Hello Dolly (King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 15th-Sat 19th April 2008) As far as musicals go, Hello Dolly is one of the few where female manipulation is celebrated, rather than mocked or criticised. Delightfully funny and visually stunning, this is a musical with style and charisma. Anita Dobson put in a sparkling performance as Miss Dolly Levi/Gallagher, our eponymous heroine, the manipulative, head-in-everybody’s-business meddler who will take her hand to any task, to get a bit of extra cash (“As my late husband Mr. Efron Levi always said, money is like manure, it ain’t worth nothin’ unless you spread it around!”). Unrecognisable from her days as Angie Watts in Eastenders, she played the role to perfection, capturing (and in my opinion, bettering) the New York drawl of Barbra Streisand in the film version. Darren Day put in a more than capable performance as Michael Crawford’s Cornelius Hackl, and seemed to have beefed up for the role. Apart from a hysterical costume malfunction, which, judging by the audiences reaction, they should keep in for the rest of the run, the show ran without a hitch, and with number after breathtaking number, this was an exhilarating performance as you are likely to get at the Kings. The music was spectacular, played by the lively-as-ever house band, and from a vocal point of view, all the cast members were more than capable. Nonetheless, Louise English and Anita Dobson, (English playing Darren Day’s love interest, Irene Molloy) stole the show with their impressive vocal performances, especially, in Dobson’s case, on the title song, “Hello Dolly”, and English in “It Only Takes A Moment”. Other characters worth mentioning are the bubbly, over-the-top Minnie Fay, played wonderfully by Amanda Salmon, snorts and all (excuse the pun), and the mean and bad-tempered Horace Vandergelder, the main victim of Dolly’s manipulation-played by all-rounder David McAlister. This was undoubtedly one of the best stage musicals I have seen, and to be honest, seeing Anita Dobson in the main role would have done it alone. However, I strongly advise read up on the plot and characters before going to see this show. The plot seemed disjointed and came from all angles, and I feel that snappy dialogue and well rehearsed numbers were given dominance over audience engagement and depth of plot, a trait being seen all too frequently in stage musicals. David Feeney

                                                                                    Helen Gaskell - A member of the Public, via email Monday 18 February 2008

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It must be over 30 years since I last saw this musical and that was in the West End with the legendary Carol Channing as Dolly and Eddie Bracken as Horace and the memories are still there of a wonderful show. Tonight saw the opening in Birmingham and only the second stop on a long tour which ends in August 2008. Produced by Chris Moreno the direction falls to Chris Colby well known for being resident director at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln (where this show originated a couple of years back) and for being at the helm of a number of long successful musical tours. Anita Dobson sparkled as Dolly Levi both in her costumes and her performance. She was a commanding Dolly and handled all of her dialogue and songs with aplomb. She clearly loved every minute of the role and it worked. Darren Day was well cast as Cornelius Hackl and it was good to see him back on stage doing what he is bet at, entertaining, and he received well deserved applause. He handled all his vocals well and had great rapport with Barnaby and Irene. David McAllister was outstanding as the old skinflint but ultimately lovable Horace Vandergelder and the role could have been written for him. Louise English brought all of her West End experience to the role of milliner Irene Molloy and was a perfect match for Cornelius. She has a charming singing voice and Ribbons Down My Back was a highlight of Act 1. Hamilton Sargent was a lively Barnaby Tucker and was a great hit with the audience. A large cast worked well together particularly in the elaborately set production numbers with memorable presentations of Put On Your Sunday Clothes; Before The Parade Passes By; Hello, Dolly! and It Only Take A Moment. Look out to for the huge train which formed part of the eye catching sets. Choreographer David Kort made good use of an attractive and able cast of young dancers and the stage was filled with both movement and colour. It was good to see the children from the Betty Fox Stage School taking part too. Musical director David Beer led a powerful orchestra with plenty of brass and they were first rate from the overture right through to the finale. Designer Alan Miller Bunford brought together a mixture of quality solid sets and backdrops that define the scenes well and that was a cut above the average touring show and they worked very effectively throughout the production. The lighting design by Colin Wood was well conceived but there were occasions when spot lights were a little slow to illuminate characters  and that still needs some adjustment to achieve the best overall effect. Likewise there were a couple of problems on the sound when the orchestra was playing the big production numbers resulting in a booming effect almost as if the sound level was being forced down. The radio microphones worked mainly well with only minor loss of sound at the very start of dialogue for example during the Waiters Gallop sequence. However, this did not spoil what was an outstanding first night and one that will be as memorable for me as my first time of seeing the show all those years ago. Well Done Cast.

