If you are looking for a show to warm the cockles during the current cold snap, look no further than Here You Come Again at Sunderland Empire this week, which, as well as brimming with hits from a certain country icon, its all full of heart and serves up plenty of touching and tender moments.
Now, confession time…, I may be in danger of having my gay card revoked here, as, unlike many of my peers, I can’t profess to being a huge Dolly fan. “What?!” I hear you cry. Let me offer some explanation; as a child and even more so now, it’s Whitney, Celine, Cher and Tina who have always ticked all my boxes and there are only so many divas a boy can pledge allegiance to right?
That’s not to say of course that Ms Parton isn’t a musical legend and a star of the highest order and if you, like me, need a bit of an education on just why she is the global phenomenon she continues to be, allow Here You Come Again to do just that.
Thousands of miles away from Dollywood, in an attic bedroom in Halifax, the show’s main protagonist Kevin is struggling, like many of us were at the time, with being locked down at the height of the Covid pandemic. Not what you were expecting from a Dolly Parton musical? Me neither if I’m honest, but you know what? It totally works, because there really is nothing like the emotions that songs can conjure up to help you get through the good and bad times in life and, when it comes to storytellers with a knack for a fantastic lyric, Dolly is up there with the best.
As Kevin, a 40-year-old gay man reeling from the relationship with his now ex boyfriend Jeremy and being fired and battling feelings of loneliness and a lack of achievement, having found himself back at his parents in his old bedroom, Steven Webb delivers a performance that has you chuckling for most of the show, but, perhaps, most importantly has you rooting for Kevin wholeheartedly from the get-go.
As someone who also spent the early part of the pandemic largely alone in a flat and having to love to learn my own company, Kevin’s story really resonated, as I’m sure it will will many others who go and see Here You Come Again, whether it be at Sunderland Empire or elsewhere on its tour. The way that something so horrific as a global pandemic can be woven into the back catalogue of a star known from bringing joy to so many across the world is impressive to say the least.
A fine performer who gets right to the core of his character, Steven makes Kevin hilarious (watch out for Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That!) optimistic and broken all at the same time and that’s where Dolly comes in. As Kevin’s all time favourite star, she makes the perfect guardian angel and, while I’ve never seen a Dolly Parton tribute before; I’ll put my money where my mouth is and saw there can’t be many soundalikes then Tricia Paoluccio. As well as having the unassuming yet undeniable star quality presence of Dolly; her vocal tone is absolutely spot on.
Tricia’s fine voice is showcased to perfection in the likes of the show’s title track, Jolene and Love is Like A Butterfly in the first act and numbers including God’s Colouring Book and I Will Always Love You in the second; with the latter nothing short of top tier. Dolly’s version of the classic is very different to the Whitney cover that seemed to be at number 1 for an eternity in the 90s, but Tricia uses her talents to ensure that it packs one hell of a punch, both on an entertainment level and an emotional one, while making it looks effortless.
Classics from the Parton locker like 9 to 5 and Islands in the Stream are present and correct and it’s also great to witness Steven’s own brilliant voice in Light of A Clear Blue Morning.
While backed by a terrific live band and backing singers, Here You Come Again feels like one of those acclaimed two-hander episodes you’d get in a soap like EastEnders or Corrie, where all the focus is just on one particular duo.
It would be very easy to throw the kitchen sink and at a musical like Here You Come Again, but it chooses simplicity over sequins and is all the better for it.
A surprisingly understated yet far from underwhelming show, with two superb main stars.
cuntil Saturday, February 15.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/here-you-come-again-sunderland-30992041
