JADAR

★★★★★

Here You Come Again is a brand-new musical following the life of Kevin, an aspiring comedian cooped up in his attic during the summer of 2020, and his diehard obsession with the one and only Dolly Parton. The show is utterly breathtaking, wildly energetic, and guaranteed fun for the whole family.

Made for anyone that loves music, and everyone that loves Dolly Parton, this fantastic celebration of the Queen of Country and the impact of her music was originally written by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre (director) and Tricia Paoluccio (originally playing Dolly), but was adapted for British audiences by Jonathan Harvey. For their Manchester premiere, however, I had the absolute delight of watching Dolly be played by Emma Jane Fearnley, known for People, Places and Things at the National Theatre.

This delightful comedy discusses the impact of art on individuals, how they get us through difficult times, and how we interact with the timelessness of art. After several successful runs across the United States, Here You Come Again is being shown at select theatres across the United Kingdom. If you see one musical this year, let it be this one.

One of my greatest loves in musical theatre is a beautifully designed set, and this show blew me away. The show had a typical end on stage, showing us an attic that was cut in half, with a carefully detailed naturalistic insight on the life of Kevin (played by Steven Webb). He inhabited an attic bedroom detailed with dozens of posters of Dolly Parton plastered on his walls, boxes of holiday decorations, abandoned toys and dollhouses, and a makeshift living arrangement. Right away, audiences were transported to the world of the playwright and authors of the show. The set design was marvellous – perfectly mixing together painful nostalgia and the absolute magic of our childhood.

There was an air of Mary Poppins to the entirety of the show, where a caring woman magically appears on stage and transforms the livelihood of an individual, emitting hope, perseverance and gratitude. It was a brilliant idea to portray these themes through the powerful lyricism of Dolly Parton. The entire design felt like it teetered between natural and symbolic, combining the simple world of our day-to-day life with the absolute grand iconography of live music or performance events. Paul Wills gave us an absolute masterclass in the brilliant combination of conflicting themes that are both deeply important to the narrative and have a sense of whimsy. His mastery of set and costume design was exceptional.

Wills painted Dolly in stunning dresses, head-to-toe shimmering stones, and dazzling costumes. Her costuming was an ode to the iconic stylists of Dolly Parton with a modern musical theatre twist, allowing Fearnley to move around the space with ease. Dolly’s fashion was juxtaposed with the khaki shorts and Halloween t-shirt Kevin wore, instantly contrasting the lives of these two individuals, making Fearnley look nothing short of an angel.

The lighting design (Tim Deiling) was breathtaking, transporting audiences from a soft morning sunrise peeking in through a window to a Dolly Parton concert to a vivid maladaptive daydream we became accustomed to during the Covid-19 pandemic. Everywhere I looked, there was something to gawk at, to marvel at, and be overcome with emotion. Deiling and Wills had a cohesive, confident and utterly brilliant grasp on the narrative, significantly boosting the production overall.

It is an absolute delight when the beautiful set, lighting and costumes are complemented by a outstanding cast that somehow outshines the thousands of sparkles and sequins. Emma Jane Fearnley, who played Dolly for this performance but is usually a backing vocalist and understudy Dolly, absolutely blew me away. Her demeanour, voice, and sheer energy was beyond belief. It felt like Dolly herself had walked on stage.

Not only as a huge Dolly fan, watching Fearnley dominate Dolly’s iconic vibrato, but as a professional director myself, Fearnley is a performer you get to watch once in a blue moon. Fearnley’s complete mastering of the character is a true testament for the importance of understudy characters but also a true depiction of how truly talented they have to be. Her characterisation was flawless, from how she brightened Kevin’s life to her communication to a live audience, she had the undeniable aura of an internationally recognised artist. I can only expect Fearnley’s career to explode after this tour, making it worth the watch.

Steven Webb, playing Kevin, was a boyishly charismatic main character with a remarkable grasp on emotional control. Oftentimes when watching productions, let alone musicals, there is a period of awkwardness before being swept away into the story. The suspension of belief only takes place 10 minutes into the narrative. This was not the case for Webb, who had instant control over the audience. It felt like we were opening the curtain to his bedroom and seeing directly into his mind. He dismantled any tension in the physics of an international music icon that can appear in your bedroom because of his complete believability in the role. Webb was a marvellous choice to play the role of Kevin. One highlight of his being in ‘Jolene’ where he marvelled the stage, dancing, singing and acting as our red-headed friend.

