Musical Lyrical Lingo
We're Musical Lyrical Lingo!
Join Tim and Lj who delve deep into the wonderful world of musical theatre and more importantly the lessons they have learned from different musicals.
Join them as they explore some of the greatest musicals ever created, from the classics to the new and exciting shows that continue to teach us something new.
So whether you're a seasoned fan of the stage or a newcomer, this podcast is for you.
So sit back, relax and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of musical theatre.
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Musical Lyrical Lingo
Balancing Acts and Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 Musical Insights
Ever wondered how musical theatre enthusiasts manage to balance rehearsals, personal milestones, and family events? This week, we tackle the exhilarating yet exhausting life of a performer, sharing why we've decided to skip filming ourselves due to sheer weariness. Amidst our busy schedules, we celebrate the joy of becoming an uncle to little and recount our thrilling experience watching Raymond Walsh in "Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular" in Belfast, where his fantastic performance and local accent truly stood out.
Let's talk "9 to 5" - a musical gem with catchy tunes by Dolly Parton that often flies under the radar. From its Broadway debut in 2009 to various tours and the UK premieres, we explore the journey of this show and the behind-the-scenes drama involving a lawsuit with Colin Higgins' estate. You’ll hear our thoughts on the plot revolving around three women fighting back against their sexist boss, and enjoy an unexpected tangent about a Northern Irish Cher tribute act.
Why do some musicals thrive on tour but not on Broadway or the West End? We dissect this phenomenon using "9 to 5" as a prime example, highlighting Dolly Parton's unique audience interactions and her upcoming touring musical. We also delve into the historical context of the mimeograph mentioned in the song "Around Here," and dive into the technical challenges of staging dream sequences. Rounding up, we reflect on the surprising box office success of the original film, Dolly Parton's legacy, and the fascinating history of Frederick's of Hollywood. Tune in for an episode filled with musical theatre insights, personal stories, and a hearty dose of humor!
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hello and every week we will be discussing musicals, but specifically what they taught us hello, hello, hello it's been a busy week it has been very busy and it's just us again.
Speaker 2:I'm not used to not having a guest on. It's just us. It's just it, literally is just us. Even ep aaron has decided not not to show up today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we're not filming this week because we're so tired.
Speaker 2:And we look like, yeah, we don't look great. I mean, I've just come from a three-hour rehearsal so nobody was recording me today and I realised they put a jumper on that had a staden all the way down it as well.
Speaker 1:So I mean, what a?
Speaker 2:trump. So, yeah, no, no, the hair's not done and um, the makeup's not on so we're not, we're not recording ourselves today we're too busy for life we're just too busy.
Speaker 1:But do you know what? We slotted this in so absolutely.
Speaker 2:I'm sure they're delighted that they have something, something to listen to on a monday morning. Um yeah, it has been a busy week though, hasn't it very busy?
Speaker 1:you had a birthday I had a birthday.
Speaker 2:I'm one year older, although it gets to a certain stage in your life, and I stopped counting birthdays, but you still do. You still like mark your birthday, don't you?
Speaker 1:like do something yeah yeah, oh no, I see I would be more than happy for it to go we're really a big big one for yes, as long as you got into your 20s you kind of stopped doing thousand percent yeah I think my 20th birthday was the last birth.
Speaker 2:No sure you. You had that 30th birthday for me and I was like, no, that's not okay. Um yeah, I just can't have them. I don't want to get any older because in my head I'm still eternally 25 years old okay, I love it yeah but then you kind of forget, like you're conversing with 25 year olds, and then go oh, hold the phone.
Speaker 1:I'm actually nowhere near your age well, what was scary was last week we were at my brother-in-law's 40th birthday okay, yeah weird. No, and then, like next weekend, we have another 40th yeah day, so I'm like oh it's approaching these are coming like quickly, so even though these people are a good few years older than me, um but they're not a good few years older than me I'm like oh, 40 you are a hook.
Speaker 2:Like anytime you talk about age and birthdays, you literally try and make it sound to your listeners like there's about 10 years between you and me and, exactly honest to goodness, you're such a spoofer I know, but I just love it because they're six months, but it's like a year.
Speaker 1:You know, like your birth year is different.
Speaker 2:My birth year okay, get over it. Um, yes, so yes, I've had a birthday. I'm also an uncle, I know. Yeah, congratulations, yeah. So it's all very exciting for our family and my lovely, insane brother and his partner Megan. So congratulations to them on the birth of little Esme Elner. She's so cute, I know, she's gorgeous, so, and it's a little girl, so of course she's going to be singing and dancing in her tutu.
Speaker 1:Of course.
Speaker 2:Next week, because I bought the tutu already. She will be a West End Wendy. No, so yeah. And then we shout out to our lovely friend of the podcast, raymond Walsh, who we went to see him this week and the cast and the cast of Les Mis. The arena, the arena, spectacular. And they have, kind of like, billboarded it appropriately, haven't they? It was a spectacular concert. Really, really good and Raymond was absolutely amazing in it.
