‘Here You Come Again’: Tricia Paoluccio Sparkles as Dolly Parton in Must-See Musical for Fans
Image: Tricia Paoluccio and Dash Kruck in Here You Come Again. Credit: Cameron Grant
With humour, heart and Tricia Paoluccio’s incandescent Dolly Parton, Here You Come Again sparkles, even as its story lags behind the fun.
Kevin, a forty-something mired in low self-esteem and existential inertia, is dumped by his hedge-fund boyfriend during the pandemic. Holed up in his parents’ Bendigo home, he despairs in his attic/shrine to Dolly Parton, until his idol literally leaps from his poster.
Like a rhinestoned, hourglass-shaped Mary Poppins, she lifts him by the bootstraps, part fairy godmother and part life coach.
Fresh from U.K. and U.S. tours and approved by the icon herself, Here You Come Again has now been adapted for Australian audiences, turning Dolly’s hits into a jukebox journey of confidence and self-belief. The conceit is simple: everyone has a little Dolly inside, insisting it’s all going to be alright.
Tricia Paoluccio dazzles, possessed by Dolly Parton’s spirit
From the moment curtains rise, a crowd in blonde wigs and denim hums with anticipation. The show opens with the titular Here You Come Again, teetering between cringe comedy and heartfelt earnestness. Once it finds its rhythm, it delves into depression, loneliness, and the aching need to feel loved, resonating against expectations.
Co-creator Tricia Paoluccio is the show’s engine. From her first chest-thumping belt, she inhabits Dolly with signature twang, raspy giggles, quick-witted asides, and sequined swagger. She delivers pep talks with comic ease and emotional heft, winking at the crowd while belting with full-hearted sincerity. Paoluccio anchors the show from vocals to comic chops, making the show shine and nearly turning tribute into theatre.
Her bombshell outfits and quick changes only add to the effect, making her unmissable for Dolly fans.
Award-winning Aussie actor Dash Kruck plays Kevin with theatre-kid gusto, leaning into insecurities with commitment. He sells the diehard fanboy awe, and his impromptu drag number—with raunchy choreography set to a hyper Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That remix—is a highlight.
Yet Kevin is underwritten, cycling through whiny self-deprecation and hollow jokes that stall momentum. Kruck keeps him engaging and sympathetic with bright moments despite its intermittency, flattening his emotional arc.
Dolly Parton classics delight but clash with a thin narrative
The thin story becomes glaring against Parton’s indomitable spirit. Nearly two hours of Kevin wallowing and Dolly cheerleading grows stagnant, with lesser-known songs shoehorned in and nostalgia mistaken for narrative.
Rather than giving Kevin choices with stakes, the show strings hits together as therapy sessions—Dolly sings, Kevin numbs, repeat—so catharsis comes from the tune than the plot.
Still, the musical numbers are a delight. Hits like Jolene, The Seeker, Islands in the Stream, and 9 to 5 shine, buoying the audience with camp joy, while Me and Little Andy keeps the laughs going.
Slower numbers, however, occasionally stall the energy and pace, exposing a book flirting with clichés it never fully interrogates.
A stellar ensemble and stunning stagecraft elevate spectacle
Technically, the production is often marvellous. Jason Bovaird’s lighting is moody and transportive, while props surprise with clever gags.
The live band (Andrew Worboys, Ash Murdica, Tina Harris, Luke Herbert) along with supporting cast (Kellie Rode, Bailey Dunnage and Laura Joy Bunting) are sensational, with tight harmonies, polished musicianship, and the energy of a full-blown concert.
Their seamless integration into the action heightens both humour and spectacle.
Here You Come Again teeters between cheesy tribute act and sincere musical comedy. Heartfelt but repetitive, amusing yet predictable, it is saved by Paoluccio, whose Dolly Parton dazzles enough to hold the audience captive.
For Dolly devotees, it’s a rhinestone-studded love letter; for others, a sweet but uneven ride mixing spectacle with sentimentality, and offering glimpses of self-belief amid lockdown’s bleakness. But even when the material falters, you can trust that Dolly really will always love you.
Here You Come Again runs from 12 September to 13 October at Theatre Royal.
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