Both Webb and Fearnley put on a superb performance, despite an utterly disappointing audience. It is a true testament to the talent of a performer how they navigate difficult audience members, and all performers held the utmost professionalism, navigating incredibly emotionally difficult scenes through yelling and berating audience members.

The relationship between the characters had me smiling from ear to ear, both as the characters and actors showed their blossoming friendship on stage. One particular moment of joy was at the start of the second act when both Webb and Fearnley were laughing on stage together, after a briefly improvised moment responding to the audience’s laughter. It was a delightful moment for the duo, as their charisma completely transformed the show. It was also remarkable to watch as they were able to perfectly balance each other’s energy and the audience’s energy, and match tone to the narrative arc and other performers.

It must be recognised how truly talented the backing vocalists and ensemble performers were. Aidan Cutler, Austin Garett, Kevin Oliver Jones, Luke Adams and Ben Scott were excellent additions to the narrative that pushed the story along. They balanced live on-stage characterised performances with live instrumentals, backing vocals, movement, and brilliant artistry. The addition to have live music shown on stage, both as a central point and as a background movement was a dazzling directorial choice.

The first act of the show was nearly flawless, magical, beautiful and animated. Upon reflection of the show during the interval, my fear would be that the second act runs the risk of Kevin’s negative self-talk and mindset becoming redundant and overbearing for audience members. I was delightfully surprised to find Webb’s portrayal of Kevin in the second act, maintaining his high energy demeanour and hilarious sense of comedy, while adding in an additional authenticity and rawness otherwise unseen. Kevin’s self-improvement was natural, hard-hitting and slow-moving; what is to be expected.

There were small moments in the narrative that are the only potential flaw in the continuation of this show. The musical is a laugh-out-loud delight and incredibly feel-good. Every audience member around us was laughing, singing along and dancing during the bows, as we were invited to join their joy. I wildly enjoyed this production but analysing the script structure, there were times that songs felt like they had been added into the story in order to simply have that song broadcasted in the show. There were short moments, particularly in the second act, where the intermingling of music felt disjointed to the overall narrative flow, forcing a development of character when it could have had a longer resolution.

On the other hand, the fast-paced nature of the second act would rid the production of any potential lingering themes that could damage the utter joy showcased. That being said, this was only a minor noticing perpetrating the show as the entire spectacle was absolutely outstanding. This show does not have the same emotional depth as a large majority of Broadway and West End sell-outs, but it is a show I do not believe actually needs it. The show covers heavy topics and themes quickly, sensitively and honestly, which is more than I expected from a show marketed with so much joyful intention.

I left feeling a sense of gratitude and as if I had a conversation with Dolly Parton, who was giving me advice; it was not specific or unwarranted but simply kind. This gentle push of mental health is as important as musicals such as Spring Awakening or Dear Evan Hansen, however, it was soft and kind and discussed mental health as a caring, yet casual, friend would.

This show os not only excellent as a musical, brilliantly casted and beautifully designed, but also is a lavish rendition of how music impacts us. It felt like I was inside of a friend’s room, dancing (and crying) alongside the performers. Music such as Dolly’s has brought together people for generations, and this show perfectly encapsulated how it is able to do so, warming our hearts, providing us comfort and giving us hope.

This production made me feel like I was twelve again, experiencing the endless joy of watching my very first musical, suddenly coming to life again. I felt transported into this world and was given the chance to fall in love with feel-good musicals that stop time for a little while. Commendably, the first show I saw was Kinky Boots on Broadway, which made musical theatre an important, exciting and empowering pillar in my life. Here You Come Again transported me back in time, both narratively and emotionally, to a time when I was able to sit, laugh, cry and love. It is rare a musical that completely shifts your perspective, altering what you thought possible for a touring show.

The production quality is outstanding – from the design, the performances, and the extra care taken in the direction (Gabriel Barre). I believe the success of this show will rely on its ability to adapt to its audiences, already successfully done for viewers across the UK. I am curious to watch the production continue to adapt and develop and see if it can stand the test of time. If you are looking for a colourful, exciting and feel-good show to see, I could not recommend Here You Come Again more.

Here You Come Again runs at Opera House Manchester until February 8 and tours the UK until February 22.

Photo: Hugo Glendinning