Reviewed by Richard Lane
October 2010
The Met's production of Hello Dolly! Is a splendiferous spectacle, filled with gorgeous costumes, polished singing, brilliant choreography, lavish settings and some very fine acting.
Director Hermonn has brought together a show which should please almost everyone.
The well known plot concerns matchmaker Dolly Levi who travels to Yonkers to try to discover a match to marry the stingy locally- famous Horace Vandergelder. His two employees Cornelius Hack and Barnaby Tucker go with Dolly and it is not long before we realise that she has set her cap at Vandergelder herself.
As Dolly Levi, Trish Spence is at the top of her form and this is never seen better than in the title number where her beautiful powerful voice soars above the rest. Playing opposite Spence as Vandergelder, Greg Hart seems slightly below par but Scott Reynolds (Cornelius Hackl) and Matt Doyle(Barnaby Tucker) work beautifully together. Their number Put On Your Sunday Clothes is a gem. Reynolds is outstanding and so too is Gemma Freeman who plays the role of Minnie Fay with charm and appeal. Freeman is a star in the ascendant.
The sets designed by Hermonn are lush and they all work beautifully in this production.
So too do the costumes by Hermonn (again) and Leonie Osborne, particularly those worn by Dolly.
The dancers are beautifully rehearsed and the whole ensemble work precisely to Carmel Vistoli's innovative choreography.
Musical director Ben Stefanoff had the chorus singing strongly and their diction was excellent but even the tin ear of this critic could hear some discordant notes from his orchestra which quite frankly let him down.
There were some shadowy lighting spots on stage here and there on opening night and a few dull areas in the Harmonia Gardens scene.
This is a mammoth production too large to include every aspect but it can safely be said that this production of Hello Dolly! Is a show for the whole family to enjoy great music theatre.
It is noteworthy to conclude that members of Ian Rigney's 1985 production of Hello Dolly!, came from all over Australia to celebrate together the 25th anniversary of this latest version.
