Review: 9 to 5 The Musical, Wickersley Youngstars, Rotherham Civic Theatre

They did Dolly proud.

When I met the team at Wickersley Youngstars during their rehearsals for 9 to 5 The Musical at Rotherham Civic Theatre, they were all singing from the same song-sheet – literally and figuratively – when it came to their aim for the show.

As Marie Hadfield from Wickersley Youngstars Committee had previously shared – Dolly Parton's literacy work shaped their childhoods long before they ever stepped onto a stage as many of the young performers grew up reading books sent by the global superstar after she launched her Imagination Library in Rotherham in 2007.

And with Dolly’s passing in August, the production took on an “added poignancy”, as not only did she star in the original 1980 film, but the musician, actress, songwriter and philanthropist also wrote the iconic score for the stage musical.

The principle cast, dance team and ensemble felt an “even stronger sense of pride and purpose in honouring her creative legacy” through the show they had been in rehearsals for since April.

As Chair Tina Witherden said: “We're all proud to be a part of something that Dolly herself was so involved in and we want to do her proud.”

Having seen the show, I have to say the young Parton proteges performing on stage would surely have done that.

On the night I attended the principal cast was Bethan Carter in the role of DoraLee - a part she shared with Maisie Ashira – while Violet was portrayed by Grace Castle and Judy by Ana Rowley.

The central trio were tremendous.

Violet as the ambitious and quick-witted office manager (but not “one of the boys” as she reminds us in a dig at the male corporate executives) at Consolidated Industries is often described as the “emotional backbone” of the show and Grace Castle was a true embodiment of that.

Her powerful vocals particularly shine on Around Here in act one and, of course, One of the Boys, in act two.

Ana Rowley brings a delightful naivety and a scrappy energy to the newbie worker in the office Judy, heartbroken after her husband leaves her.

Her powerhouse performance sees Judy's character arc go from bumbling to buoyant and she belts out her solo number Get Out and Stay Out to her husband in a voice which belies her diminutive stature.

Bethan Carter's DoraLee is every inch the Dolly archetype – the sunny Southern belle who's smart, sweet and sassy and devoted to her husband.

Too bad for pompous office president Franklin Hart Jr (Reece Sanders-Johnson) – although that's the least of the villainous and lecherous boss' problems as anyone familiar with the plot will know.

Reece packs the performance full of bluster and bravado and is clearly having a blast playing the baddie with bags of high energy physical comedy.

Dolly was literally present through out on screen delivering plot points and bantering breezily with the audience.

But at the very end the troupe turn and bow their heads in tribute to a backdrop of Dolly in an angelic pose at Glastonbury with the dates 1946 – 2026.

There was not a dry eye in the theatre including this reviewer.