                                                               Clive Fuller - Encore Magazine Saturday 16 February 2008

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Taking on the role of Dolly Levi in the award-winning hit musical Hello, Dolly! must be a daunting task for any actress. Dolly is a musical theatre's biggest and best-loved character and it is obvious that any actress who plays her will, inevitably, have her performance compared  against those of Barbra Streisand, Carol Channing, Ethel Merman and the other legends who have portrayed the irresistible match-making widow. Anita Dobson doesn't just play Dolly - she becomes her. It is almost as though the part was created with her in mind. From the moment she appears on stage, from behind a newspaper in a streetcar, we see the quintessential Dolly Levi emerge. She looks fantastic in a red costume with black embroidery and trimmings and she exudes charm, charisma and glamour as she embarks upon giving the performance of a lifetime. By the end of her first big number, I Put My Hand In, you just know she is having the time of her life and that she's going to ensure that you do, too! Anita's experience as an accomplished West End leading lady is evident as she skilfully manifests each and everyone of Dolly's complex characteristics. Whereas some actresses have used the role of Dolly as a vehicle to showcase themselves, resulting in a superficial performance, Anita opts to explore the heart and soul of Dolly which is far more interesting for the audience and also results in a performance that has conviction and meaning. The monologue scenes in which Dolly talks to her late husband, Ephraim, have a poignancy and tenderness that gives Anita's interpretation of Dolly an added dimension and a certain superiority. Here, presented before us, is a Dolly that we feel for and care about and that pays testament to the ability and innate talent of Miss Dobson. Her comic timing is also superb and the audience are, at times, in stitches. The scene in the millinery store in which Dolly, Irene and Minnie are hiding Cornelius and Barnaby from Horace Vandergelder is a particular highlight. Anita's beautiful mezzo-soprano singing voice compliments a wonderful score and she gives an uplifting rendition of Before The Parade Passes By which closes the first act perfectly. The highlight of the second act, is of course, Hello, Dolly! and Anita delivers the title song with style, panache and a great deal of enjoyment. The orchestra were spot on, too, as they struck the right balance between belting out the music whilst not drowning out the vocals. All in all, this is a fun, feel-good musical that hits all the right notes. The sets and scenery are great, the choreography is sharp and slick; the costumes are stunning and the ensemble are a joy to watch. There were many accomplished supporting performances, notably from Louise English who brings grace and charm to the role of Irene Molloy, David McAllister as skinflint Horace Vandergelder, Darren Day as hapless Cornelius Hackl and Hamilton Sargent as the gullible Barnaby Tucker. However, Anita Dobson as Dolly was the undisputed star of the show and the standing ovation that she received was well and truly deserved.

                                       Steven Burbridge - 26/02/2008 (A member of the public - via email)

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                                                                              ANITA IS FABULOUS IN A DOLLY GOOD MUSICAL

'Some people paint, some sew....I meddle' is a magical line which, from the off, endears theatre-goers to the ultimate matchmaker from the world of musicals. Hello, Dolly! follows the hilarious adventures of vibrant Dolly Levi and her quest to marry the eligible businessman Horace Vandergelder, the famous half millionaire. The lavish production went down a sequined storm at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre but the stars were not just confirmed to the stage. Queen legend Brian May cheered his wife Anita Dobson (Dolly Levi) on from the Dress Circle along with Paul Daniels and his glamorous wife Debbie. It was far from a magical moment when I bumped into the couple as I made a beeline for the bar. Returning to the action on the stage, Hello, Dolly! was a mesmerising musical extravaganza. Anita Dobson was fabulous in the lead role and her performance outshone her stunning costumes. Darren Day played an excellent Cornelius Hackl and David McAllister delivered a fantastic performance as the dour Horace Vandergelder. Amanda Salmon and Hamilton Sargent were also brilliant in their own respective roles of Minnie Faye and Barnaby Tucker. The costumes and stage sets were also top-notch and the musical numbers were all excellently executed. Hello, Dolly! is a great production and it is back where it belongs - back on stage!.

