9 to 5 - what a way to spend an evening

REVIEW 9 to 5, Theatre Arts of Dukinfield and Ashton

Theatre Arts of Dukinfield and Ashton (TADAA) take to the stage for their first performance as a society with the Dolly Parton spectacle 9 to 5, and what a start it is! 

Most people see 9 to 5 as a hit-or-miss musical, but this group of talented performers really bring this piece to life. From the staging and set to the individual performances, this show is enjoyable, funny, and extremely captivating. 

The set is truly outstanding and has a real ‘WOW’ factor. The use of multiple LED screens provides multiple moving backdrops alongside the masses of bright colour, which become really immersive throughout the whole performance.  

I can’t imagine working with a cast of this size is easy under any circumstances, especially when you add in the use of moving scenery such as desks, chairs and sofas. But all the pieces have most certainly come together and look amazing on the stage.

Director Gary Jones has clearly put time and thought into every scene, every move and every change and it absolutely shines through, and this is matched by some absolutely stellar choreography, produced by the wonderfully talented Jean Griffiths – whose professionalism and experience really comes to life in all the dances. A wonderful contribution indeed! 

Onto the cast – and we start with the incredible ensemble. Every single person in this group of performers holds their own. No matter where they are on stage and what is going on, everyone stayed in character and everything was just ALIVE! A huge well done to all of you, it was a joy to see the hustle and bustle matched with fantastic dancing and singing. It was ACE! 

This musical does, however, heavily rest on the shoulders of six people – Violet, Judy, Doralee, Mr. Hart, Joe and Roz. The personalities of each of these characters must light up the stage every time they enter – and my word, did they do just that! 

Starting with Joe. Jack Martin was able to capture Joe’s kind and sweet nature to a tee and had the audience on side from the off. His warmness won the backing of the audience in his pursuit of Violet, and his overall performance was great.

We then have Roz, arguably the show stealer. Vicky Terry really brings it in this absolutely hilarious role. 

Terry has perfect comedic timing as she somewhat embodies ‘Edna Mode’ from the Incredibles (if you know, you know). Her physical comedy is excellent and it was very much epitomised in her performance of ‘Heart to Hart’ which was the song that stole the entirety of the first act. A wonderful performance! 

Speaking of Hart, Mr Franklin Hart, played by director Gary Jones, was performed brilliantly. Gary is an extremely talented musical actor, and this shines through in his performance as the “sexist, manipulative, egotistical bigot” boss. The comedy injected into this character by Gary is brilliant, and to couple that with the fact that he directed the piece, he should be nothing but proud of this show! His whole performance oozed class and was brilliant to watch. 

Leonie Picariello, playing Judy, is also fantastic! Her whole performance of a woman growing in confidence and standing on her own two feet was absolutely brilliant. She also has a brilliant comedic timing that had the audience in stitches. But the standout of Leonie’s performance was the rendition of ‘Get out and Stay out’. She sang with such power and grace and deserves every praise for a terrific performance. 

Then there is the ‘Never-quittin’ Texan’ Doralee. This role was taken up by Elizabeth Parkin and she is unreal. From the minute she steps forward with that blonde hair, big smile and PERFECT Texan accent, the audience is hooked. One particular favourite moment for me was Elizabeth’s involvement in ‘I just might’ – all three girls were great in this number but I was very drawn to the vocals of Doralee.

The whole performance of Doralee is so captivating from Parkin and she really does bring the essence of Dolly Parton with her. A truly fantastic performance.

Last but most definitely not least, our hero, Violet – played by Carolynne Jones. Carolynne is perfect for this role. She embodied everything that Violet should be. Her whole performance was a joy to watch and she brought real charisma and passion to the role, and it’s topped off with an awesome performance in ‘One of the boys’. You can tell that Jones is an experienced professional and her showing is not one to miss. 

The whole musical is a triumph and everyone involved at Theatre Arts of Dukinfield and Ashton should be extremely proud of the show they have here. Every actor adds something to this wonderful piece and they deserve every success during their show week. 

The show opened on Tuesday, October 22 and is running until Saturday, October 26 – and tickets are selling fast! This is not a show to missed – make sure you are there to take in TADAA’s first glorious performance as a society and don’t miss 9 to 5! 

You can get your tickets at: 

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/theatre-arts-of-dukinfield-and-ashton?fbclid=IwY2xjawFqNd5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS8xgH4t1SMJZyYmSOkZbyMbV7YlEMBfC0coVEeLIWmZdRqIlHyRc0MYIg_aem_YyrVl6yxiH-bYrrqUuJMzQ