THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2025

9 to 5: The Musical
Violet (Liz Wilson) and chorus in '9 to 5: The Musical'. Photo: Nicola McKee

Liveliness, creativity and outstanding lead portrayals are front and centre for the Ulster Operatic Company's impressive and inspirational take on Dolly Parton's 9 to 5: The Musical. A show that at the very least matches, if not rivals, the group's production of Legally Blonde: The Musical in strength and spirit, 9 to 5 astonishes and delights in its application of popular music to colourful aesthetics, animated choreography and vibrant performances – all while being consistently smart and frequently funny. 

One gets the feeling from the start that the audience at Belfast's Grand Opera House are in for a real treat when loud clapping to the rhythm of the iconic title tune brings everyone right into the swing of things. Yet even with the catchiness of this song and every other song we hear, it is still a challenge to adhere them to an interesting narrative – a challenge that, I'm happy to say, Parton's tunes and Patricia Resnick's book definitely meet. This isn't just a showcase for talent, it's also an intriguing take on gender and workplace dynamics blended with at times dark comedy and endearing energy.

Violet (Liz Wilson), Doralee (Niamh McAuley) and Judy (Aideen Fox) in '9 to 5: The Musical'.
Photo: Nicola McKee

Played by Aideen Fox, Niamh McAuley and Liz Wilson respectively, Judy, Doralee and Violet are three women who really feel pushed to the limit in their office environment, primarily due to the dominant influence of their pompous and smarmy boss, Samuel Moore's Franklin Hart. The pleasure, or possibly pain – take your pick – is in watching how the ladies aspire and attempt to reform their surroundings and lives, with more than a little help from song, dance and cleverly crafted routines. And there are plenty of those.

The returning creative team, including director Tony Finnegan and choreographer Matthew Watson, expertly ensure that the message, narrative and spectacle merge eloquently, adroitly and forcefully. Most forceful, perhaps, are the hugely impressive central trio of female leads, with Wilson finding a way to reflect the joyful desire and punishing demands of aspirations and mentorship, McAuley irresistibly exhibiting the spark and the deviousness within Doralee, and Fox compellingly relaying a multitude of emotions arising from Judy adjusting to a new lifestyle. Each has their own standout number – for Wilson, it's "One Of The Boys", for McAuley, it's "Backwoods Barbie", and for Fox, it's "Get Out And Stay Out", a solo which clearly wows the audience so much that they begin to applaud before Fox has even finished the song. These numbers, along with several striking ensemble set pieces, are among the many pleasantly surprising, hugely uplifting or darkly intriguing elements to be discovered when viewing 9 to 5: The Musical - a show which truly dazzles in the level of entertainment value it provides for its audience.

Simon Fallaha

The Ulster Operatic Company's production of 9 to 5: The Musical runs at Belfast's Grand Opera House until Saturday October 11. For more information, and tickets, click here.