9 to 5 The Musical- West End vs National Tour

When I first saw 9 to 5 The Musical on the West End, I was a huge fan. The incredible cast, combined with the vibrant yet complicated set and costume design had me in ore. Not to mention the incredibly hilarious yet political script.

So, when I discovered 9 to 5 would be visiting the Lyceum in Sheffield, you can imagine my excitement.

The show opens with a video message from Dolly Parton herself, who sets the scene and introduces the three strong female leads: Violet Newstead (Claire Sweeney), Judy Bernly (Vivian Panka) and Doralee Rhodes (Stephanie Chandos).

The story follows these women as they battle sexism in the workplace during the 1970s, predominantly from their boss, Mr Hart (Sean Needham).

The show opens with Dolly Parton singing ‘9 to 5’ virtually, supported by the cast who are bursting with energy, harmonizing perfectly and performing the classic cheesy choreography everyone expects from a musical.

Although the show cleverly works Dolly Parton songs into the script, such as ‘Backwards Barbie’, don’t be put off if you aren’t the biggest Dolly fan. This isn’t like ‘We will Rock you’ or ‘Mamma Mia’, as most of the show’s songs are actually original.

The theatre rendition is based on the 1980s classic film, and modernises the 80s humour to make it relevant to today’s society. Dramatic irony is used to poke fun at Donald Trump winning the presidency, despite there being numerous sexual harassment allegations against him.

The script also makes a real point of ‘locker room talk’, sexism in the work place, and the unjustness of women being paid less then their male co-workers.

Jokes such as “Women are like floor tiles, if you lay them right the first time you can walk all over them for the next 20 years”, certainly shocked the audience.

Actress and TV presenter Claire Sweeney plays leading role of Violet Newstead, a recently widowed mother fighting against men for a promotion she rightfully deserves. Sweeney’s powerful voice, mixed with her acting ability and comedic timing arguably carried the show.

Sweeney shared the spotlight with Stepanie Chandos (who portrays Doralee Rhodes). Her character is heavily based on Dolly Parton herself. Chandos is beautiful and captivating, as she sings her rendition of Dolly Parton’s ‘Backwards Barbie’.

Vivan Panka was endearing and charming in the role of Judy Bernly, and boasted a beautiful, powerful voice in her ballad “Get out and Stay out”.

Overall, the touring version of 9 to 5 is good watch, and will definitely put a smile on your face. However, there is a lot to be said for the benefits of being on the West End. The more complicated, elaborate sets combined with larger casts can really make a difference to the quality of the production.

At some points the performance felt messy, comedic timing was off and jokes landed flat. Perhaps the cast was having an off day, but there was just something about this performance that didn’t quite match the energy in the West End.

However, the feminist message this musical promotes is still extremely relevant, and for that reason alone definitely worth the watch.