REVIEW: Hello, Dolly! – Savoyards Musical Comedy Society

“Well hello, Dolly… it’s so nice to have you back where you belong.”

Step aside, modern revivals! Savoyards are here to remind Brisbane why the Golden Age classics endure. Their glittering new production of Hello, Dolly! is a tribute to big hats, bigger feathers, and grand personalities. Under the warm, witty direction of Kristen Barros, the show feels both timeless and freshly polished, a brilliant finale to Savoyards’ 2025 season.

Known to many through Barbra Streisand’s 1969 film adaptation, Hello, Dolly! is set in 1890s New York and follows professional matchmaker, meddler, and all-round businesswoman Dolly Gallagher Levi as she skilfully weaves her way into the life (and wallet) of wealthy store owner Horace Vandergelder. Along the way, she plays cupid for a string of mismatched lovers: clerks Cornelius and Barnaby, the hat-makers Irene Molloy and Minnie Fay, and the hopelessly-in-love Ermengarde and Ambrose. The wigs, costumes, and accents are perfectly fitting to immerse us in this bygone world without ever feeling dated.

Miranda Selwood strides in as Dolly Levi, resplendent in an apricot-coloured frock, feathers in her hat, and a knowing glint that says, “I’ve already made up your mind for you.” She perfectly embodies Dolly as the mischievous and endearing busybody, yet beneath the sparkle reveals a woman of real depth; a confident façade concealing flashes of loneliness for her late husband. Watching the young lovers dance, she reflects, “I’m like an oak leaf… without colour, without life.” Her Act I showstopper Before the Parade Passes By is a triumph of spirit and sincerity, as Dolly resolves to “rejoin human life,” her voice soaring while a literal parade moves through the aisles.

Kat Suschinsky delivers a glowing performance as Irene Molloy, captivating the audience with her old-Hollywood voice, smooth as velvet in the enchanting Ribbons Down My Back. Her interpretation is a heartfelt expression of longing as she flips between delicate notes and passionate belts like it's no big deal. Katyia Wills brings bright, exuberant energy as Minnie Fay with her comic charm and natural spontaneity, prompting laughter with lines like, “That hat is far too provocative for a widow!”

Warryn James gives a grounded performance as Horace Vandergelder, revealing the man beneath the bluster. His number It Takes a Woman becomes an unexpected highlight thanks to the male ensemble’s rich harmonies and silly swagger. Conor Ensor and Zach Price as Cornelius and Barnaby are the show’s embodiment of youth and optimism. As they lead us into the exuberant Put On Your Sunday Clothes, the simple yet striking ensemble blocking lets the audience share their excitement as they prepare for a day of adventure (and I was left humming its infectious refrain for days on end!).

Conor Ensor and Kat Suschinsky later share the tender It Only Takes a Moment, a duet so full of hope and romance it almost makes you weep. Speaking of tears, Stephanie Lee-Steere’s perpetually sobbing Ermengarde is a delightful treasure. Then there's that iconic staircase moment: Dolly’s grand entrance, cutting quite the figure in her red sparkling gown, framed by a string of golden light and crowned with a feather plume big enough to make a peacock jealous. She commands the room and everyone in it with complete authority.

Kristen Barros’s direction leans into the comedy in all the right places, ensuring every laugh is well-timed and every moment of slapstick shines. Add the delightful chaos of Motherhood March, the laugh-out-loud dinner disaster of The Polka, and the tap-dancing whirlwind of Hello, Dolly! (complete with a kickline, of course), and you have a show that never stops delighting.

From the opening vocals of Call on Dolly, you know you’re in safe hands. Under the music direction of Jacob Cavanough, the orchestra sounds lush and full, with rich brass and soaring strings that instantly transport you to turn-of-the-century New York. The sound design by Ethan Houley and David Sowdon is impeccable, perfectly balanced in those full ensemble harmonies that lift the entire theatre.

Savoyards always excel at the classics, but this Hello, Dolly! might be their most visually sumptuous yet. The costume team, Cody Newnham and Kim Heslewood, with wigs by Lynne Swain, deliver a true feast for the eyes. Every fabric, parasol, hoop skirt, glove, and bustle sings with period perfection. (Side note: can men please start dressing like this again?)

The set design by Glenn Anderson and Greg Heslewood is cleverly dynamic, with moveable pieces, multiple levels, and swift transitions that keep the action flowing. Gabrielle Burton’s lighting bathes each scene in a golden cinematic glow, and I didn’t spot a single mishap all night. Bec Swain’s choreography sparkles, particularly in Dancing, where the featured dancers twirl and glide like porcelain dolls come to life. And I do love a good dancing-waiters moment: The Waiters’ Galop delivers dazzling, over-the-top joy that had me grinning the whole way through.

Hello, Dolly! is grand, funny, heartfelt, and old-fashioned in the best possible way. It’s the kind of show that reminds you why musical theatre endures, because sometimes a little colour and joy are exactly what we need to rejoin human life. The detail, the discipline, the evident love, it all radiates from the Savoyards stage.

I feel genuinely privileged that Miranda Selwood was my introduction to Dolly, and that Savoyards was my introduction to this musical. If I could hire Dolly Levi to sort out my love life, I absolutely would. Until then, I’ll happily settle for this dazzling dose of musical matchmaking.

Don’t let the parade pass you by; catch it before 11 October. Tickets here.

Photography by Sharyn Hall