Here You Come Again
Book by Bruce Vilanch in collaboration with Gabriel Barre and Tricia Paoluccio
Adapted for the Australian stage by Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish
Songs by Dolly Parton
Following its Australian premiere in Melbourne and a stint in Perth, the Sydney season Of Here You Come Again opened on Saturday night at Sydney’s Theatre Royal. Approved by Dolly Parton herself, the story follows a diehard fan, Kevin, who gets life lessons from a fantasy version of Dolly whilst living in his parents’ attic during the COVID lockdown in Victoria. With Dolly’s wit, charm, and timeless wisdom, he learns about love, life, and how to rise above life’s challenges.
The first thing to note is that I am a genuine Dolly fan. ‘Here You Come Again’ is not the Parton-penned bio-musical currently playing a sold-out tryout season in Nashville before a Broadway debut in 2026. I’ve also had the very good fortune to see Dolly Parton perform live three times (including her iconic 50th anniversary performance at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry), and the thing about seeing Dolly live is… well… Dolly. Not only does she have the most recognisable voice in country music, but she also radiates charm, warmth, honesty, and kindness. The challenge facing writers Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre, and Tricia Paoluccio is how to capture Dolly’s essence in a musical without turning it into a parody or a drag show.
I am pleased to say that they (mostly) manage to do this over the show’s two and a half hour run time. And this comes down to the heartwarming charisma of star Trica Paoluccio as Dolly. She is warm and engaging, delivering line after line of some of Dolly’s most well-known sayings, often breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the audience.
Co-creator Paoluccio’s vocals are flawless—crystal clear with an almost bell-like quality—and she soars when hitting the high notes (indeed, in I Will Always Love You and Common Man, I had chills running down my spine). Paoluccio presents her character with reverence and respect and does exactly as Dolly does—makes herself the butt of the joke, thereby empowering herself (and everyone else) along the way.
Dash Kruk is instantly likeable as the neurotic Kevin whose Covid-era isolation in his parents’ attic has left him a bit unhinged. He is the perfect foil to Paoluccio, and their voices blend beautifully in the iconic Dolly and Kenny number (and the biggest selling duet of all time apparently) – Islands In The Stream.
There are lovely Easter eggs for diehard Dolly fans sprinkled throughout the show, and I particularly enjoyed a couple of subtle references to her hit movie 9 to 5. I can’t see or hear an electric pencil sharpener without thinking of Dora-Lee Rhodes – if you know, you know!
Here You Come Again features some of Dolly’s most iconic songs, including Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You. But it also includes some lesser-known deep cuts like Me and Little Andy, Light of the Clear Blue Morning, and Common Man, which provide a unique perspective and help steer this production away from what could easily become, in the wrong hands, simplistic pastiche and predictable. Additionally, the creators appear to have adapted the show for each country where it is performed — for example, viewing it through the lens of the COVID pandemic in Victoria, complete with references to Dan Andrews and Dan Murphy.
Musical director Andrew Worboys keeps the 3-piece band very tight, and lighting designer Jason Bovaird has a few tricks up his sleeve to keep things visually interesting.
Here You Come Again isn’t a complicated or deep theatrical experience. It’s a feel-good story where the main character learns something about himself, which ultimately makes him a better person. And at the end of the day, this is exactly what Dolly Parton and her music do.
Here You Come Again is produced by Liza McLean for Tinderbox Productions and plays the Theatre Royal, Sydney, through the end of October, then seasons in Adelaide, Newcastle, Canberra, and an encore season in Melbourne.
Photos: Cameron Grant
In his past lives, Damien was a drag queen and musical theatre actor. He made his stage debut as a fat cow in a school production of Joseph in 1984. He holds a BA with a major in drama from the University of Newcastle. He is completely obsessed with musical theatre – especially Broadway divas.
Since relocating to Sydney at the beginning of 2024, he attends every musical he can get to and lives with his partner and grumpy 12-year-old poodle.
His claim to fame is that he once met Patti Lupone in New York and she was nice to him.