Review: '9 to 5'

by Martha Bell


 9 to 5 was the school musical put on at the Kings Theatre this year and it was absolutely brilliant. The actors were polished and the singing was perfect. Set in the 1980s, it is about three women who work in an office, who have a very tyrannical, male chauvinist boss. The main three actors gave  fantastic performances (Emma Watkins as Violet, Megan Fisher as Doralee and Sofia Callender as Judy). They get very sick and tired of his bullying and harassing behaviour; one night, having gone out for a drinks after work, they fantasise about different ways of getting rid of him in a very comic scene. Isaac Lee was hilarious as the horrible boss, Mr Graham and Libby Rhodes was both funny and sympathetic as his assistant, Ros. There were also fantastic supporting performances by Oliver Saint as Joe, Joe Brennan as Dick and Daniel Hill as Dwayne. Grace Taylor was memorable as Dolly Parton, the narrator, and Susannah Shlosberg stole every scene as the enthusiastically drunk Margaret.  


Women at that point were treated very differently from men. Men got more promotions and praise, whereas women were just workers and, to their boss, nothing more, just people to be exploited. Although the play is very funny, it covers serious issues, very relevant today with the Me Too movement which has shown appalling behaviour by powerful men even in the present day. 





There were so many memorable songs and dance routines. It was brilliantly directed by Ms Stretch and produced very well by Mr Robinson, with fantastic music directed by Mr Hemmings and artistic choreography by Ms Williams. The costumes, organised by Mrs Whittaker, were fantastic and the sets were really colourful. All in all, the whole production was a thrilling performance that had me hooked until the end.






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