Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly! is one of those musicals that has terrific tunes which will still have you humming away even when you have left the theatre. The plot, a little thin, does give the main characters a chance to shine. 

The plot revolves around Dolly Levi, meddler/matchmaker and healer of almost anything according to her numerous calling cards, set out to not only assist Ambrose in getting engaged to Ermingarde but also to put herself back onto the market for a husband, specifically the half millionaire, Horace Vandergelder.

Before I start any review, I ought to mention that before the show began, on the night I attended, it was announced that due to an upper respiratory chest infection, Lena Hill (Dolly) would not be able to sing that evening. She would be lip-syncing to the songs being sung by Katrina O’Neill. In no way did this detract from the enjoyment of the evening. Katrina’s beautiful singing, which also blended well with the group numbers, and Lena’s excellent lip-syncing techniques worked perfectly together.

Lena gave a commanding performance in the titular role. Her ability to command the stage, and wonderful facial expressions were a joy to watch. She paired well with Mark Roberts (Horace Vandergelder), who played his part very well indeed. I would have liked a little more of the old curmudgeon in the beginning, but his performance in the Harmonia Gardens with Dolly far exceeded my expectations.

Simon Jones and Lachlann Grimwood as Cornelius Hacker and Barnaby Tucker were wonderful. Such humorous roles to play and they executed them well. So nice to see the roles played by men of the right age. Marie Ball (Irene Molloy) and Carly Jones (Minnie Fay) playing their partners for the evening were another good pairing. I loved Irene’s poignant singing of Ribbons down my Back. 

I have to say my highlight of the evening was the scene in Harmonia Gardens. All the cast, and especially those playing the waiters, seemed to be having a wonderful time. The choreography was superb, so much happening, and in such a small space. Every one of the cast, throughout the whole show, in their various roles, all worked well, and from start to finish seemed to be having a jolly enjoyable time. 

I must mention all the backstage crew who worked extremely hard indeed behind the scenes. It was a joy to see the cast all helping to change the set between numbers. 

Huge congratulations to Director Emily, Musical Director Julie and Choreographer Alice. Many hours of hard work certainly paid off.  Congratulations LPOS. I shall look forward to your next show.

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