In this review spot, I discuss the musical, ANNIE, with Nick Tolhurst, producer and host of Arts Weekly.
I then review Here You Come Again, a play with Dolly Parton songs.
You can also read see my reviews on this blog site: kateherberttheatrereviews
Click link:
THEATRE WITH SONGS
Music by Dolly Parton & others; Created by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre & Tricia Paoluccio; Australian adaptation: Mike McLeish, Fiona Harris
At Comedy Theatre Melbourne until 2 Nov 2025
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: *** (3)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 19 July 2025. KH
 |
| Here You Come Again, Tiricia PAoluccio (centre) & cast - credit Cameron Grant. |
Here You Come Again, a play that features the songs of Dolly Parton, promises a night steeped in the iconic music of the Queen of Country. While it delivers on the musical front, the theatrical experience is a mixed bag.
The star of the show is undoubtedly Tricia Paoluccio who inhabits the character of Dolly Parton. With her uncannily Dolly-like looks and replication of Dolly’s signature vocal style right down to its Country twang, she channels the spirit and charisma of the legendary singer. Just add the glittering costumes, massive platinum wigs, wry banter, broad smile and some of Dolly’s folksy self-help lines, and you have a Dolly clone.
Each time Paoluccio takes the stage echoing Dolly's wit and warmth, the energy lifts. Dolly’s memorable tunes – Jolene, Nine to Five, I Will Always Love You, and Islands in the Stream – are delivered with vocal and musical power and precision that delight the audience, some of whom are Dolly look-alikes!
Unfortunately, the musical highlights are punctuated – or should we say interrupted? – by a surprisingly weak storyline that might be summarised as, “A 40+ gay man’s journey of self-discovery via the folksy psychology of Dolly Parton.”
The play centres around Kevin (Dash Kruck), the afore-mentioned 40-something Aussie bloke living in Bendigo in his parents’ attic and failing as a stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, Kevin is a character we struggle to connect with, or care about most of the time. He may be over 40, but his Dolly super-fandom and his juvenile relationship reactions, are those of an obsessional adolescent.
The narrative is uninspired and, frankly, often dull. It veers into territory more like a schmaltzy pop psychology quick-fix session than a compelling theatrical plot, attempting to solve emotional issues with a Dolly-esque platitudes.
The show was written during the Pandemic which explains Kevin’s incarceration in his parents’ attic: isolated, alone, depressed and wittering away to his Dolly posters. The problem is that the references to Covid and Lockdown are non-specific, particularly now, after so long. “He tested positive’ could indicate all sorts of diseases now; “When this is all over” could mean anything; and a sudden Comedy Club closure might just suggest poor management.
The on-stage band is exceptional and the three supporting actor/singer musicians are a teat in multiple roles.
However, the lack of focus leaves the production unsure of its identity; at times it is like a genuine musical trying to tell a story, and at others, a tribute concert. However, with a running time of two and a half hours, it is overly long, given the thin plot.
Ultimately, Here You Come Again is a show with a strong heart – Dolly's music and her captivating portrayal by the lead– trying to beat inside a rather flimsy body – the story. If you're a die-hard Dolly fan willing to overlook a meandering plot for the sheer delight of hearing her hits performed really well, you’ll find moments to cherish. For those anticipating a truly engaging theatrical experience beyond the music, Here You Come Again struggles to deliver.
By Kate Herbert
CAST
Dolly Parton: Tricia Paoluccio
Kevin: Dash Kruck
Multiple Roles & vocals: Kellie Rode, Bailey Dunnage, Laura Joy Bunting
CREATIVE TEAM
Creators: Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre & Tricia Paoluccio
Australian adaptation: Mike McLeish, Fiona Harris
Direcror: Gabriel Barre
Musical Director: Adnrew Warboys
Designer; Paul Willis
Costume & Make-up Designer: Jenny Langford
Lighting Designer: Jason Bovard
Choreographer: James Maxfield
MUSICAL THEATRE
Book: Thomas Meehan; Music: Charles Strouse; Lyrics: Martin Charnin
Based on Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray
At Princes Theatre Melbourne until Sunday 2 November 2025
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: **** (4)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 19 July 2025. KH
 |
| Amanda Lea Levergne, Matilda Casey (Not Melbourne), Anthony Warlow, & Ensemble-image -Daniel-Boud |
The sun is definitely out in Annie, the beloved Broadway musical now playing at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, with its heart-warming tale, strong performances, and clever production elements giving this classic story a fresh sparkle.
Set during the Great Depression, Annie follows the indomitable red-headed orphan, played with endearing charm by Isabella Hayden, as she dreams of escaping her bleak life in a New York City orphanage run by the boozy and bitter Miss Hannigan (Debora Krizak). Annie’s fortunes turn when she’s invited to spend Christmas with billionaire industrialist Daddy Warbucks (Anthony Warlow), who is soon captivated by her optimism and resilience.
Based on the 1920s–30s Little Orphan Annie comic strip created by Harold Gray, the musical features a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Karen Johnson Mortimer’s direction strikes a deft balance between sentimental warmth and brisk storytelling. Michael Woodcock’s choreography is sharp, clean, and packed with energy, particularly in Hard Knock Life, in which the orphan girls scrub the floor and stamp and slap in rhythmic protest at their grim existence.
Hayden leads the orphan ensemble with plucky conviction, though she’s nearly upstaged in Tomorrow by the adorable Sandy, her canine companion, who wins the audience’s heart with ease.