                                                                                                         Craig Winyard - Walsall Advertiser Thursday 14 February 20008

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                                                                                                                     FUN-FILLED PRODUCTION

If you enjoy musicals, then Hello, Dolly! is the one for you. From start to finish, it is enchanting and funny. Anita Dobson, never to be forgotten from TVs EastEnders, plays Dolly Levi, with her sights set on grumpy Horace Vandergelder, played by David McAllister, as her second husband. The way she weaves her spell is quite hilarious. She finds partners for her friends, including Irene Molloy played by Louise English, who falls in love with Cornelius Hackl, played by Darren Day, who has a great singing voice. His side-kick Barnaby Tucker falls for Minnie Faye. Many people will have seen the main players on television and Hello, Dolly! provides the ideal opportunity to see them singing and dancing on stage, where they display the full extent of their talents and professionalism. The supporting cast, the gorgeous costumes and the obvious enjoyment of all contribute to make this show one of the best to visit Hull.

                                                                                                                Marlene Petch - Driffield Post Friday 22 February 2008

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           Who would have thought that Thornton Wilder could have written a play, The Matchmaker, which was the basis of the 1964 musical, Hello, Dolly!? Dolly Levi is a shadchan who now wants to matchmake for herself. This touring production is presented in a traditional way, without any hi-tech gimmickry, although the constraints of the travelling sets, delightful though they are, caused some glitches in scene changes. Former EastEnder Anita Dobson captures the spirit of Dolly, both theatrically and musically. She is ably supported by all the other principles. They capture both the romance and the comedy which made this a smash hit musical with many memorable and well loved songs. Amanda Salmon as Minnie stands out in a delightfully rendered cameo role. The company is equally strong, and the outstanding high spot is the male members as waiters at the Harmonia Garden Restaurant, whose athletic dance skills and military precision in the Waiters Gallop almost overshadowed the song of the show, Hello, Dolly!. This is a show you should not mss.

                                              CAF at The Lowry for the Jewish Telegraph (Liverpool Main) Friday 7 March 2008

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                                                                                            IT REALLY IS SO NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK

The role of matchmaker, Dolly Levi, must be one of the most coveted in musical history. Ethel Merman, Pearl Bailey, Carol Channing and our own Dora Bryan are among the actress's who have played her on stage while, of course, a younger, more glamorous Barbra Streisand created her on film. Now Anita Dobson, who has long since long since left EastEnders' Angie behind, stars in the stage musical which won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, when it was first performed and now returns to the stage after an absence of 20 years. The touring production may not have the glitzy big sets we last saw in Manchester, when Bryan brought it to the Opera House, but there's enough to ring the changes. Dobson realises a lifetime's ambition to play the feisty widow who loves to meddle. In fact, although she has a nice line in comedy, she's a much nicer, softer Dolly, minus the chutzpah normally associated with the role. The cast of 40 led by Darren Day, as an engaging Cornelius Hackl, who works in the store run by Horace Vandergelder, played by David McAllister . Louise English is ideal as Irene Molloy, owner of the best hat shop in town, who gets to sing the lovely Ribbons Down My Back. Based on Thornton Wilder's play , The Matchmaker, it's Jerry Herman's music and lyrics which still enchants audiences. There's the bonus of a real orchestra, playing the real old-fashioned, sing-a-long numbers like Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Before The Parade Passes By and of course the title song, which sees Dolly making a great entrance down a steep staircase to the sound of the cast and audience singing Hello, Dolly!. This particular Dolly is only here for one week at The Lowry.

                                                                                  Natalie Anglesey  at The Lowry for - Manchester Evening News Friday 7 March 2008

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                                                                                                 HELLO, DOLLY!

