Here You Come Again at The Alexandra, Birmingham - Review

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Tue 10 Sep 2024 - Sat 14 Sep 2024

Memories of the surreal spring and summer of 2020 came flooding back during Here You Come Again, which is at Birmingham’s Alexandra until Saturday September 14. I had forgotten that during the early days of the pandemic lockdown, we were advised to wash our hands regularly while singing Happy Birthday To You twice. And we had to disinfect everything brought into our home.

The show, set during lockdown, jogs our memories of the time, with Dolly Parton superfan Kevin Rutter isolating alone in his parents’ attic and scrupulously following the washing and disinfecting advice. He also bulk buys toilet rolls (didn’t we all?) and bangs pots and pans to show his support of the NHS.

But Kevin is at the end of his tether - he has a dead-end job and his relationship with his boyfriend has collapsed. On the brink of turning to drink and prescription medicine, an unexpected visitor magically appears – none other than his idol Dolly Parton. Is it a dream, a vision, or is it real? It doesn’t matter because over the next two hours, Dolly imparts Kevin with some down-to-earth wisdom and insight through her songs and stories. It may be cheesy, but it’s also heartwarming and totally entertaining.



The show is the brainchild of Tricia Paoluccio, who takes the starring role of Dolly. She has a fantastic voice, belting out DP classics like Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You. We also hear some of the real Dolly’s life story – her despair at being unable to have children, the secret of her long marriage and the reason she created the Dollywood theme park.

Tricia penned the show with her husband, Gabriel Barre, who also directs, and Broadway star Bruce Vilanch, and it was originally aimed at an American audience, with Kevin living in Longview, Texas. For the British tour, Jonathan Harvey, who has written for Coronation Street, was drafted in to add cultural references that we Brits could appreciate. Kevin was relocated to Halifax and loads of TV shows, politicians and personalities (who Americans wouldn’t have a clue about) get a mention.



On opening night at The Alexandra, Kevin was played by understudy Aidan Cutler – and he did a jolly good job! The audience quickly warmed to him as he broke the fourth wall to include them in the show. Before long, there were cheers for his successes and sympathy for his disappointments. His duet with Dolly on Islands In The Stream received rapturous applause.



Let’s not forget the band and backing singers who pop up on stage to accompany the two leads on the two dozen tunes that get an airing – Alex Akira Crawford, Ben Scott, Kevin Oliver Jones, Jordan Li-Smith and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke.

In the programme, Tricia writes that she hopes theatregoers leave feeling hopeful and inspired. Mission accomplished!

Rating: 4 out of 5

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