Country icon Dolly Parton may be known for her megawatt smile and rhinestone-studded style, but even her signature sparkle can’t save the lackluster new jukebox musical Here You Come Again, now playing at London’s Riverside Studios. Despite a strong vocal impersonation from lead Tricia Paoluccio and a set list packed with Parton’s greatest hits, the production lacks the clever storytelling and emotional punch to match its glittery wardrobe.
The thin plot centers on downcast Kevin, an aspiring comedian who finds himself crashing in his parents’ attic after a breakup and pandemic-induced ennui. Surrounded by posters of his idol Dolly, Kevin wonders aloud “What would Dolly do?” – and lo and behold, the legendary lady herself pops out from the wall decor to guide Kevin back to confidence through a series of musical pep talks.
“There’s plenty of dazzle here, but sadly it all emanates from the rhinestones on Dolly’s dresses. There’s little spark to the production itself.”
Is Dolly a sequin-clad fairy godmother? The ghost of pandemics past? Merely a figment of Kevin’s imagination? The show offers no clarity, which could be forgivable if the frame story offered more than a flimsy excuse to trot out Parton’s greatest hits. But Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre and Paoluccio’s book fails to find clever ways to integrate the musical canon, settling for strained segues into an otherwise unrelated playlist.
Spot-On Vocal Impression Can’t Mask Plot Pitfalls
To her credit, Tricia Paoluccio delivers an uncanny Dolly Parton impression, nailing the country queen’s signature vocals and effervescent giggle. Decked out in a parade of sparkly, fringed frocks, Paoluccio certainly looks the part. But even her committed performance can’t overcome the weak writing, which reduces Parton to a wise-cracking, one-dimensional caricature doling out trite life advice between numbers.
As the troubled protagonist Kevin, Steven Webb brings an endearing anxious energy, game for anything from cross-dressing duets to corny one-liners. But like Paoluccio, Webb is let down by the material, reduced to half-baked jokes and limp delivery of emotional turning points through disconnected texts and phone calls.
Tricia Paoluccio gives an uncanny Dolly Parton impression in new musical "Here You Come Again," but the jukebox production lacks a compelling plot to match the glittering costumes. Our review: https://t.co/dLyJGfEgAm #HereYouComeAgain #DollyParton #DollyMusical pic.twitter.com/nD87KLbDSg
— Guardian Stage (@guardianstage) December 22, 2024
The show’s live band tackles the hit parade with gusto, but their presence feels more like a pub gig than an integrated element of the show. When band members emerge to half-heartedly deliver lines as Kevin’s parents, it only underscores the thinness of the production.
Jukebox Musical Needs More Than Just Jukebox
Therein lies the core issue with Here You Come Again: it’s more celebrity cosplay cabaret than a fully realized musical. Without a strong story to anchor the song selections, the show quickly devolves into a glorified greatest hits revue with Dolly drag.
- Jolene
- 9 to 5
- Islands in the Stream
- I Will Always Love You
All the anticipated favorites are accounted for, but they arrive with little context or narrative thrust. Even the potentially intriguing angle of Dolly as a gay icon guiding a newly-out protagonist is left largely unexplored, settling for a couple winking asides and a “let’s play dress-up” duet.
It’s a sadly squandered opportunity, especially given Jonathan Harvey’s involvement as an additional writer, whose pedigree with queer-themed hits like TV’s Beautiful People and the Olivier-nominated play-turned-film Beautiful Thing seemed to promise more nuance and heart. But Harvey’s impact seems minimal here, unable to rescue the fundamentally flawed concept and underdeveloped characters.
Parton’s Likeness Can’t Save Shaky Foundation
One can understand the temptation to build a crowd-pleasing musical around Parton’s beloved songbook and sunny, aw-shucks persona. But Here You Come Again proves even Dolly’s approval and a glitzy Dolly doppelganger can’t make up for a lacking libretto. It’s not enough to trot out the sequined jumpsuits and lilting twang and call it a worthy tribute to the Backwoods Barbie.
As Dolly herself wrote, “It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.” With its paper-thin characters and by-the-numbers plot, this jukebox is heavy on rhinestones but lacking in true gems, a disappointing dip into Parton’s glittering pop legacy. Like its heroine, the show is in need of some cohesive identity and authentic grit beneath its shiny veneer.
“What the blazes? At Riverside Studios until 18 January; then touring”
– Concluding lines from original review
While diehard Parton fans may get a kick out of the pitch-perfect impersonation and hit parade, those hoping for more than a sparkly singalong will likely leave disappointed. The potential for a poignant, fresh take on Dolly’s rags-to-rhinestones story – and her status as a queer icon – feels sadly untapped. Instead, we get a Poundland Parton revue that mistakes sequins for substance.
Here’s hoping future mining of Parton’s song catalogue and life story will deliver a more thoughtful, well-crafted vehicle for her enduring appeal than this glitter-drenched dud. Until then, you’re better off queueing up Dolly’s original recordings for your fix of country-fried insight and charm.
