Hello, Dolly! - London Palladium (2024)

I think this forum will always be as brutally honest as it has always been

That should have been WHO'S seen it!

How true! It's become ridiculous and means nothing anymore such is the vacuous frequency. I'm not a fan of Staunton, but at least she's a bona-fide star so I can get a standing ovation on a night like that.

Michael Riedel mentioned on a podcast that British directors have a habit of making musical comedies darker which is true to an extent, it doesn't apply to this production of Hello, Dolly! but I do sort of agree with him.

Are we the same person? I totally agree with everything that you say here

I saw the show last night and sadly it was entertaining but felt like I was watching a regional production of the show.

Imelda had weak vocals - to be honest I felt everyone did.

The set was serviceable for a 10 week run but sadly it made the stage feel empty at times and cramped in others.

The choreography I thought was a total mess. No flow, too fiddly with leg flicks and over complicated moves - it was uncomfortable to watch almost. Sunday Clothes, Parade, Dancing and Hello Dolly all lacked the smash hit visual moments that the show normally has.

I thought the casting overall was pretty average. No one apart from the crying Ermentrude reached that Broadway first class performance level I expected.

The title song Hello Dolly was also a mess and over complicated and never reached the heights it needs.

I enjoyed it but it’s nowhere in the level of class or entertainment of previous productions.

3 stars from me.

I couldn’t agree more with every single word you say here.

Unlike others, I actually think this production is superior to the Broadway revival in many ways. And other past productions, too, to be honest.

Some people are acting like they've turned Hello Dolly into Hamlet. It's still the fun (and funny) uplifting show it's always been. But they've added a bit more depth that has always been in the lyrics and text, but largely ignored by past productions.  We now have a full rounded character of Dolly, not a camp caricature cartoon or a star playing themselves and mugging to the audience and hamming it up. There is heart and emotion, alongside the comedy and fun.

The only negative thing for me was that the opening scene felt unnecessary. Imeldas' delivery and acting throughout the show got the message across without the need for that opening.

Imelda is in great voice, perfect comic timing and steller acting, as you'd expect.

Andy Nyman is a great Horace, balancing grumpy with warmth. Although I'd quite happily lose Penny in my pocket from the show.

Absolutely loved Harry Hepple and Tyrone Huntley. They made a great pair and were both very funny and endearing. Both add a lot of youthful hope and optimism to the show. It did take me a bit longer to warm to Jenna Russell, but I did really enjoy her performance. Same with Emily Lane as Minnie Fay.

The hat shop scene was brilliantly done, very funny from all concerned.


Have to say, though, everyone was nearly overshadowed by Emily Langham in every scene she was in. Ermengarde may be a small role, but she makes her mark every time she's on stage and you don't forget her (in a good way).

The set is much better in person than it is in production photos. Although it's still a mixed bag with interior settings, all good (Harmonia Gardens especially looks much better in person), but outside settings looking a bit sparse and basic. Costumes on the whole are great, and Dolly in green makes more sense with the set design and really helps her stand out.

While not a standing ovation, the crowd gave a very strong and long applause after the title song.

Thanks again to Imelda for bringing to the stage a big revival of a classic show that is rarely done here. She is without doubt the star of the show, but she is supported equally by some of the best the west end has to offer.

Oh, and the programme now has production photos rather than rehearsal ones (albeit not many, considering the cost).

I did enjoy the show but I came put wondering what all the fuss was about. It's the first time I've seen any version of it. Definitely nice to see a show with a large cast but I agree that the sets were quite basic. An enjoyable few hours, but nothing really stood out to me as 'wow'.

Yeah don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the set was amazing. But I found it better than photographed. There was depth, and set pieces. Certainly not as bad as the Beauty and the Beast revival.

Sadly, for all the granduer of the Palladium, it seems to be home to some of the worst sets. One of the downsides of its strategy of tour stops and limited runs.

I was underwhelmed by this last night. I know almost nothing about it and have never seen another production or the film, so went in cold, and at no point did it ever grab me. The performances were great, it was an excellent production, but I just got nothing from it. Maybe not really my kind of thing.

The humour felt *very* broad and I never fully understood why we were meant to be rooting for anyone, including Dolly herself. From how it's described above, maybe I would have preferred the version of Dolly portrayed by Bette Midler or Bernadette Peters, where the character is larger than life, leaning into the broad humour. As it was, with this version of Dolly who's wearing her grief on her face, it felt a little bit not-one-thing-nor-the-other.

It didn't help that I felt like so much of Staunton's performance was just her Mama Rose, but a bit less 'right'.

That, combined with a musical where I didn't really get as much from the songs as I'd expect to get from a 'Broadway's golden age' musical, and I didn't particularly enjoy it. I was clearly in the minority though last night, as everyone else in the theatre seemed completely thrilled by everything. (Dare I say that some of the audience seemed to come in 'knowing' they would love it, and determined to make it so? Lots of loud laughter for things that really weren't that funny, entrance applause before anything had even happened...) There was a partial standing ovation for the title song, which took me by surprise. I mean, it was *good*, but it wasn't a showstopper and I've seen many other mid-show songs that are easily as good, without having that.

Two stars from me, but recommended if it's the kind of thing you think you'll like, because you surely will.

I have to be honest and say that I, too, was underwhelmed by the whole thing.

When I saw it, the sound didn’t seem balanced to me, so parts of the lyrics were indecipherable (and I actually know most of the words).

I’m certain I’ll be harangued for this, but I felt Staunton was ‘ok’, but not particularly stand-out like she was in Gypsy and Follies. Even the speech to her late husband before the song ‘Before the Parade Passes By’ was underwhelming. Having seen Betty Buckley deliver these lines so passionately, I expected Staunton to deliver in the same vein. However (and maybe it was the way that particular scene was directed), it just seemed to pass without impact or significance. Vocally, I thought Staunton had far less oomph than in previous roles (though, as mentioned, the sound design didn’t help) and the title song was also a little flat and lacked ‘punch’.

I was clearly in the minority, as the audience responded very enthusiastically at the end. I just didn’t understand the reaction at all. It was an enjoyable afternoon, but no more than that; even Staunton, whose previous musical performances I have thoroughly enjoyed, couldn’t capture me with this one.