If you don’t love Dolly Partonwe need to check for a pulse. The Queen of Country is nothing short of a cultural icon – with hundreds of millions of records sold worldwide, her very own theme park, Dollywood, and more global hits than you can shake your hips at. So take a break from the 9 to 5 when the Dolly Parton musical, Here You Come Again hits the UK.
Having enjoyed several successful runs across the United States, Here You Come Again is set to land on our very own West End. It brings together all of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits for the first time in one feel-good musical. It all kicks off at Leeds Playhouse from May 11 to June 8, after which the show will tour all across the country. There’s even a small run at the Richmond Theatre (September 24-28) for Londoners who can’t wait for it to hit the West End!
A Very Dolly Parton Musical
Packed with iconic songs like Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, I Will Always Love You, Here You Come Again, and more, the musical isn’t about the country superstar herself. Instead, it follows the tradition of jukebox musicals like Oh mama! and We Will Rock You by telling a brand new story. It follows a diehard fan whose imagined version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times.
Here You Come Again was originally written by multi-Emmy award-winning comedy and songwriter Bruce Vilanch with Gabriel Barre (who also directs) and writer and actor Tricia Paoluccio (who co-writes and stars as Dolly). It has now been adapted by British TV and theatre writer Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Coronation Street).
Said director Gabriel Barre, whose credits include productions of Amazing Grace, Billy Elliot, Sweeney Toddand more:
“Setting it in the UK with a brilliant new British actor playing the lead role of Kevin, along with a creative UK design team, gives us a chance to take a fresh approach to a story that features all of Dolly’s biggest hits, along with her wit and wisdom, which the world needs today, more than ever. She will be gloriously brought to life by the American actor, Tricia Paoluccio, who has been stunning audiences everywhere, embodying the spirit, humour, and heart that have made Dolly an enduring icon.”
Here You Come Again 2024 UK Tour
Here You Come Again will kick off in Leeds with an almost month-long run. It will then tour all across the country, after which it will settle down for a London run.
- Leeds Playhouse, Courtyard Theatre: May 11 – June 8
- Curve Theatre, Leicester: June 11 – June 15
- Theatre Royal, Newcastle: June 18 – June 22
- Cunard, Queen Mary 2: June 25 – June 29
- Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury: July 2 – July 6
- Theatre Royal, Nottingham: July 9 – July 13
- Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool: July 16 – July 20
- Cliffs Pavilion, Southend: August 19 – August 24
- Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff: August 26 – August 31
- Theatre Royal, Brighton: September 3 – September 7
- Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham: September 10 – September 14
- Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield: September 17 – September 21
- Richmond Theatre: September 24 – September 28
- King’s Theatre, Glasgow: October 1 – October 5
- Theatre Royal, Norwich: October 8 – October 12
- New Victoria Theatre, Woking: October 22 – October 26
- Lowry Theatre, Salford: October 29 October – November 2
- Milton Keynes Theatre: November 19 – November 23
And that’s not all, either, with further UK dates still to be announced. Keep an eye on Here You Come Again’s UK website to keep up to date with all of the new dates, and snap up tickets when they become available.
When the dust has settled on the tour across the country, that’s not the end of the Dolly Parton musical in the UK. Instead, the show will then settle in for a West End run. Details have yet to be released for these performances, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated.
