It’s a Holly Dolly Christmas this year as the Queen of Country’s version of the classic festive tale comes to London. Singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, novelist, theme park owner and global icon…there is nothing that Dolly Parton can’t turn her hand to. Her latest venture is a musical version of the Charles Dickens classic novella “A Christmas Carol” but instead of London in Dickensian times the action takes place in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee in 1937. This is an area of the world that Dolly is all too familiar with as she famously grew up in the Smoky Mountains along with her parents and 11 siblings in a small cabin.
This isn’t Dolly’s first forte in musical theatre as she had huge success with the stage adaptation of her classic 1980 film “9 to 5”, recently playing in London’s Savoy Theatre. In a similar fashion, Dolly has intertwined her songs to complement the book by David H. Bell and adapted by Curt Wollan and executive producer Paul T. Couch.
“Smoky Mountain” was first performed at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston. With much anticipation, the show arrives in London in time for the festive period. The show takes place in the Queen Elizabeth Hall of the Southbank Centre. To arrive at the theatre you pass by the magic of the Southbank area at Christmas with fairy lights adorning the area and the London Eye looming above, putting you in the festive spirit straight away. The theatre is welcoming but it might have been nice to have specialised decorations, merchandise or bar treats to match the theme. This seemed like a missed opportunity. The set transports you to East Tennessee with mine towers pillaring either side of the stage and the inside of a mountain store taking centre stage. Before the show starts an audio message from Ms. Parton herself was played introducing the show and telling us to turn off the phones that wouldn’t have been around in 1937. The love from the audience for Dolly is tangible and there was a happy collective group noise when she said that at the centre of the tale was a “Story about love”
Director and choreographer Alison Pollard, (Also associate director to the West End musical “The Book of Mormon”) brings a feel-good charm to the production. There are some delightful group numbers with some excellent “Cup - Ography”....this needs to be seen to be believed!
As the musical begins, we meet the familiar characters from the much-loved yuletide tale. “Cold Feet” star Robert Bathurst leads proceedings with a suitably grumpy portrayal of the infamous humbug Ebenezer Scrooge. Apart from a Southern twang the character still displays a strong dislike of Christmas and anyone who celebrates it. Scrooge’s strong cynicism is counteracted by his nephew Fred, Danny Whitehead and employee Cratchit, George Maguire. Accompanied by a wonderful band of musicians on stage, Dolly’s lyrics lead us through the story reflecting the moods of the piece. Songs range from feelgood numbers such as “Party Time” to emotional ballads like “Appalachian Snowfall”, which was accompanied by an actual magical snowfall effect. The song “ Three Candles” brought a particular poignancy to the piece as did the touching “Circle of Love” This is led by the heartbreaking character Tiny Tim who has to be literature’s ultimate representation of positivity in dark times.
The familiar tale is brought to life with the visitation of the ghost of Scrooge’s former business partner Jacob Marley. This is followed by appearances of spirits that remind Scrooge of his past, highlight the present and warn him about the future if he continues in his way of life. Even though the likelihood is that most of the audience has experienced this familiar tale before the cast still manages to create anticipation as we follow Ebenezer’s journey with the hope he will have a change of heart.
Despite being set in a different era and on the other side of the world, the message behind the story of “A Christmas Carol” remains just as strong. It goes to prove that time and location don’t matter when it comes to stories of humanity. As always Dolly Parton brings her unique radiance to the piece as she sprinkles the show with the magic of her music and lyrics. Ultimately the show represents one of Dolly’s most famous quotes, “If you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain” If you want a festive treat for all the family this season then I recommend you scoop up some tickets for a slice of Christmas joy! The show runs until 8th January 2023.
Review by Myles Ryan
Rating: ★★★★★
Seat: BB, Seat 25 | Price of Ticket: £73.50
