Hello Dolly | Tyne Theatre and Opera House
Invited | Review by Stpehen Stokoe 15 April 2026
Photo credit: One Imagery
It has been a little while since I have reviewed anything at the glorious Tyne Theatre and Opera House and it was lovely to be back in the Old Lady of Westgate Road as WEOS Musical Productions presented their lavish presentation of the Jerry Herman classic musical ‘Hello Dolly.’
Director, Martyn Knight, a stickler for wonderful choreography and set pieces, really brought this story to life with his thoughtful movement and eye for detail. I was particularly impressed with a beautifully set parade to the wonderful music of ‘When the Parade Passes By.’
The story follows every-woman Dolly Levi (Katie Howes) who apart from sticking her beak into everyone else’s business, also has designs on finding herself a new wealthy husband. Her sights are set on half-millionaire and irascible businessman Horace Vandergelder (Brian Jordan.) Vandergelder has his own ideas about needing a companion as he laments that it takes a woman to make a household complete. Vandergelder is ostensibly the antagonist of the piece as he treats everyone with some destain – especially his chief clerk, Cornelius Hackl (Adam Holman) and his underling, Barnaby Tucker (Oliver Gibson) while trying unsuccessfully to tame his emotional niece and ward, Ermengarde (Daisy Bamford.)
Levy manipulates and manoeuvres all the characters to achieve her ultimate goal – with varying success and with much farcical interactions as she does so.
Howes commands the stage as the indomitable title character and belts out her songs with gusto. Jordan is stoic, bombastic, and thoughtful in equal measures. As his character develops you can see him questioning his attitudes and opinions which softens the audience’s attitudes towards him.
It is the chemistry between Hackl and Tucker that really warms the hearts of the viewer. Holman brings out a paternal bond with Gibson that illuminates the characters and as they both find a connection with ladies milliner Irene Malloy (Lyn Dos Santos) and assistant Minnie Fay (Lauren Walters) the joyful fuzziness of the show is realised.
Dos Santos’ vocals are sublime throughout this production particularly when she is adorning herself with ‘Ribbons Down Her Back.’
I am going to lump all the ensemble together in addition to some wonderful singing and dancing, they all worked together along with a brilliant crew, to manoeuvre a heavy set (Scenic Projects) and props (Caroline Rawlings) manfully throughout this show. Your hard work and endeavour did not go unnoticed.
Hello Dolly is known for its lavish costumes and WEOS has spared no expense in this regard. All the characters were resplendent in their attire throughout. Howes looked particularly elegant descending the stairs in the titular song.
This is a musical steeped in theatrical history and excellent sound and lighting are essential. Paul Oliver’s lighting design really brings the warmth of the production to life and Tyne Audio can always be relied on to ensure each word is heard as well as any manner of whistles and bells to sprinkle audible magic.
Musical Director, Jonny Winter has put together a fabulous orchestra who really brings the joy out of Jerry Herman’s score. It is not an easy musical by any means with tempo changes galore and the cast flourished under his enthusiastic tutelage. The whole orchestra this evening, with heads bouncing and bodies swaying, were clearly enjoying their time in the pit and were a joy to listen to.
While I cannot mention everyone in the cast, I do have to mention the wonderfully camp and deliberately over-the-top Ernestina Money (Andrea Scott-Bell) who was absolutely wonderful and really gave Vandergelder some heart palpitations as his dinner guest (instructed by the devious Levi.)
Hello Dolly is a well regarded and classic musical and Martyn Knight, Nicola Rutherford (Dance Captain), and everyone involved can be very proud indeed of bringing this back to the Tyne Theatre and Opera House. It is fun, it is lavish, and it is everything an old school musical should be. Bravo!