9 to 5 The Musical

I couldn`t wait to go along to see All Saints Elton Theatre Company take on the iconic musical 9 to 5 and I was not disappointed. Under the ever watchful eye of Alasdair Gordon as Musical Director the familiar songs came out strong and with attack, there were audible harmonies, note ends and clear diction. The three leading ladies carry the brunt of the vocals and it was very clear that Alasdair had worked hard to bring out their personalities in their singing voices. When there was a technical glitch - a cable came loose during the first half and all sound coming through the radio mics was lost, projection levels from the cast were definitely increased to help to cover the shortfall. There were no “ deer in the headlights” moments or pauses, so Bravo! The choreography was nicely paced and cleanly executed by the cast, it helped show passage of time well. I particularly enjoyed “Heart to Hart” , the choreography and lyrics combined with the comedic timing and facial expressions from Claire Dawes as Roz will stay with me for a long time.

Costumes by Jean Abbott and Carol Whatmough were very fitting to the characters being portrayed however I must mention that Doralee ( Charlotte Crowley) would usually have been in stiletto shoes not character shoes as they are mentioned in either dialogue or vocals  and her overall costume would usually be more “sexy secretary” – we have to remember that this was set within an overtly chauvinistic time and is not present day. I did however love all three ladies incognito costumes.

Scenery was moved on and off with ease under the careful eye of Stage Manager Trev Brown – no easy task when there are numerous desks and typewriters whizzing about. The stage looked well dressed with props etc and never looked to be lacking or empty.

The ensemble worked hard during this production, I liked all the background movement and silent talking while the plot was unfolding from the trio of ladies. I really enjoyed Teri Edwards`s characterisation of drunk Margaret – it was subtle from the start and developed without ever tipping over into unbelievable. Dave Oliver as Joe was a good strong counter part for Tanya Rishton as Violet – they kept it feeling real, both had very strong vocals with some good clear enunciation, they depicted some great light and shade in their performances. Charlotte Crowley as Doralee kept up a strong accent and persona, even when she was cross with Franklin Hart (Matthew Fleming) you could still clearly make out each word. She had a nice connection with the audience. Rebecca Foster as Judy was at times a little bit too quiet even allowing for her character`s timidness but as the show progressed and she settled into her character things levelled out, she had some good chemistry with the other two ladies. Matthew Fleming as Franklin Hart certainly looked the part of  a prime sleazebag with his homegrown pornstar-esque moustache, however, personally I do feel that he held back and could have been a lot more sleazy and slimy. He kept his accent up well and delivered his songs with conviction.

Thank you for inviting me. Myself and my guest enjoyed your performance of 9 to 5 The Musical and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

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