Personality, get-up-and-go - the young Anita Dobson set EastEnders on its triumphant way with these qualities. Now, a generation on, she displays poysonality and pizzazz to portray the feisty matchmaker in this great, New York musical. She follows in the fabled footsteps of Carol Channing and Ethel Merman - and is not found wanting. Her singing is magnificently lusty, her deep-voiced wisecracks evoke raw Brooklyn and she is no slouch as a dancer, even in the company of a talented and attractive team of young hoofers of both sexes. This is not just show-business. It is West End show-business. The disappointingly small early-week audience (but you may struggle to get tickets for the final performances tonight and tomorrow) willed itself into a full house to give the splendid cast the ovation they deserved. Production values are top end. The pit orchestra is achingly old-fashioned in the sense that it is resounding with the brassy, tender with the silky, sweet with the sentimental; the frocks and other finery are pure are 1890s' Fifth Avenue, and Alan Miller Bunford's idealised sets take us ingeniously to the suburban Yonkers and swell Manhattan of the era. The best-known songs, Hello, Dolly! itself and Before The Parade Passes By, are as thrilling as ever, but others, especially Ribbons Down My Back, beautifully sung by Louise English, also made the back-of-the-neck hairs bristle. And Elegance nicely echoed the Garland/Astaire standard We're A Couple Of Swells. The strong line-up of principles, not least Ms English as milliner Molloy, David McAllister as Horace Vandergelder seeking a house-keeper who thinks she's a house-holder. Darren Day and Hamilton Sargent as the innocents in the big city and Amanda Salmon, hilarious as the engagingly hysterical Minnie, complete the pleasure.

                                                                                        Peter Ridley at the Darlington Civic Theatre for Darlington and Stockton Times - Friday 14 March 2008

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   THE WEST END COMES TO SUSSEX

It is a great treat to see a Hollywood musical on the Eastbourne stage with fabulous sets, great costumes and a talented cast. It happens on rare occasions and this week fans are being given a real treat. Hello Dolly is packed with familiar numbers - Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Before The Parade Passes By, It Only Takes A Moment and of course Hello Dolly. Anita Dobson was born to play Dolly Levi - she is far removed from Angie Watts in EastEnders - and is well supported by Louise English as Irene Molloy and Darren Day as Cornelius Hackl. Hamilton Sargent is suitably cheeky as Barnaby Tucker and David McAllister is perfect casting as Horace Vandergelder. But it is David Kort's choreography that is the icing on the cake and the Waiters Gallop in Act 2 is the highlight of the show. For just one week London's West End has come to Eastbourne. Don't miss it.

                                                                                 Amanda Wilkins - Sussex Express (Lewes & Ringmer) Friday 9 May 2008

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                                                                                                          DOLLY IS SO DELICIOUS!

I probably won't be the first to say this, and I make no apology, but this was simply 'Dolly-icious'. What a great night's entertainment this is from first curtain to last - great music, voices, colour and spectacle. It's also frantic and it's huge fun thanks to an exuberant cast in which there a number of memorable performances. Anita Dobson known by many tv fans for her appearances in EastEnders, was in stunning form - a really delightful Dolly who, as she described herself on stage, was a meddling and mischievous minx. And boy, didn't she make the role fun with her facial expressions and those bright piercing eyes. Darren Day (Cornelius Hackl) showed he too has a good voice and a feeling for comedy, as did Louise English (Irene Molloy), but the performance that stole the show came from Amanda Salmon as the somewhat scatty, excitable, and high-pitched chatterbox that was Minnie Faye! Excellent sets, great lively and loud offerings from the orchestra. It had it all ........

                                                                                                               AJW at the Festival Theatre, Malvern for Bromsgrove Advertiser - Wednesday 9 April 2008

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                                                                                                           HELLO, DOLLY! IS A MUST-SEE

The UK tour of Hello, Doll! arrived at Malvern this week with style, panache and a fair spattering of sparkle. The show follows Dolly Levi on her quest to land herself a rich husband many years after the love of her life left her a young widow. Set in the 1890s in New York it brings all of the glamour of that era to life with a string of well known musical numbers including Before The Parade Passes By, Elegance, It Only Takes a Moment and the title song Hello, Dolly!. The opening of the show is a little slow but before long the pace picks up as all of the characters are introduced and we are whisked away on a journey of self-discovery and love. The huge set comprises of a New York street, Yonkers Railroad Station, General Store, a Hat Shop, the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant and a Courtroom plus several other scenes. At one point a train carriage arrives on stage to take the characters off to New York. Add to this an array of incredible costume and slick orchestra and you have something that is quite spectacular. The entire cast are very strong. Anita Dobson is amazing as Dolly Levi. Her comedic delivery is outstanding and her wonderful singing voice adds charm to her already superb performance. David McAllister is her love interest Horace Vandergelder is perfect for the role. Darren Day is great as Cornelius Hackl playing opposite the beautiful Louise English as Irene Molloy. Stunning performances were given by Amanda Salmon as Minnie Faye, who was simply hysterical and Hamilton Sargent as a very agile Barnaby Tucker, who resembled a young Tommy Steele and John Barrowman. Both of these actors are stars and have a huge, long career ahead of them. The other cameo parts were portrayed with excellence and supported by a talented ensemble. The Waiters Gallop, in particular, was breathtaking and demonstrated their skills. The only disappointing thing was the lack of the audience. Those who were there clearly enjoyed themselves and will hopefully recommend it to friends and family. It was a truly magical production with delightful performances and everyone should go and see it. Highly recommended!

