Thanks to the Wales Millennium Centre for inviting us along to see the show in exchange for this review.
When I first heard of the 1980 American film, starring the famous Dolly Parton as one of its lead protagonists, being turned into a 21st century musical, I hold no hesitation in testifying my uncertainty of its acceptance to an audience nearly 40 years later.
However, I was gladly proven wrong. The storyline’s focus on workplace sexual harassment, bullying and female inequality, created both an empowering and sometimes eerie contemporary relevance. In particular, the irony raised by one of the main protagonists, Violet Newstead, spread a discomforting chill as she declared that unequal pay will not even be a conversation in ten years’ time, to an audience nearly four decades later.
Despite successfully portraying the story’s important message, Patricia Resnick, writer of both the film and musical, doesn’t allow the night to be taken too seriously. The three female protagonists who are treated poorly by their loathsome boss successfully get their revenge, hanging Sean Needham’s fantastically detestable Mr Hart in his bondage gear at the top of the stage and transforming the workplace.
The eminent Lucina Lawrence additionally spends much of the evening in raunchy underwear, arguably stealing the show as she plays the hilarious spinster secretary, Roz Keith. Roz’s obsessive devotion to her chauvinistic boss incites infectious laughter from the audience during her creative number, ‘Heart to Hart’ as she dangles off Needham in her stockings and heels.
A huge statement of recognition is undoubtedly owed to the three main protagonists. Caroline Sheen, performing as Violet Newstead, blew the audience away with her performance as an older widow, bitter and under-appreciated by her office. Sheen creates an atmosphere of admiration and awe as she invites the audience into her unfair world and demonstrates courage in trying to change it.
Innocent new girl Judy Bernly, played by Amber Davies, was definitely the main subject of conversation in the ladies’ during the show interval. The 2017 Love Island winner left everyone stunned with her emotive and powerful voice, inciting goose bumps in her solo performance, ‘Get out and Stay out’.
Last but definitely not least, Georgina Castle did herself proud in amazingly pulling off Dolly Parton’s loveable character, Doralee Rhodes. The outlandish combination of naivety, strength and wit
are all equally illuminated in Doralee’s character, capturing the audience’s hearts as she brought a bit of Dolly to the stage.
Despite the 1980’s film being created over forty years ago and the message not being one unheard of before, the musical still feels enlightening. One can even argue that the gap between the production of the musical and the film makes the message for bettering workplace conditions for women ever more powerful. As Resnick affirms, “I know what all women know, which is that sexism was depressingly just as prevalent in our time now as it was back in the eighties. It’s just done a bit differently now”.
9 to 5, the musical can be seen at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 2 November.
For more information and to book tickets, click here.
