9 to 5

This lively show was new to me as was all the music except the well known ‘Working 9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton’, so I had no expectations. I know from previous recent visits’ that ‘Nailsea Musicals’ have been experiencing problems with membership and dwindling audiences, so I was delighted to see  a large enthusiastic audience and  a perfectly cast company full of energy and talent and  a production team full of innovative ideas, Nailsea….you have certainly turned ‘the corner’.

 For a full half hour the preset displayed a bed with a sleeping man (with obvious talent for lying in bed), lying very still until the alarm clock rang at 7.30pm and suddenly the stage was full of people singing ‘9 to 5’ the opening number. I was very pleased to see the use of back projection, excellent modern zany excellent graphics and faultless projection.  The ladies toilet sequence, with a toilet door opening to show ’Roz’ listening to the girls conversation was very clever. The production team also took the opportunity to use the orchestral backing track to accompany the singing. I usually like to see and hear a live orchestra, but on this occasion it was absolutely the correct choice. It added depth and contrast which a small combo, no matter how good, would not and having used the tracks for rehearsal the whole cast was spot on and comfortable with starts and endings and it lifted everyone’s performance.  Well done MD Paul Jennings for managing the computer perfectly and encouraging your talented cast.

This show is really a musical farce and as such needs perfect comic timing and pace. The director Keren Arnold performed difficult role of director and principal performer very well.  The pace was excellent…the cast moved desks and other props on and off with speed and skill and they were obviously very well rehearsed.

This was a fun musical with plenty of opportunities for principal performances and oh how they all shone in their period costumes.

The girls were a tour de force… Violet- Laura Shields, was a pocket dynamite, a little lady with a huge personality, excellent performance singing, acting and dancing. Doralee- Charlotte Clarke was a wonderful western singer with excellent comic timing who never lost her excellent Texan accent (even when singing) and was also the choreographer, a huge commitment very well done.  Director Keren also played Judy, the quiet, old fashioned newbie who shone in her singing and acting… they really were a marvelous trio. Gayle Edmonds as the love sick Roz also gave us a terrific character… her ‘Heart to Hart’ was very good and very funny.

The men did equally well with Jack Mitchell playing the slimy but funny Franklin Hart with ease (I’m sure you were just showing off your  good acting!) and Tim Price with his excellent singing voice playing  the   charming ‘nice boy’ Joe with talent and charm. All the supporting principals were entertaining and the ensemble sang and danced well, but I must mention the ‘virgin performer’ Chris Waller, your Texan accent was excellent, look out Nailsea you could be looking for a new treasurer…he might want centre stage next time!

The result was a very entertaining evening for everyone. The cast all looked as though they were enjoying themselves, the audience certainly was and the production team should be well pleased with the result of all their hard work. Well done everyone.

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