The current revival of Hello, Dolly! has been a phenomenal success. Bette Midler headlining as Dolly Levi proved to be a casting gold mine. Her fanbase enveloped her with rapt adoration and she won every award possible. I was a bit less enthralled about her performance than the majority. She was indeed funny, as always. She has outstanding presence. I thought her vocals weren’t quite up to the challenge of the material. I also felt she played Bette Midler not necessarily Dolly Levi. I will admit that the role is certainly a star vehicle and I assume the role’s originator, Carol Channing, oozed Carol Channing.
I decided to see two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy’s version of Dolly which she does on the days Ms. Midler does not perform. What was a fun revival became a celebration of this beautifully created old school musical. First, her performance is surprisingly bigger. The scene at Miss Malloy’s Millinery was elevated from spirited hijinks to outrageous tomfoolery. As a replacement in the role of Barnaby, Charlie Stemp was not only a welcome physical comedian but also an excellent dancer.
Ms. Murphy also brought some additional vulnerability to the character which helps deepen her relationship with Horace Vandergelder (David Hyde Pierce, superb). The show seemed more in balance and the conclusion more organically reached. Yes, she’s a meddling matchmaker and a wisecracker. But she’s also a widow who knows it is time to move on.
As for the singing, Ms. Murphy knocked everything out of the park and I finally heard the version of “Before the Parade Passes By” that I was craving. While the entire Harmonia Gardens Restaurant scene is still a little flat (or maybe dated), the title song is a joyous Broadway top shelf masterpiece and the audience was beside themselves with the exquisitely executed version here. Jerry Herman’s score is so good; I was thrilled to hear it performed this well. The standing ovation at the end of the show was deafening. And well deserved. I am sorry Hello, Dolly! is closing later this month because Ms. Murphy is still crowin’ and still goin’ strong.” Hurry if you can as her performances are not sold out. They should be standing room only.