Hello, Dolly!

“Hello, Dolly! Well, Hello Dolly! It's so nice to have you back where you belong” – on stage, at Sutherland Entertainment Centre.

Classic 1960s musical Hello, Dolly! has an infectious score and a witty, engaging script which stands up well. Even the odd moment of political incorrectness feels like it was written tongue-in-cheek, and it’s certainly delivered that way. It’s a show brimming with humanity and heart.

Director Diane Wilson keeps the evening brightly paced and lively throughout. Dean Turner’s deft musical direction ensures the Jerry Herman score, bristling with “old favourite songs from way back when” remains quintessential Broadway from the first notes of the overture. Choreographer Edward Rooke takes an ensemble of performers with mixed dancing abilities and shapes effective routines within their abilities.

“You're looking swell, Dolly”, thanks to period costumes by James Worner and an effective set design, with lush red tabs disguising the changing of set-pieces, by Bob Peet.

The title role, Dolly Levi, fits diva Michele Lansdown, a longstanding force of nature on Sydney’s community theatre stages, like a glove. What can one say. We all know she has the voice, acting chops and charisma to carry off this iconic Musical Theatre role, and carry it off she does. Bravo!

Christopher Hamilton balances Michele’s joie de vivre as her amply dour and stuffy, yet debonair, foil Horace Vandergelder.

These ‘vintage’, professionally experienced community theatre ‘stars’ have entertained and delighted me on stages across Sydney for longer than any of us probably care to remember.

Still, a terrific quartet of youthful principals are just as responsible for the success of this production as its ‘vintage’ performers.

I’ve never see the roles of Cornelius Hackl, Barnaby Tucker, Irene Molloy and Minnie Fay more happily matched on a community theatre stage. This terrific quartet of youthful principals breathes real heart into what might otherwise be regarded as the secondary plot.

Michael Johnson is engaging as Cornelius, capturing his desperate yearning for a real life; Jack Paterson deliciously exudes Barnaby’s boyish enthusiasm for adventure; Louise Jaques’ Irene Molloy positively blossoms from a pragmatic introduction through to a joyous rediscovery of romance, while Skye Roberts’ Minnie Fay simply bubbles with fun throughout.

Their onstage synergy and chemistry make their friendships, love stories and sense of camaraderie work with warmth and humanity, whether as a group, or in their various pairings throughout.

All have terrific voices, ensuring Jerry Herman’s score takes flight.

Good support too from Tim Wotherspoon’s earnest Ambrose Kemper, Bernice Keen’s constantly bawling Ermengarde and Anne-Marie Fanning’s appropriately appalling Ernestina Money.

Sure, there are times when I would have loved to see a larger ensemble, but those smaller numbers are very effectively marshalled, and attacked with joy and enthusiasm. Occasionally on opening night there were technical glitches too.

Still, the waiters at Harmonia Gardens have Hello, Dolly! summed up after five decades - “You're still glowin', you're still crowin', you're still goin' strong.”

See Miranda Musical Society’s Hello, Dolly! “before the parade passes by”.

Neil Litchfield