Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple on starring in 'Hello, Dolly!' at the London Palladium

Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple star alongside Imelda Staunton as cheeky double act Barnaby Tucker and Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium.

It was back in 2019 that we first heard the glorious news: Imelda Staunton was reuniting with her Follies director Dominic Cooke for a lavish revival of Jerry Herman’s musical Hello, Dolly!, which hadn’t been seen in the West End since 1984. The run was due to start in August 2020 – but then, of course, came the pandemic.

This summer, the show is finally making its grand entrance at the London Palladium with a starry cast including Andy Nyman and Jenna Russell. It centres on a 1900s matchmaker, Dolly Levi (Staunton), whose latest difficult client is “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder (Nyman). Horace’s clerks, Barnaby Tucker and Cornelius Hackl (Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple), join the New York adventure.

Hepple recently played King George III in the West End’s Hamilton and Charles Guiteau in Assassins at Chichester Festival Theatre, while Huntley was Olivier Award nominated for his Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Did you know Hello, Dolly! beforehand?

Tyrone Huntley: I really didn’t, but I’ve since watched the film and absolutely loved it.

Harry Hepple: That film was always on in our house: I’m a huge Barbra Streisand and Michael Crawford fan. I was aware of a few of the big songs from concerts too.

How long have you been involved in this production?

Hepple: I’ve been attached since the end of 2019.

Huntley: Same. We really didn’t know what would happen after it was postponed – three years passed before we knew it was definitely on again.

Hepple: Because of all that build-up, the excitement now that we’re actually in the rehearsal room is palpable. I can’t believe it.

What should we know about the story and your characters?

Hepple: It’s about Dolly, who is a professional matchmaker, and she’s hired by our wealthy boss Horace Vandergelder to find him a suitable wife; he’s a widower.

Huntley: We’re out in Yonkers, in the sticks, and she plans a trip to New York City to facilitate a marriage between Horace and Irene. That visit spurs our characters – Cornelius and Barnaby, who I play; we’re clerks who work in Horace’s feed store – to go as well, and see if we can find girls too.

Hepple: We’re both from small towns in real life, and we came to London for work, so there’s lots to identify with.

Has it been fun becoming a double act?

Hepple: Definitely! We’re a cheeky pair, and there’s lots of physical comedy – like hiding from our boss. We’re finding the balance between who’s spurring on who at what point.

This production is different to previous ones in that we’re also using the Thornton Wilder play [The Matchmaker] as source material, which means we can delve deeper into the characters. For example, the older characters have all lost their partners and dealt with grief, but they’re now trying to heal themselves and those around them.

Huntley: My character knows there’s something missing in his life, but isn’t sure what it is until he gets to New York and has the courage to explore. Dolly comes in as this whirlwind and gives us that push.

What’s it like singing Jerry Herman’s songs?

Huntley: I came into this job thinking it would be really easy – my last show [Jesus Christ Superstar] was this rock tenor sound, so I thought “restful summer at the Palladium”. Actually the music is so complex and detailed. A lot of work goes into making it sound so blissful!

Hepple: Really the biggest challenge, and it’s a great one, is that because the songs are so well known, there’s a danger of it sounding like you’re singing along. So we’re finding ways to make them active and spontaneous.

Are we getting some big routines from Bill Deamer?

Huntley: The dances the ensemble are doing are incredible to watch – and Bill has got us doing full-on dance routines too. It’s so much fun.

Hepple: It’s the complete antithesis of playing the king [in Hamilton]! It’s very busy: once we’re on, we’re on. Plus we’re both wearing wonderful wool three-piece suits, so it might be a rather sweaty affair.

What’s your favourite song?

Hepple: I love “Before the Parade Passes By”. It’s about someone who’s lost her husband but wants to go on and live life. The way it’s staged, and the way Imelda sings it, is heartbreaking, wonderful and inspiring. She’s the best – hilarious and warm onstage and off.

Huntley: “Hello, Dolly!” is fantastic. It’s Dolly making her big return to society in New York after being in mourning for so long, and there’s so much heart in it. We’re on stage watching – I get tears in my eyes.

Have you ever performed at the Palladium before?

Huntley: I’ve done concerts but never a show. It’s a legendary venue.

Hepple: Just thinking about all the performers who’ve played there, the shows that started there, it’s immense. My family brought me to London when I was nine and I saw Oliver! at the Palladium – it was the first London theatre I stepped into, and it made me think I could actually have a career in acting. Doing this show there is a real full circle moment.

What do you think audiences will take from your production?

Huntley: Our version of Hello, Dolly! begins in quite a dark place, but the whole point of the story is we can still find joy. You just need people around you to guide you out of the darkness, and that celebration of community, of friendship and companionship is a big theme.

Hepple: With everything going on in the world, this show says it doesn’t always have to be like that – you can find happiness even in tough times. There’s always hope, and a second chance at life.

Huntley: It’s a traditional piece but also so funny, joyful and uplifting – it’s a great night out for everyone. I think that’s exactly what we all need.

Book Hello, Dolly! tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple in Hello, Dolly! (Photo by Manuel Harlan)