Review of Hello, Dolly! (1969) by Mloy X — 18 May 2013

"I need got a goal again.

I need got a drive again.

I wanna feel my heart coming alive again.

Before the parade passes by...".

--- Dolly Levi (Barbara Streisand).

I absolutely loved this! It's a good thing too because the Broadway production is coming to town and now I'm psyched to go see it. Streisand was absolutely brilliant as the face-talking, fast-dealing Dolly Levi-- gosh she's got a nice set of pipes. I can't imagine anyone so musically gifted as her. Walter Mathau was cool but I wished he could've sung better. I loved seeing a really, really young Michael Crawford; it was just amazing because I barely recognized him but that voice was undeniable. I love the costumes, loved the dancing and loved the songs. It's so nice to finally have a point of reference for the "Hello Dolly" score and realize what its significance was...is, but my favorite song was "Before the parade passes by" and I loved that Dolly keeps asking for Ephraim's blessing, that was just too adorably sweet. This was just simply wonderful to watch, just what a musical ought to be to be enjoyable: grand, spectacular, fun and above all funny and Streisand delivers it ten-fold!!!