Hello Harry! – YouTube

Hello Harry! is available to stream on YouTube.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Harry Gabriel has been the Stage Door Keeper at Shaftesbury Theatre for four decades. While watching some of London’s finest theatrical productions come and go, he has become something of a legend in his own right for the commitment, joy, and kindness he brings to his work. Giles Terera (Hamilton, Rosmersholm) has teamed up with Gabriel’s employers to celebrate his 40th anniversary at the Shaftesbury with an online concert.

Hello Harry! begins with Terera explaining his reasons for putting the show together. Longevity alone is admirable but possibly not enough to inspire such outstanding performances and rhapsodic and sincere praise from some of the biggest names in British theatre. As it turns out, “Uncle Harry” – as Gabriel has become affectionately known – is by all accounts also a wonderful human being who is thoroughly deserving of tribute.

The first musical performance is a puckish adaptation of the title song from Hello, Dolly! by the dependably excellent David Bedella. He sets a high bar for the rest of the cast, but they prove themselves worthy. Other highlights include Clive Rowe’s ebullient ‘I Got Life’ from Hair, Jason Pennycooke’s explosive ‘Mr Bojangles’ dance, and the high-spirited ‘Show Me Love’ from the cast of the Shaftesbury Theatre’s current show, & Juliet.

Many numbers, including Sifiso Mazibuko’s take on Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’ from Motown and Beverley Knight’s potent ‘Coloured Woman’ from Memphis also benefit from the poignance of being connected to the brilliant charities for which the concert is fundraising: The Black Curriculum, Black Lives Matter and Cancer Research UK. A crowdfunder.co.uk link can be found in the YouTube video description.

Between the impressive musical numbers – which are backed up by the accomplished musical direction of Hamilton’s Richard Beadle – are countless filmed messages of love and congratulations from genuine acting royalty including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton and Chita Rivera. The cumulative effect brings a smile to the face and a joyful tear to the eye.

Terera’s curation is impeccable and it is hard to pick fault with a single minute of the show. Though you may initially bristle at video messages being played over Rachel John’s beautiful rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, the outpouring of genuine love and affection for Gabriel is touching. Ending a show with ‘Seasons of Love’ could veer easily into cliché, but this performance is sincere and the message has never been more apt.

Many of us may never meet Harry Gabriel, but this wonderful concert allows us to reflect on the people who bring us joy in our own lives. When we worry about making a difference in the world, we too often forget that the simplest but most effective strategy is to be an exponent of basic human goodness with consistency and on whatever scale we can, whenever we can. Thank you, “Uncle Harry”, Giles Terera, and the entire cast for this hour of well-earned celebration with a timely and important message.

Ian Bowkett