Never mind a measly eight-hour shift – the brilliant minds behind LUUSMSâ newest production of â9 to 5â have been working overtime!
Opening night, 26th March. I returned once again to the Riley Smith Theatre to witness another stunningly executed show by one of the University of Leedsâ biggest musical theatre societies.Â
Inspired by the beloved 80s classic film starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and iconic country star, Dolly Parton, we set the scene inside Consolidated Companiesâ office. Consolidated is a brilliant place to work⊠if youâre a man.
The audience is introduced to three polarising yet eccentric women: Judy, Violet, and Doralee (played by Jenna Coverdale, Izzy Peter, and Jess Bilsby). These girls all come from completely different walks of life but are united by one thing – a shared hatred for their boss, the bigoted Mr. Hart (played by Thomas Harding). They come together to plan a (chaotic but effective) revenge plot for Hart, transforming their strained relationship as coworkers into a celebration of sisterhood with this powerhouse trio. As the old saying goes, girls get it done!
The opening number of Dollyâs hit song â9 to 5â captured the focus of everyone in attendance with its high energy level, fun-feel and eccentricity. The light ribaldry and self-referential humour present throughout the show was very reminiscent of that seen in the 1980 film and was tickling, albeit rather cringe-worthy. However, I believe thatâs simply due to the American-style scripting which reveals a lot of 80s stereotypes: a divorcee whose husband left her for a younger woman, an overly-sexualised âdumb blondeâ with big boobs, and a single mom at the end of her tether with being overworked and underappreciated. Overall, everyone delivered their lines excellently as they landed favourably with the audience, and all of the American accents were nailed!
What stood out for me during this performance was the focus on female empowerment, showcased through the three leading ladies and their way of running the show, as well as the Consolidated office. Coverdale, Peter, and Bilsby work brilliantly as a trio; their harmonies were beautiful, especially during âI Just Mightâ. I also viewed the exploration of female sexuality as very positive, even more so considering the historical context of the time the musical is set. The feminist themes continued right up until the end of the performance with Violetâs monologue – where she stuck it to the man and gave Mr. Hart a real piece of her mind. A tumultuous applause from the crowd could be heard during that scene!
Other standout performances for me were from Harding as Mr. Hart, Emma Mitchell as Hartâs secretary Roz, and Jenny Fullerton as Margaret – that drunk woman was hilarious! I also thought the display of a loving relationship between Doralee and her husband Dwayne (played by Rhys Rogers) was a moving tribute to Dolly Partonâs late husband Carl Dean. From growing up listening to Dollyâs music, I know well how much she adored her husband, whom she met when she was eighteen and was married and devoted to for over sixty years.
Another noteworthy element of the show was the visuals. Wow! One would think that the set design, lighting, costumes and props are all small and somewhat irrelevant additions to this musical as the main focus is on the cast and their performances; however, it was these little things that truly made the showâs setting come to life! Additionally, I have to give mention to the iconic clock on the wall that lit up with Dolly Partonâs face as she made a short cameo to introduce and conclude â9 to 5: The Musicalâ. Again, as a fan of Parton, I for one was delightfully surprised with this feature.
As for favourite songs, some standouts for me were: âBackwards Barbieâ (Bilsbyâs vocals during this were incredible, and the message centering around not judging a book by its cover is still vitally important today); âHeart to Hartâ (Mitchell exploring Rozâs burning desire for her boss was both empowering and comical, not to mention her belting out the notes from a sitting position was highly impressive!); and âShine Like the Sunâ (another ballad where the leading ladiesâ harmonies take the spotlight). Shoutout to Erin Brady and Mabel Jones as co-musical directors – you can clearly tell the level of hard work that went into the arrangement of every song.
Alike to the soundtrack, the choreography was also of an incredible standard. Some standout dances for me were during: âNine to Five (Finale)â (of course the ensemble had to go out with a bang!); âOne of the Boysâ (the traditional broadway-style routine brought big energy, even bigger top hats and female empowerment); and âCowgirlâs Revengeâ (I loved the country and Western tone of this number that featured some line dancing and even a lasso!). I give my praises to co-choreographers Sasha Dewar, Rose Arcos and Izzy Peter – as well as the principal dancers, who all put their heart and soul into every number.
Finally, I cannot conclude this review without special mention to the production and backstage teams – all of whom have evidently worked tirelessly to perfect this rendition of â9 to 5: The Musicalâ. Anyone would assume that opening night is often accompanied by a few kinks that go unmissed during rehearsals and get ironed out for the remainder of the shows, however this opening night was an absolute hit with both myself and the audience! The sheer level of extreme effort put into this show must be down to co-directors Rosy Constanti and Mia Matthews – massive well done to them and the rest of the cast and crew for pulling it out of the bag once again.
Sorry to disappoint anyone with a second astounding review of LUUSMSâ performance; I just canât fault them!
Editor: Grace Lees