Warlow reprises Warbucks with seasoned assurance and gravitas, delivering a heartfelt performance that anchors the show emotionally.
Krizak as Miss Hannigan is deliciously grotesque, her comic timing impeccable. She shines in Easy Street, a saucy and sly trio with Keanu Gonzalez as her slippery brother Rooster and Mackenzie Dunn as his ditzy, gold-digging girlfriend, Lily St Regis. Their snappy vocals and well-rehearsed choreography make this number a true showstopper.
Craig Wilkinson’s video projections provide immersive and surprisingly realistic visuals of 1930s New York—from drab orphanage corridors to towering cityscapes—while Kenneth Foy’s stage design shifts seamlessly from muted greys and browns to the rich golds and reds of Warbucks’ luxurious home. The uncluttered design ensures pace and flow, letting the performances and music shine.
Although the final scene resolves the plot and Annie’s story satisfactorily, it is largely dialogue-driven and the staging feels static, making it less theatrically engaging than the ebullient, choreographed scenes that precede it.
This Annie offers enough polish, pep, and pathos to satisfy audiences of all ages. With a winning cast and high production values, it proves once again that this plucky orphan’s journey from rags to riches still tugs the heartstrings and tickles the funny bone.
by Kate Herbert
(One comment about Annie in general: It seems to work best when the Annie is not only smiling and charming but also tough and resilient in the way only a Depression Era orphan in NYC could be!)
Cast:
Isabella Hayden (Annie), Anthony Warlow (Daddy Warbucks), Debora Krizak (Miss
Hannigan), Keanu Gonzalez (Rooster), Mackenzie Dunn (Lily St Regis)
Creative
Team:
Book: Thomas Meehan
Music: Charles Strouse
Lyrics: Martin Charnin
Based on Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray
Director: Karen Johnson Mortimer
Choreographer: Michael Woodcock
Set Designer: Kenneth Foy
Video Projections: Craig Wilkinson
THEATRE ONLINE
A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller,
Online at National Theatre at Home
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/a-view-from-the-bridge/
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: **** (4)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on a Saturday soon in 2025. KH
 |
| Mark Strong, Nicola Walker-image supplied |
Ivo van Hove’s 2014 Young Vic production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, now streaming on National Theatre at Home, is a stark, visceral reimagining of a classic. Van Hove strips the play to its emotional core, presenting a raw, almost ritualistic interpretation that echoes Greek tragedy.
Eddie Carbone (Mark Strong), a dock worker, and his wife Beatrice (Nicola Walker) are Sicilian-Americans who have cared for Eddie’s niece, Catherine (Phoebe Fox) since she was an infant. When Beatrice’s two Sicilian cousins, Rodolpho (Luke Norris) and Marco ( Emun Elliott), arrive as illegal immigrants, Eddie welcomes them – until Rodolpho shows romantic interest in Catherine. Eddie’s reaction seems to be the protectiveness of a doting adoptive father, but incrementally becomes unhealthily jealous and eventually vindictive.
Strong delivers a powerful performance as Eddie Carbone, capturing the character's descent from affable uncle to obsessive patriarch with intensity and nuance. Walker portrays Beatrice with a quiet strength, embodying a woman torn between loyalty and self-preservation. Fox's Catherine is both innocent and assertive, navigating her own awakening amidst familial pressures.
Norris brings ebullience, charm and sincerity to Rodolpho, while Elliott's Marco, whose illegal work provides for his starving family in Sicily, exudes a brooding presence that hints at underlying tensions. Michael Gould plays Alfieri, the family lawyer, who also acts as narrator, providing a moral compass and framing the unfolding tragedy with measured detachment.
The stage is a minimalist, white box, devoid of props or set pieces, creating a sense of confinement and inevitability. This bare environment focuses attention squarely on the characters' internal struggles and the simmering tensions that drive the narrative.
One scene employs extended pauses to heighten the tension between Eddie and Rodolpho as the family skirts around the topic of Catherine and Rodolpho's intimacy. While this technique aims to underscore the unspoken conflicts, the prolonged silences feel contrived, disrupting the production's otherwise relentless momentum.
Jan Versweyveld's lighting design bathes the stage in stark illumination, casting sharp shadows that mirror the characters' moral ambiguities. An D’Huys's costumes are understated, reinforcing the production's timeless quality. Tom Gibbons's sound design punctuates the action with subtle yet impactful cues, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
This production of A View from the Bridge is a compelling exploration of desire, honour and the human capacity for self-deception. Its stripped-back aesthetic and intense performances provide a fresh perspective on Miller's work for a contemporary audience.
By Kate Herbert
Cast:
· Mark Strong – Eddie Carbone
· Nicola Walker – Beatrice
· Phoebe Fox – Catherine
· Luke Norris – Rodolpho
· Emun Elliott – Marco
· Michael Gould – Alfieri
· Richard Hansell – Louis
· Jonah Russell – First Officer
· Pádraig Lynch – Second Officer
· Samantha Coughlan – Woman
· Cary Crankson – Man
· Samantha Dakin – Woman
Creative Team:
· Director – Ivo van Hove
· Design & Lighting – Jan Versweyveld
· Costume Design – An D’Huys
· Sound Design – Tom Gibbons
· Dramaturgy – Bart Van den Eynde
· UK Casting – Julia Horan CDG
· US Casting – Jim Carnahan
· Associate Director – Jeff James
· Associate Designer – James Turner
· Associate Lighting Designer – Nicki Brown
· Associate Sound Designer – Alex Twiselton
Cast
Creative Team
