Hello Dolly, Regents Park Open Air Theatre

It’s looking swell – Dolly

4 stars

Every time I go to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, I am reminded that there really isn’t anything else quite like it. This lusciously leafy setting in the heart of the metropolis, decked with fairy lights and staunch picnickers who defy any drizzle, never fails to leave me filled with the joy of summer. And this year’s musical, Hello Dolly, directed by Timothy Sheader, does not disappoint.

It offers a mixture of show-stopping spectacle – as a glittery Dolly (Samantha Spiro) descends the spiral staircase in a spotlight to be greeted by a clutch of red-jacketed, white-teethed, tap-dancing waiters – and remarkable simplicity. A particular highlight for the audience, who burst into spontaneous applause, is the human train which chugs about the stage, made entirely from actors and umbrellas, spearheaded by two round suitcases on a porter’s trolley and topped by a man with a top hat, which puffs out smoke.

The company, which throughout the show seems to move as a closely packed block, bursts with an insatiable energy throughout. The choreography is undoubtedly the most impressive aspect of the production, consistently imaginative, stylish and cheeky, executed with impeccable timing from the company. The waiters’ dance brings the house down, as the men swing their legs to kick their trays, use napkins like gymnastic ribbons, and click lobster claws like castanets. This climaxes with a rousing chorus line that the unashamed musical lover laps up, and which the most hardened of critics would find hard to resist.

Unfortunately, the production’s focus on the dancing means that the singing is disappointing at times. Samantha Spiro makes a lovable, hilarious Dolly, with great comic timing, but her musical intonation is often quite approximate. Similarly, Josefina Gabrielle as Mrs. Irene Molloy has a thin voice, which means that her song, ‘Ribbons Down My Back’, lacks its usual haunting quality. The chorus singing is strong, but if you’re looking for strong soloists, you’d be hard pressed.

Nevertheless, the humour carries the show forward, Allan Corduner making a hilariously cantankerous Horace Vandergelder, and Daniel Crossley and Oliver Brenin provide a nice double-act as the naïve and sexually inexperienced Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, if they have gone a little too far down the ‘cute’ route. The same can be said of Akiya Henry as Minnie Fay and Clare Louise Connolly as Ermengarde, both of whom are too shrill and overdone to be funny.

However, these quibbles cannot dampen a production that brims with life. A beautifully designed wooden set, featuring the sweeping staircase, bandstand, and shop front, is ingenious in itself, its two halves slotting impeccably together for the climax of the show. As always at the Open Air, the lighting and sound are near-perfect, and the band provide a rousing sound. The summer weather may be disappearing fast, but this show’s only just got started.

Anna Brewer : 16 Aug 2009 23:07 |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem