Featuring the music of Dolly Parton

It’s fabulous fun. But it’s also a musical with something to say.

9 to 5 The Musical plays Hastings White Rock from September 8-12, and Jessica Martin is delighted to step into the role of office manager Roz. Featuring a score by country music legend Dolly Parton, the show follows three office workers who have had enough of their overbearing, chauvinistic boss. When a wild idea turns into a daring plan for revenge, chaos, comedy and sisterhood take centre stage.

Jessica is loving it: “I am a creature of musical theatre. I have been in this industry for 43 years. I graduated as a student in 1983. My very first professional job was The Wizard of Oz and my first time in the West End was Me And My Girl. I have got some fringe branches in my career. I'm a writer and an illustrator but of all the artistic things that I do, the one that really takes my imagination is being on stage performing in a musical. I think the music takes the emotion to the next level... particularly when you're doing something like 9 To 5 where you've got these great songs from Dolly Parton who is just an absolute genius. It is her ability to take the most mundane subjects and tell the truth in the most profound way. The music was so prescient. She was talking about female empowerment and the power of the little person, the David versus the Goliath.”

And that is part of the key message from the show and why producers Landmark Theatres were keen to take it on: “Theatre was once a place of religion and belief where people could see great stories transmuting the feelings of the masses, where they could come out feeling a bit better from the ritual and a bit better about their own lives. Landmark chose 9 To 5 because they wanted a show that would appeal to as big an audience as possible.”

And that's what it will get, especially with the message that comes through with songs such Shine Like The Sun: “When the crying's all done, when the lying's all done, When the trying's all done there'll be nothing but sun, when it's all said and done, We're gonna shine Like the sun.”

Jessica is playing Roz: “I love playing complex characters as I mature in my career.”

She cites key roles in Sunset Boulevard and Sweeney Todd, for instance: “Roz is following in that kind of thing. She is the loyal secretary who is just following the party line. She is old school. She doesn't question Mr Hart’s authority. If Mr Hart wants something, then that's what she will do.

“And I do get the feeling that the audience are enjoying her and see her side of things – even though they are prepared to boo Mr Hart because he represents all the bad things. But you can't criticise her because she has got her own integrity. But it's all about the ability for people to transform and to escape.”

As for the touring: “Touring is enjoyable but it can be quite difficult. I've got another life! I've got a real life! I've got two grown-up children but that enables me to go on tour. We have a lovely home that we moved to in the countryside during Covid at a time when the whole world was crashing down and I was thinking maybe there might not be any more theatre for me. But ironically I've had the busiest five years ever.

“But when I'm packing my bags, it is hard but then to be on the road with this show is great, a show about 9 To 5 which is the very thing that all of us in the show have avoided! And we know no matter how hard our job is, there are other people out there doing 9-to-5 jobs for whom it is all much harder, other people in more difficult job situations or other people without jobs at all. I think we have got a pretty good balance with the whole thing, and really touring is what the theatre is all about.”