Here You Come Again Musical Review #LiveEvents
Summary: Here You Come Again is a heartfelt, warm, entertaining and often hilarious musical that takes the very best of Dolly Parton's extensive song history and deftly weaves a story that will have you punching the air as you leave the theatre!
4.8
Dolly Parton!
Kay & McLean Productions & Melting Pot present Here You Come Again. Created by Bruce Vilanch, in collaboration with Gabriel Barre and Tricia Paoluccio. Produced by arrangement with Dolly Parton.
Starring Tricia Paoluccio (co-creator of this show) and Dash Kruck (Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar). Australian adaptation by Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish, directed by Gabriel Barre, written by Bruce Vilanch, musical director is Andrew Worboys and designed by Paul Willis.
What an amazing, heartwarming, crowd pleasing experience Here You Come Again is! The Comedy Theatre’s intimate environment is the perfect place to showcase the performances of co-stars Tricia Paoluccio (Dolly Parton) and Dash Kruck (Kevin).
Written during the beginning of the covid pandemic, but never wallowing in it, Here You Come Again takes us into the life of Kevin, a forty something failed stand up comedian, forced back home as lockdowns roll out across the country. At home, in his attic (delightfully decorated by set designer Paul Willis), Kevin faces a lifetime of demons, with only his posters and albums of Dolly Parton to protect him from the harsh adult world.
The opening monologue, while perhaps going on a trifle too long, sets up Kevin and his situation very well. The immediacy of live performance brings an added sting to Kruck’s wholly believable performance as a lonely man still trying to find his place in the world, with the added complication of a global pandemic, and his boyfriend abruptly dumping him via text.
Of course, Here You Come Again isn’t a two hour solo performance of a tortured gay man’s life. Through the magic of, well, hopes and dreams, Kevin conjures up Dolly Parton, a living, breathing, guardian angel beautifully performed by show co-creator Tricia Paoluccio. Paoluccio has performed the role across the world, and her confidence on stage, and interactions with the audience, demonstrate her consummate acting and singing ability.
But again, we’re not here for solo performances, or indeed consummate acting ability (though that is the icing on this rather delicious cake). The opening night audience were most definitely in attendance for the songs! And boy, did they get them, in spades!
Dolly Parton has been a permanent fixture in music for almost 60 years, gaining her name in country (and western!) before moving into pop in the 70s and 80s. A very strong songwriter in her own right, it is with her singing that she has gained international fame. So it is no surprise then that the numbers chosen for Here You Come Again cover a wide swathe of her singing career.
All the classics are front and centre – and if you closed your eyes while Paoluccio was singing them, you’d swear Parton herself was on stage. With Here You Come Again, and Jolene (the staging of this is absolutely hilarious) and Nine to Five, all the crowd pleasers are well and truly in attendance. But it is the less well known songs that allow Paollucio to show her range, and comedy chops, to full advantage. Sing for the Common Man celebrates frontline workers, and we get to see the ensemble players to their fullest advantage. Love is Like a Butterfly is one for the lovers the world over, and did bring a tear to the eye to more than one attendee. For pure hilarity, Me & Little Andy, a song about a lost child and her puppy (in the best tradition of country and western, both get it in the neck) brings the house down, especially when it allows Paoluccio to go on an extended riff about how a large number of Parton’s country songs involve the death of, well, just about everyone mentioned in them!
Indeed, the comedy displayed in Here You Come Again was something I didn’t expect. Kruck sets the scene at the start, mixing poignancy and self deprecation winningly. Paoluccio is the stand out, using Parton’s inherent modesty and plain good grace to puncture the pretensions of celebrities the world over. I was particularly amused by a member of the ensemble, Laura Bunting, who doubled as Kevin’s boss, Tash. In a telling little vignette that had the crowd in stitches, Tash sacks Kevin over the phone, allowing Bunting to evoke every single uncaring boss the world over.
While Paoluccio’s singing steals the show, Here You Come Again is anchored by Kruck’s strong performance as Kevin. There’s a little bit of Kevin in all of us – the voice of doubt that haunts us late at night, the stray thought that we’ve all missed opportunities, or not lived up to our potential. Kruck gives us all of that, but winningly, he never allows Kevin to totally give in to despair. And if Kevin’s evocation of Dolly is a survival mechanism (or is it?) it also demonstrates that with a bit of self love and kindness, there is never a situation too dark we can’t escape.
A quick word about the music, which is absolutely integral to the success of the show. Musical director Andrew Worboys leads a talented ensemble that matches the ability of the actors and singers on stage. With Tinna Harris on bass, and Ash Murdica rocking out on guitar (keep an eye out for her delicate touch with the acoustic guitar in one number) and Luke Herbert on the drums, the audience is kept entertained by a musical performance of the highest quality.
I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down with my wife to watch Here You Come Again. What I discovered was a wonderfully cast, wonderfully put together opening night performance that was faultless, funny, tender, heartfelt and just plain entertaining. On a cold winter’s night in Melbourne, you could do far, far worse than come along and watch Here You Come Again. You absolutely won’t be sorry.
The Melbourne run at the Comedy Theatre begins from 12 July 2025. Tickets available here
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