                                                                                                  Rob Holcroft reviewed Hello, Dolly! Malvern Theatres for Worcester Standard - Friday 11 April 2008

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The first stirring notes rang through the Malvern theatre and you could feel the expectation from the audience. As soon as Anita Dobson appeared from behind the newspaper, resplendent in a red dress with black trim, the atmosphere became electric. Anyone who went expecting to see Angie was in for a disappointment. This was Dolly Levi at her very best. Anita's accent was superb, as was her comedy timing, dancing and excellent singing. This Dolly was softer, more human, less abrasive and it only served to warm the audience to her. We laughed with her only to be in tears moments later as she spoke to her dead husband. The whole cast was fantastic but it was Anita, and only Anita, that carried the whole show. Her entire performance was faultless. Everybody that went that night, young or old, left the theatre smiling. It was an unbeatable performance from this amazing actress as she made Dolly her own. Barbra Streisand is rarely outclassed but that night she was firmly in the shadows. It will be a travesty if this show does not go to the West End. Anita just proved once again that she is one of, if not THE UK's leading actress.

                                                                                                 Debbie Flowerday - April 13 2008 ( A Member of the Public via Email )

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                                                                                                        DOLLY GOOD FUN

Talk about stealing the show. Anita Dobson was made for the part of Dolly Levi in the huge West End musical Hello Dolly! showing at Hull New Theatre this week only. Her voice, presence on stage and comic timing made the show thoroughly enjoyable throughout. With lavish changeable sets, which included trains and streetcars, and over-the-top fun, performances, this production was everything a musical should be. It has comedy, memorable songs, extravagant costumes, a happy ending and even an impressive touch of improvisation, when a mishap with the Yonkers set early on left David McAllister looking in disbelief at the detached doorknob in his hand and saw Anita having to go the long way round to get on set. A few laughs and quick-witted comments later and the actors were back on track and heading full steam ahead for a successful first night. The story is set in New York at the turn of the 20th Century, where Dolly has an excellent reputation for matchmaking. A widow herself, she's soon thinking about securing her own future happiness and has her eyes firmly fixed on wealthy Horace Vandergelder (McAllister). Darren Day stars as Cornelius Hackl, Vandergelder's chief clerk who dreams of a night off to see the bright lights of New York city and to finally kiss a girl. His partnership with sidekick Hamilton Sargent, who played Barnaby Tucker, provided many laughs and the audience were left rooting for the hapless pair, hoping they would eventually be lucky in love. The energy of the chorus line was infectious, with frantic dance routines. The fabulous orchestra, coupled with catchy numbers such as Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Hello, Dolly! and It Only Takes A Moment, made the perfect match. Fans of musical theatre should definitely not miss this production.

                                                                                                    Jeanette Minns - Hull Daily Mail Wednesday 20 February 2008

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                                                                                                         ANITA IS SUPERB IN STAGE OUTING

It's easy to see why this show has become one of the all-time favourite musicals. There's credible story-line, some superb songs and lots of scope for the leading lady to make a real impact as this is one of the biggest roles in the musical repertoire. Anita Dobson is absolutely splendid in the title role. To her legions of fans she may always be Angie from EastEnders, but at last night's opening in Wolverhampton she showed that she is an excellent actress as she portrayed the meddlesome match-maker Dolly Levi whose real object was to gain a wealthy husband for herself. And there is a wealth of talented support with David McAllister as the tight-fisted store-owner Horace Vandergelder, Darren Day as the likeable Cornelius Hackl, Hamilton Sargent as the rather naive Barnaby Tucker, Louise English as Mrs. Molloy, the hat-maker hoping to get hitched, and Amanda Salmon as her assistant Minnie Faye. If you add to this the colourful and spectacular choreography, especially the Waiters Gallop, the orchestra's brilliant account of Jerry Herman's music and the way the production is sharp, polished and beautifully detailed, the result is one of the most accomplished performances of this show you could wish to see.

