Review – Hello, Dolly! 2008

“Sarah Carlé steals the show in Hello, Dolly!”

Published: May 9, 2008

There have been plenty of famous Dollys over the years who have stepped into the role of the larger-than-life title character in Hello, Dolly!; from Carol Channing, Ethel Merman and Pearl Bailey, onstage to Barbara Streisand in the classic 1969 movie version. But the Victoria Operatic Society’s new recruit, Sarah Carlé of Gotta Getta Gimmick, has taken her own star turn in this worthy revival.

Carlé is can’t-take-your-eyes-off-her wonderful as the scrappy widow, jill-of-all-trades and match-maker. This graduate of Victoria’s Canadian College of Performing Arts carries the musical on her shoulders, making up for the lack of depth occasionally displayed by the ensemble. This is her show and she dominates it in a very good way. Her acting is superb, with just the right touches of humour, cunning, grace and camp. Her voice is the highlight of the show, lighting up numbers like the opener, “I Put My Hand In”, “Motherhood March” and, of course, “Hello Dolly”.

Chris Moss (West Side Story), bearing a striking resemblance to Robert Goulet, does a fine turn as the cranky feed-store owner, Horace Vandergelder. Although a ruthless Yonkers, N.Y. businessman, Vandergelder is no match for the fearless Dolly, who has been employed to find him a suitable wife to tend to the bachelor’s house. While Dolly sets out to pair with milliner Irene Molloy (VOS regular Francesca Bitonti), she really has him chosen for herself. After all, a half-millionaire, even a flinty spendthrift like Vandergelder, will do just fine.

While Vandergelder’s romantic life falls apart during a trip to Manhattan, his stock-boys, Cornelius (Jeremy Hewitt) and Barnaby (Jason Vikse), also decide to see New York City’s bright lights. Cornelius falls for Irene, while bumbling Barnaby woos the hat lady’s busybody assistant Minnie Faye (the delightful Keeley Teuber). Hewitt and Vikse worked well together as the bumpkins gone to the city. Bitonti, however, was uneven. Her strength was during her heartfelt solo “Ribbons Down My Back”. But she didn’t fare nearly as well when acting was required.

While Act I has some ensemble problems with focus and energy, Act II comes to life nicely, climaxing with Dolly’s spectacular entrance at the ritzy Harmonia Gardens. Unfortunately, when choreographer Rick Simmonds puts together some fine dance numbers elsewhere, “The Waiter’s Gallop”, often an acrobatic marvel, comes off at a mere trot. There is an overly long gag concerning German waiters and culinary mix-ups. However, this is all forgotten upon the entrance of Dolly at the top of the grand staircase for the show’s big moment. Decked out in a spectacular red and silver gown, Carlé imbues the theatre with energy as the waiters, dance and attend to her during the title song as if she was a returning queen.