the West End imminent, I was excited to see how Dolly’s iconic numbers could be brought to life. However, it was certainly not what I expected. No large-scale cast, dance routines or set changes as we are so often familiar with in jukebox musicals. Instead, the show is essentially a two-hander with Kevin playing out his fantasy with Dolly Parton, a figment of his imagination, in the sole location of his bedroom.
The plot was weak and predictable, with a poor script offering very little depth of characters or meaningful dialogue. It felt as though the whole show was just a vehicle to showcase Parton’s hits, as they were loosely weaved into the mundane storyline. Kevin was very much a one-dimensional character, disappointingly playing to the gay stereotype. Whilst some interactions between Kevin and Dolly were humorous, many jokes didn’t land, with the comedic elements of the play occurring less often than I’d have liked. Unfortunately, the production is full of clichés, particularly surrounding Covid. In fact, it seemed a curious choice to set the show during the pandemic at all. Do we all really want to be reminded of a time that was so isolating and damaging for many? Is it relevant for an audience in 2024 to have toilet roll panic-buying gags and banging pans for the NHS? It certainly didn’t feel like it.
Undeniably, the two leads were superb. Let down by the writing, Steven Webb (Kevin) and Tricia Paoluccio (Dolly) delivered powerhouse performances. Webb is a triple threat – strong in acting, dancing and singing. His dance routine, dressed as Dolly bringing Beyoncé vibes, offered a rare highlight to Act One. It was shame the show doesn’t allow for more of the numbers to be sang by Kevin to further showcase Webb’s singing prowess, in turn offering some light and shade to the numbers simply sang by Dolly. Paoluccio, also one of the show’s writers, has perfected the impersonation of Dolly – her look, mannerisms and most importantly her voice. She really did embody all the charm, wit and presence of Dolly, so much so it was easy at times to forget it wasn’t actually her! Her renditions of ‘Love is Like a Butterfly’ and the iconic ‘I Will Always Love You’ were beautiful and standout moments.
Musically, the show is beautifully backed by live musicians and backing singers. Whilst the star’s main hits are included, there does seem to be an unfortunate lack of musical numbers with long, at times unnecessary, dialogue getting in the way. That said, the musical numbers that were there were fun and incredibly well sung. I really liked the use of lighting and special effects to give a dream-like, ethereal feel to the whole piece.
Overall, this show is more miss than hit. Sadly, as a jukebox musical, in what is already a saturated market, it’s not memorable. I’m sure, however, it will please fans of Dolly Parton, and indeed country and western music in general, as a fairly appreciative audience proved during the curtain call. Whilst it is a fresh take on the genre, I doubt this show will stand the test of time, given the weakness of the plot and script.
Here You Come Again is at Blackpool Grand Theatre until Saturday 30th November. Book tickets here: https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/here-you-come-again
Reviewer: Paddy Darnell-Walsh
Reviewed: 26th November 2024
North West End UK Rating: