{"id":1918,"date":"2023-11-30T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/?p=1918"},"modified":"2024-07-02T14:57:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T14:57:54","slug":"9-to-5-the-musical-noda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/9-to-5-the-musical-noda\/","title":{"rendered":"9 to 5 The Musical – NODA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Review URL<\/strong><\/td>NODA<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/th>30th November 2023<\/td><\/tr>
Society<\/th>Hayling Musical Society<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/th>Station Theatre, Hayling Island<\/td><\/tr>
Type of Production<\/th>Musical<\/td><\/tr>
Director<\/th>Zoe Fisher<\/td><\/tr>
Musical Director<\/th>Tom Davison<\/td><\/tr>
Choreographer<\/th>Zoe Fisher<\/td><\/tr>
Reviewer<\/strong><\/td>Mark Donalds<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As soon as we walked into the foyer of the comfortable Station Theatre, we knew we were in for a treat. Straw bales and front of house people dressed in cowboy attire really got us in the mood for the country and western origins of 9 to 5 The Musical<\/strong>. Based on the 1980s\u2019 film of the same name, and penned by the undisputed Queen of Country, Dolly Parton, the show tells the story of three office workers who are driven to breaking point by their \u201csexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot\u201d of a boss and decide to take matters into their own hands.  They end up transforming the company for the better and increasing profits. Even though attitudes have changed a lot since the 1970s when the show is set, this musical seems to have become an inspiration for many and a bit of a \u201cgirl power\u201d phenomenon, if the number of enthusiastic women in the packed audience was anything to go by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right from the first note of the iconic \u201c9 to 5\u201d song, we were caught up in the energy of the busy office scene that was created, with projection and just a few flats on the very restricted stage. Furniture was moved on and off very efficiently by the cast and stage crew and, knowing how little room there is at the sides and rear of the stage I could only marvel at how slick the scene changes were \u2013 you hardly noticed them happening. Huge credit to Stage Manager Tony Tame and his organisational skills. Lighting by Lee Stoddart was spectacular throughout, really enhancing the picture, and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

sound by Tom Davison got the balance just right between the performers and the recorded soundtracks \u2013 we heard every word. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Costumes and wigs (Megan Fisher, Maria Hammon, Zoe Fisher, and Emily Harkness) fitted the mood, period and characters perfectly \u2013 with some really stunning outfits for some of the big numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director Zoe Fisher likes to choreograph her productions as well as directing them and that shows in the slickness of this piece, moving easily between dance and dialogue and maintaining a cracking pace throughout. Zoe has chosen the perfect trio as the disgruntled secretaries Violet, Doralee and newbie Judy. Rhian Gardner was spot on with her portrayal of Violet as the often overlooked, smart, single mother who knows the business and is capable of so much more. We really felt her anger at being passed over for promotion. Megan Fisher shone as the sexy, misunderstood country girl Doralee, and both sounded and looked a lot like Dolly Parton. Sally Goddard was impressive as Judy, the recently separated, meek mouse with no office skills, she transformed the character into a confident and empowered woman. What voices and attitude all three women had, commanding the stage with their performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his portrayal of boss Franklin Hart, Danny Owen demonstrated the power of his acting by convincing me that he was the sleazy, sexist pig that I know he isn\u2019t. Marie Ridley was wonderful as office sneak Roz, toadying up to unrequited love Hart and hated by everyone else in the office. Her vampish performance was just the right side of over the top and all the more humorous for it. As young accountant Joe, Lucas Bradshaw was always interesting to watch, making his attraction to the older Violet totally believable. Their duet together \u201cLet Love Grow\u201d was simply beautiful. I must also mention Helen Castle as office lush Margaret \u2013 a nicely judged performance \u2013 never too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rest of the cast gave tremendous support, attacking every chorus number with great verve and gusto and making a beautiful sound together. The choreography was executed perfectly, ending in some lovely pictures, and goodness knows how you managed it on such a small stage without any collisions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a cracking production this was, pacey and slick with tremendous performances from everyone on stage, beautiful costumes, and stunning lighting. Add to that Dolly Parton\u2019s bouncy music and humorous lyrics and you have the perfect evening out, right on your doorstep. We left the theatre feeling uplifted \u2013 what more could we ask?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"9to5<\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sound by Tom Davison got the balance just right between the performers and the recorded soundtracks \u2013 we heard every word. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[433],"tags":[435,436,437,434],"class_list":["post-1918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-showreviews","tag-review","tag-show","tag-sound","tag-theatre"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/9to5.jpg?fit=1263%2C797&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2jmMR-uW","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2134,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/singing-in-the-rain-jr-noda\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":0},"title":"Singing in the Rain Jr – NODA","author":"Tom Davison","date":"20 February, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Soloists and chorus alike produced a beautiful sound and, with head mics and Tom Davison on the sound desk, we heard every word.","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Singing in the rain Jr - SAIL Youth Theatre - Poster","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/641361526_122201691284545721_4835963153273824605_n.jpg?fit=720%2C429&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/641361526_122201691284545721_4835963153273824605_n.jpg?fit=720%2C429&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/641361526_122201691284545721_4835963153273824605_n.jpg?fit=720%2C429&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/641361526_122201691284545721_4835963153273824605_n.jpg?fit=720%2C429&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1981,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/i-love-you-youre-perfect-now-change-m-coates\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":1},"title":"I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – M Coates","author":"Tom Davison","date":"27 November, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Tom Davison\u2019s perfectly balanced sound and SFX offered a professional edge.","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"I love You Youre Perfect Now Change Banner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IloveYouYourePerfectNowChange.jpeg?fit=1186%2C574&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IloveYouYourePerfectNowChange.jpeg?fit=1186%2C574&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IloveYouYourePerfectNowChange.jpeg?fit=1186%2C574&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IloveYouYourePerfectNowChange.jpeg?fit=1186%2C574&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IloveYouYourePerfectNowChange.jpeg?fit=1186%2C574&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2123,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/urinetown-noda\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":2},"title":"Urinetown – NODA","author":"Tom Davison","date":"16 February, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"As always, Tom Davison got the sound pretty much perfect","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urinetown Poster","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Urinetown-poster.jpg?fit=600%2C373&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Urinetown-poster.jpg?fit=600%2C373&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Urinetown-poster.jpg?fit=600%2C373&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1897,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/jekyll-hyde-openingnightreviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":3},"title":"Jekyll & Hyde – OpeningNightReviews","author":"Tom Davison","date":"26 June, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The sound was masterfully controlled and manipulated by Tom Davison to make the performers' speech and singing very natural and consistent.","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jekyll&Hyde","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/420061554_782312593923066_6467886113799585932_n.jpg?fit=1024%2C536&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/420061554_782312593923066_6467886113799585932_n.jpg?fit=1024%2C536&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/420061554_782312593923066_6467886113799585932_n.jpg?fit=1024%2C536&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/420061554_782312593923066_6467886113799585932_n.jpg?fit=1024%2C536&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1950,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/six-teen-edition-noda\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":4},"title":"Six – Teen Edition – NODA","author":"Tom Davison","date":"17 August, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Sound (Tom Davison) was excellent too - in this notoriously tricky hall we heard every single word. It was loud enough to feel like a concert but not deafening. Lighting was just breath-taking, and sound was crystal-clear.","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Six Poster","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sixPoster.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sixPoster.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sixPoster.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sixPoster.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sixPoster.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1910,"url":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/we-will-rock-you-youngpart-noda\/","url_meta":{"origin":1918,"position":5},"title":"We Will Rock You Young@Part – NODA","author":"Tom Davison","date":"12 April, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The eight-piece band under MD Tom Davison produced just the right \u201cQueen\u201d sound and, thanks to good control from the sound desk","rel":"","context":"In "Show Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Show Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/category\/theatre\/showreviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WeWillRockYou","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WeWillRockYou.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WeWillRockYou.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WeWillRockYou.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WeWillRockYou.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1918"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1937,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918\/revisions\/1937"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebigbluehouse.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}