Festival Theatre, Malvern – until Saturday 20 July 2024.
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
A Dolly Parton musical you say? Well hot diggity dog, what on earth could be more fun? It turns out, not much.
The story concerns a young man finding himself living back at his parent’s house during lockdown, wondering what on earth he’s going to do as his life falls apart. He needs a guardian angel. He gets one, direct from the mountains of Tennessee!
Kevin, our hero, was played by Steven Webb in a simply stunning performance. He is personable, hilarious (the scarf-ography during Jolene is to die for) has exceptional dancing skills that nearly put my back out just watching it, a beautiful singing voice, bags of charisma and acting skills that herald a mega star in the making! A killer performance.
Tricia Paoluccio is an equally incredible Dolly. She looks and sounds just like her, having her mannerisms down to a tee – not easy with such an iconic character. But her singing…she really blows one away with a sensitive yet powerhouse delivery that’s guaranteed to knock the rhinestones off your stetson from the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Total perfection!
The show is rammed to the rafters with laughs – Dolly’s original one liners are deployed to great effect and Kevin’s are just as entertaining. It’s a truly witty script from the writers; Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre and Tricia Pauluccio – yes, our lead actress is one of the writers! Multi talented lady.
Backing singers Aidan Cutler and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke played multiple roles in the show (like Kevin’s parents). They, alongside the live musicians on stage, really enhanced the atmosphere, providing stellar support with moments to shine out front too. I enjoyed the illusions (by Richard Pinner) which propelled the story forward nicely; turning Dolly into a cross between a Fairy Godmother and The Fonz.
A heartwarming story that most of us will (sadly) recognise including breakups, feeling lonely, lost and all at sea… Country music is the natural home for such universal themes and storytelling of this magnitude, so it’s a perfect fit. The writers have cleverly presented the girl next door side of Dolly whilst making Kevin’s everyman quality just as vital and interesting as the marquee name! We find ourselves genuinely caring about these characters.
With a catalogue including the classics 9 to 5 and Islands In The Stream they take some beating – and I Will Always Love You manages to take the roof off the place. But, really, every song is an absolute classic.
At heart this is an inspirational story about overcoming obstacles and grasping the opportunities to live the life you wish. Two Doors Down being a prime example – including a wonderful special guest appearance (I won’t spoil the surprise, but it provides some lovely social commentary too, not just laughs). Faith plays a major role too with God’s Coloring Book being particularly affecting.
I cannot recommend this show full of love, joy, friendship and hope highly enough. It’s impossible to leave without aching sides, a massive grin on one’s face and a lighter heart. Well done all concerned – you did Dolly’s music proud and gave us a humdinger of a night. I absolutely loved it!