Review Roundup: Did Dolly Deliver with DOLLY PARTON'S SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS CAROL?

Dickens' tale gets a Tennessee twist in an all-new musical with a soundtrack written by the Queen of Country herself.

With music by the legendary Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is set during the 1930s in the Great Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee, this heart-warming and truly unforgettable production imagines Ebenezer Scrooge as the owner of a mining company town, where his callous greed blinds him to the joys and gifts of the season.

As a Christmas Eve snowstorm approaches, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who compel him to see life anew and discover that love is the greatest and most precious gift we have.

But what did the critics think of Dolly doing Dickens?

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Franco Milazzo: BroadwayWorld: And what about Dolly's contribution? Her music and lyrics are pretty much what you would expect: countrified pop which goes from gloriously raucous footstompers sung by the entire company like "Party Time" to soothing duets like "Three Candles". Musical director Andrew Hilton's six-piece band cranks up the volume to eleven at times but lulls us into softer moments too. Unlike many new musicals, the songs are memorable and uplifting in their own right. There are other musical takes on this classic already playing but none with the Parton magic dusted liberally over story, music and lyrics.

Nick Curtis: Evening Standard: There's a stronger Christian tinge to the story than usual but also a strong argument for labour - in this case, coalminers - unionising to fight predatory capitalism. Which is odd, given that this is a sincere but commercially motivated attempt to push the Parton brand back into musical theatre - after 9 to 5, a West End hit of course - where her camp appeal plays well. But that's Dolly: always the same, always surprising.

Alun Hood: WhatsOnStage: Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol knows exactly what it's doing. Rehashing a story that basically works, and allying that to a bunch of toe-tapping, beautifully crafted and performed songs that marry country, folk and traditional musical theatre to joyful effect, results in a show that taps the tear ducts when it has to. It also generates nostalgia for the sort of down-home American working-class charm and folksiness that fastidiously ignores that these people were living in deep poverty where every meal felt like a gift.

Chris Waywill: Time Out: Part of the problem (sorry, Dolly) is Jesus. This is one of the most overtly Christian versions of 'A Christmas Carol' I've ever seen. I don't want Scrooge to be 'saved'. I want him scared shitless in the middle of the night so he stops behaving like a dick to poor people. You wonder if the implicit paganism of the original, with its restless spirits and gods of plenty and damnation, was all a bit much for the team behind it.

Dominic Maxwell: The Times: It's a convivial show which earned a hearty ovation at the end from my crowd. It only needs a few more astringent or unpredictable moments to balance out some of the sweetness. The gifted, role-swapping cast includes notable turns from George Maguire as Marley and Cratchit, Sarah O'Connor as Eben's sister Fanny and Vicki Lee Taylor as Mrs Cratchit.

Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is at The Queen Elizabeth Hall until 8 January 2023

Matt Wolf, London Theatre: Spurious uplift in musicals runs all too rampant, but the sentiment here is fully earned as Scrooge learns the never-too-late value in acquiring a generosity of spirit. Those wondering where to begin that purchase could start by attending this show.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

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