Imelda Staunton will star in the much-delayed and much-anticipated revival of Jerry Herman’s joyous musical Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium in Summer 2024. It will play from 6 July to 14 September 2024, for 10 weeks only.
Hello, Dolly was initially scheduled to run in 2020 for 30-weeks, but was delayed due to Covid, and due to Imelda Staunton’s filming commitments for her role as The Queen in Peter Morgan’s Netflix drama The Crown.
Hello, Dolly! will see Staunton reunite with Director Dominic Cooke, following their acclaimed production of Follies at the National Theatre.
It is believed that Imelda Staunton met with Jerry Herman just before he died in December 2019, and he gave her and Dominic Cooke permission to switch around the show’s opening scenes and change one of its songs. They are adding another Jerry Herman song into the show – ‘Penny in My Pocket’, which was also inserted into the recent Broadway production starring Bette Midler.
That song is for store owner Horace Vandergelder, who will be played by Andy Nyman in the Palladium show. Nyman has long been attached to this production, as has Olivier Award winner Jenna Russell, who has been confirmed as playing Irene Molloy, Harry Hepple as Cornelius Hackl and Tyrone Huntley as Barnaby Tucker.
Previously reflecting on the role starring role of Dolly, Staunton said she hopes to bring out lead character Dolly Gallagher Levi’s Irish heritage when she brings the role to life.
The large scale revival will have a cast of 35 and an orchestra of 18 musicians. The creative team will also include Rae Smith – Set & Costume Designer; Bill Deamer – Choreographer; Jon Clark – Lighting Designer; Paul Groothuis – Sound Designer; Finn Ross – Video Designer; and Nick Skilbeck – Musical Supervisor.