                                                                                                      Jerald Smith - Express & Star, Saturday 2 February 2008

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If ever an actress was perfectly suited to a role then it most definitely has to be Anita Dobson for the part of Dolly Levi in the sensational musical Hello, Dolly! Her portrayal of the larger-than-life matchmaking widow of New York is fantastic and a real treat to watch. She inhabits this character and absolutely makes it her own, taking the audience on an exciting and emotional journey in the process. Anita's impeccable performance is enhanced by her lavish costumes and a stage presence that fills the whole auditorium. She delivered her musical numbers with gusto and enthusiasm, and I particularly enjoyed her performance of Before The Parade Passes By. There were also some excellent supporting performances from Louise English as Irene Molloy and Hamilton Sargent as Barnaby Tucker. Miss English also has an excellent voice and she does a particularly good version of Ribbons Down My Back. Hamilton Sargent gives a lively and energetic performance as the naive and innocent Barnaby Tucker. The ensemble also work hard and look good, too. The choreography, by David Kort, is impressive and stylish and the sets also looked fantastic. The train and streetcar made an additional effective contribution. The orchestra, under the direction of David Beer, was first-class and the overture really seemed to warm the audience up. The production is, in fact, professional and polished throughout and I highly recommend it.

                                                                                                                                     Ian Cain - Wolverhampton February 2008 (member of the Public -via email)

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                                                                                                                          ANITA SHINES IN  TOP MUSICAL

Anita Dobson played an excellent Dolly Levi at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton this week as the award winning musical Hello, Dolly! began it's national tour. The hit musical which also stars Darren Day, David McAllister and Louise English, tells how the widowed Dolly, a scheming matchmaker, manipulates situations to ensure her friends are suitably betrothed, whilst managing to acquire a suitably rich gentleman for herself along the way. Anita Dobson displays incredible talent with the intricate role of Dolly, and is well supported by the excellent cast and ensemble. The settings are brilliant, the costumes stunning and the orchestra superb. Featuring numbers such as Ribbons Down My Back, Before The Parade Passes By and, of course, Hello, Dolly!, the musical is entertaining and amusing from start to finish. Overall a memorable and very enjoyable evenings' entertainment.

                                                                                                                                        D.M. - Bridgnorth Journal, Friday 8 February 2008

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It's 20 years since there's been a professional tour of Jerry Herman's bouncy musical, although it's been given frequent airings by amateur companies, possibly because the characters are so strong. Anita Dobson is still a popular girl, wearing well at 59 and clearly enjoying the lead role as matchmaker extraordinaire Dolly Levi, she's gorgeously costumed, as are all the company, and she received a standing ovation from several members of last night's audience. Darren Day's reputation as a serial love rat is legendary, but as an all-round performer he's top notch. His rendition of Cornelius Hackl is appealing, his singing is good and he exudes confidence. The kids from local Stagecoach schools who took small parts in this production could do a lot worse than to take him as a professional role model. Louise English as Hackl's love interest, Irene Molloy, sang beautifully and looked lovely too, with nice comic timing opposite her manic hat-shop assistant partner in crime, hilariously played by Amanda Salmon. The highlight for me was the restaurant scene in which the boys in the ensemble, too numerous to mention here, danced an exhausting routine as the fastest waiters in town and they went straight into Hello, Dolly! with barely a pause to catch their breath, Brilliant. It's a happy, colourful, tuneful show presented by consummate professionals and well worth a look.

                                                                                                              Sue Heath - Northern Echo ( South-West Durham) Wednesday 12 March 2008

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                                                                                                 FORMER SOAP STAR GIVES DOLLY A TOUCH OF SPARKLE

