Here You Come Again - Northern Arts Review

at the Grand Opera House York

Here You Come Again - Northern Arts

Not all guardian angels have halos—some have big hair, a Tennessee twang, and a wardrobe full of sequins. But does this Dolly Parton-inspired jukebox musical work its magic, or leave us disappointed?

As a Dolly fan, I went in expecting a musical about the icon herself—perhaps a biographical journey through her life and career. After all, if Dolly’s picture is on the poster, surely the show is all about her, right? So, colour me surprised when, instead of a rags-to-riches country music tale, I found myself immersed in the story of Kevin, Halifax’s biggest Dolly fan, as he navigates the fears and struggles of lockdown life. While it was a departure from what I had imagined, it was one that turned out to be unexpectedly heartwarming.

Originally penned by multi-Emmy-winning writer Bruce Vilanch, alongside Gabriel Barre (who also directs) and Tricia Paoluccio (who co-writes and stars as Dolly), and endorsed by Dolly Parton herself, Here You Come Again enjoyed successful regional runs across the US before making the jump to the UK. Acclaimed British writer Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Coronation Street) adapted the show for a UK audience, shifting the setting from Texas and casting British actor Steven Webb in the lead role of Kevin. After a sell-out UK tour and a six-week residence at the Riverside Studios in London, it is once again making a national tour.

Kevin, played with a heartwarming tenderness by Steven Webb (The Book of Mormon), is a man on the wrong side of forty, temporarily isolating in his parents’ attic during the COVID-19 pandemic. A struggling comedian, he’s found himself back in his childhood home after a breakup with his city banker boyfriend, Jeremy. Surrounded by his lifelong collection of Dolly Parton memorabilia, he wrestles with loneliness and a sense of life having somehow passed him by.

Then, in a moment that hovers somewhere between an alcohol-fuelled hallucination and a full-scale breakdown, Dolly Parton, played by Tricia Paoluccio (Fiddler on the Roof), bursts from a poster in a flash of smoke and light—because really, would Dolly have it any other way? Acting as a sort of rhinestone-studded guardian angel, she listens as Kevin unpacks his insecurities and frustrations, offering wisdom through country-fried aphorisms and a string of musical numbers. With her signature warmth, she nudges him to “stop looking into mirrors and start looking out of windas.”

To see my full review, please visit Northern Arts Review

See you in the shadows my loves,

Sean x

A Dolly Parton actress and an actor on stage for the Here You Come Again musical

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