View from the Green Room: Gals gettin’ even!
Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society's '9 to 5: The Musical' was performed at the Strand Theatre.
'9 to 5: The Musical' is a musical based on the 1980 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton.
The storyline follows the fortunes of Violet (Sandra Power), Doralee (Jordan Freeman) and Judy (Ashlee Lonergan) as three working women who live out their fantasies of getting the better of the company's autocratic "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss, Franklin Hart Jnr. (performed by Neill Bourke).
The plotline tells an interesting tale of sexual discrimination and misogynistic intent. Remember this was the era when a Labour party minister in Ireland objected to equal pay rates for women in the Irish Civil Service. So… the Dolly Parton reverse-romcom is not without a strong and factual base. It was a time when the glass ceiling was never more evident.
John O’Donohue’s clever set design and superb stage management by Michael O’Hara enables a cracking pace. An intriguing set of neon diagonals on a midnight blue opening facilitates a pacey show that is always in-yer-face and entertaining.
Clock alarms sound and we’re off with a bouncy 9 to 5 from the chorus. Office desks, chairs and bric-a-brac sweep across the stage and a pendant clock beams messages and comments from Dolly Parton during the show. It’s a hive of activity that energises the musical throughout.
A superb trio of Sandra Power as Violet (the constantly overlooked secretary), Jordan Freeman as Doralee (much lusted after by her boss) and Ashley Lonergan as Judy (the dumped wife forced back into the workplace) make this musical drama move.
All three grow in confidence as fate conspires against, and subsequently with, them in their drive to get even with a boss to whom chauvinism is his philosophy of work. Their growing and credible friendship always has the audience on their side.
The plotline is pretty thin. The girls bond together over related grievances in order to get even. The common enemy of this revenge comedy is the behaviour of their boss, Franklin Hart Jnr. (the excellent Neill Bourke), whose behaviour towards them is appalling.
He exploits his super-efficient office manager Violet by refusing to acknowledge her excellent work. He also claims that gullible and innocent Doralee is his mistress, while casting his net of lust in vulnerable Judy’s direction. Ironically, Hart also ignores the woman who loves him – his office manager Roz’s (the hilarious Tarryn Atlee) – and her amorous intentions towards him.
When the girls share their gettin’-even schemes with each other in a sequence of clever fantasies… ”Dance of Death… Cowgirl’s revenge… Potion Notion…”, the plot’s afoot as they kidnap Hart, tie him up in his own house and run the office far more efficiently themselves.
I’m sure there were audience members that envied the change of working conditions that included flexible working hours, free health and child care along with equal pay.
Well, of course the girls win out after the convoluted plot disentangles itself with the arrival of an angel in a white suit – CEO Mr Tinworthy (smashing cameo by Pádraig Sheehan) – who promptly confirms all of the new working arrangements and sends Mr. Hart to his South American branch in Bolivia that is currently hosting a violent rebellion.
Dolly’s score and storyline comes across as genuine and a concern for wronged characters in the very real drama of life is more than obvious.
The songs are punchy and entertaining – along with some really strong “I am” ballads and the comedy works well.
Director Martin McNelis makes great use of the space of the Strand stage and squeezes every ounce of entertainment out of the script, while Choreographer Keith Dwyer-Greene’s dance routines are clever and inventive with some smashing pictures onstage.
Finally – a big shout out to Programme Editor Caolán Deehy-Power for yet another superb programme from Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society. You wouldn’t see it in the West End!