Many stars of theatre and TV joined the opening night audience for the return after a 20 year break of this happy musical, which was made into a 1969 film featuring Barbra Streisand. It won 10 Tony Awards in it's prime, and the modern version certainly has plenty of merit while lacking the raw, emotional clout of some modern show-stoppers. There was, however, a generous standing ovation for the cast headed by Anita Dobson, the former soap star who puts her heart and soul into the role of Dolly Levi, the manipulative New York matchmaker. She looks stunning in a range of colourful costumes, sings well and her comedy timing is spot on, though the big scene where she descends the staircase singing 'Hello, Dolly! lacks the lavish flair and flamboyance expected. Anita cleverly parades all the mischievous skills used by widow Levi in giving the impression she is finding a partner for "half-millionare" Horace Vandergelder, the Yonkers corn and seed merchant, while preparing to keep him for herself. An impressive performance too, from David McAllister as Vandergelder, and Darren Day is a lively Cornelius Hackl, the loveable shop assistant who has a very amusing scene with his pal, Barnaby (Hamilton Sargent) in the milliner's store owned by the attractive Irene Molloy (Louise English). Directed by Chris Colby with David Kort's slick choreography.

                                                                                                                       Paul Marston - Birmingham Mail 6 February 2008

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         ANITA LEADS THE WAY WITH SHARP HUMOUR AS DOLLY... STILL GLOWING AND GOIN' STRONG

Even when new, this musical was old fashioned. And that's unsurprising really, since it was nearly 150 years in the making. The story of matrimony medler Dolly Levi had taken many cultural twists and turns before it finally opened as a Broadway musical in 1964. Even then it hardly plugged into the Zeitgeist, preferring instead to remain faithful to the farcial style of the earlier stage play, The Matchmaker. Wisely, this new touring revival does not attempt to deviate from such a tried and trusted routine. So Dolly is very firmly back where she belongs, a classy musical that may be short on show-stopping numbers but is long on wry comedy. Perhaps one reason it is not revived too often is the shortage of leading ladies who can adequately command a title role invested with the pedigree of Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable or Barbra Streisand. Anita Dobson might seem an unlikely addition to such an illustrious list but the former EastEnders' Angie makes good here, particularly in creating a distinctive comedic routine... with just the right degree of 'Noo York refoinement!' The humour is sharp and this lady knows how to play her strengths. Similarly, Darren Day - now no longer able to rely solely on his pin-up status and labouring on opening night with the after effects of a crash injury - uses all his acting skill as the hapless Cornelius Hackl, coupled with his strong singing ability in It Only Takes A Moment. Fellow old hands at musical theatre, David McAllister and Louise English, add even more polish to a production with a strong sense of style.

                                                                                                                             David Upton reviewed for Wigan Evening Post Thursday 6 and Lancashire Evening Post Preston Wed 5 March

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                                                                                                                                       HELLO, DOLLY!

Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Directed by Chris Colby. Hull New Theatre.

The majority of modern musicals have been adapted from existing plays, novels or short stories. The story of Dolly Levi goes back over 150 years when a now forgotten English playwright called John Oxenford wrote a short comedy entitled A Day Well Spent which was performed in 1835. Since then the play has had many different titles and it wasn't until Michael Stuart and Jerry Herman started working on the play, then called The Matchmaker making it into the award winning musical of today. Carol Channing starred in the first Broadway production of the musical in 1964 bringing the house down with the show stopping title song. Many will remember Barbra Streisand as Dolly in the 1969 film with a young Michael Crawford as Cornelius Hackl. Chris Moreno's staging of Hello, Dolly! is a certain kind of spectacular musical that the people of Hull love. Anita Dobson plays the title role, which is a far cry from playing Gertrude in Hamlet two years ago. She is elegant, smart and charming and has to be very quick witted especially dealing with Horace Vandergelder. Widowed and brassy she makes a living with what she calls meddling, bringing romance to several couples including a little for herself. She visits Yonkers to see prominent citizen and wealthy bachelor Horace who is in need of a wife to tend to himself and his home. She soon makes it clear that she wants to marry him and steers him away from Irene the milliner. At Horace's store she persuades his two stock clerks Cornelius and Barnaby to take the train to New York ending up in Irene's hat shop. It only takes a moment for Irene and Cornelius to fall in love and just a little longer for Minnie Faye and Barnaby to fall for each other. Dolly has arranged for everyone to meet at Harmonia Gardens where the waiters entertain the audience at a gallop with their delightful high-spirited dance routines while waiting at tables. Dolly's entrance is legendary and Ms Dobson does not disappoint as she excels in her rendition of Hello, Dolly! bringing the audience to their feet during the encore. The musical director David Beer keep the young company in tune and on their toes as they entertain the capacity audience on first night.

                                                                                                                                  Holderness Gazette - Thursday 21 February 2008

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