Here You Come Again - Review

Reviewed by Amber at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal
Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review.

If there was ever a way to sum up the way this show can make people feel so succinctly, it would be what my mother said to me as we left the auditorium: ‘I can’t believe I’ve had the chance to see something to fantastically wonderful about Dolly Parton in my life.’

Photo by Hugo Glendinning

Here You Come Again is the story Kevin, a man on the wrong side of 40, who is navigating relationship issues, work struggles and the complications of being sequestered to the attic of his childhood home during the 2020 COVID lockdown with only his many, many posters of Dolly Parton to keep him company. The story feels new and compelling, hitting close with the references to how life really was during the lockdown. 

The excellent story is told to us by Steven Webb (The Book of Mormon) as the sort-of comedian Kevin and Tricia Paoluccio, who brings the very essence of Dolly Parton to stage in such a delightful, angelic way. The show balanced perfectly between being for the Dolly superfans who know every lyric and interesting fact, and showcasing Dolly Parton for those of us who didn’t have much information to go off. 

As someone with their first introduction to Dolly being through the Disney show Hannah Montana, I certainly appreciate the wealth of new information the show has given me about her life, influence and impact on those who love her.

Photo by Hugo Glendinning

The show was rather clever in the placement of Dolly’s hit songs, leaving plenty of time between each one to appreciate some lesser-known songs that could truly showcase Tricia’s gorgeous vocals, before building up the suspense and excitement for the big hitters like 9 to 5. It also allowed for plenty of audience interaction, working what could potentially have been a loud and disruptive audience into a part of the show that delivered energy right back to the people on stage. 

Steven and Tricia were supported on stage by Aiden Cutler and Charlotte Elizabeth Yorke – both of whom bought the smaller characters in Kevin’s life to the stage in comedic ways. They also provided backing vocals for the songs, adding humour and power when needed in equal measure. Me and Little Andy used the duo to great effect, creating sounds of creaking doors, sprinkling snow on an old doll’s house and then descending into hilarious spooky chaos for the end of the song. 

Here You Come Again is an invitation to have fun. The subject matter of the lockdowns is still fresh in our hearts and minds – but instead of reliving the loneliness, the boredom and the depression that affected so many, this show invites you to look to the future, laugh at the weird national routines we all took part in (hoarding toilet paper and hitting pans for those on the frontlines). It’s a show that has the power to heal the pain of those times and instead draw our attention to the Light of a Clear Blue Morning. 

There’s plenty of sparkles in the show, too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here You Come Again plays at Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 13th July 2024, then continues to tour the country until December. Venues and tickets are available here: https://hereyoucomeagain.co.uk/#tour

Photo by Hugo Glendinning