Speaker 1:Raymond really was amazing, and whenever you know somebody in a show you tend to look out for them anyway, but actually I just couldn't stop looking at him.
Speaker 2:Oh, you couldn't take your eyes off him.
Speaker 1:His reacting was so good and I think because they were on stage quite a lot as well, it was just lovely and he just caught your eye. He just has a real natural way on stage.
Speaker 2:Listen, the boy is talented and it was also just so class to hear our accent up there. It was nice hearing a few different accents but, um, it being in belfast, it opening in belfast like that was the first venue of this world tour, which is also kind of exciting for belfast, isn't it?
Speaker 1:um, you know, to then hear a belfast boy up there, or you know someone with our accent, it was very, very and I love as well because he had mentioned that whenever he was on our pod as a guest and he had said about how they um, you know the line like I volunteer, like you you and then the um looking in the mirror twice obviously like in every our day. So I don't know if you see you wouldn't have, but maybe on instagram you'll see I've seen it he's now on tiktok yeah, he's gonna be so tiktok famous yeah, but his his um video that he did getting all the guys to do and some of them do his lines exactly I love that they were referencing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he went through.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he went through around the the cast. Really, didn't they try getting them all to try and do a northern ireland accent, which is, I think, probably the hardest accent to do, isn't it? A lot of people say that, interestingly. Then I saw today my friend emily olive boyd, who is in Les Mis in. London she was like hey, raymond, thanks for being in SPO. And she did the same with her company.
Speaker 1:I love it. Yeah, we watched that too. It's great. But like I think on that video alone, like Raymond has like over 20,000 views at the minute. So yes, if yous are interested, there's loads of them doing actually on TikTok behind the scenes and like what's it like on this arena tour. So they're off to Glasgow at the minute. I would definitely try and follow a couple of them because just getting to know more about what happens in a tour, an arena tour like that compared to just a normal production tour.
Speaker 2:I was concerned that like an arena, because, for example, example, when Mamma Mia the arena tour came like I didn't go and see it because I just kind of think, oh my goodness, like musical theater on that scale, it's like, too, you're too far away from it, it's too big a venue. But I didn't feel that at all. Actually it was so spectacular, like everything was on such a big scale. It was just sensational. It was really good. So all the best to raymond and the rest of the cast as they go off around well, it's the world around the world I around the world
Speaker 1:yeah there's a wee song around the world, around the world. I don't know, don't know. Obviously I can't sing it.
Speaker 2:You're completely left field there. I've no idea what you're referencing. I also met Bradley Jaden and Killian Donnelly, so they were the ones that we seen playing Javert and Jean Valjean and they came to my name is rehearsal on the Wednesday night.
Speaker 1:Hi, amazing, how are you?
Speaker 2:And that was my birthday night too. I know it was very nice of them to like take, you know, one of their nights off to come and visit you know, a few amateur people who are about to embark on, but that's just a testament to them as well, Like that's lovely, isn't it? Yeah, and.
Speaker 1:They got talking to our Jean Valjeans and Javers, which was very helpful. I'm very jealous, I have to say, because I thought the two of them were absolutely outstanding.
Speaker 2:Absolutely class. Yeah, brilliant. Anyway, shall we get on to our pod today? We are so wrecked because we are working Non-stop, non-stop, some might say nine to five Lauren.
Speaker 1:I non-stop, non-stop, some might say nine to five.
Speaker 2:Lauren, I've practiced that in the car on the way here. I loved it. It was very good. It was very good, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:yeah, we're talking about the nine to nine to five, the musical, yeah a bit different from what we've been doing yeah, actually, and I I've experienced nine to five, but it's been a long time, okay, since I even listened to the cast recording and it was nice researching this episode because I went back and listened to it again and do you know what? There's a place in my heart for 9 to 5. The Dolly Parton musical based on the 1980s film, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton.
Speaker 1:Who's just sensationally, wonderfully phantasmagorical in every way.
Speaker 2:She's a wonderful lady, isn't she? And I didn't give her enough credit. I wasn't aware. The first thing I've learned my first musical lyrical lingo, lauren that I've learned is I didn't realise she wrote all the music in the musical. I presumed you know the likes of 9 to 5 is obviously her song and maybe one or two of the others, but like across the board, like she wrote the music and the lyrics, and the music and the lyrics, the songs in this show are really good.
Speaker 2:I think there's some really underrated musical theatre numbers from this show?
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely. I think that especially, you know, maybe middle-aged women and down should really be looking at these songs and like trying to sing them at, maybe like concerts and stuff, if they were still doing that. Yeah, yeah, I like them, I like the music.
Speaker 2:It features a book by Patricia Resnick based on the screenplay by Resnick and Colin Higgins. Yes, interestingly, there was a wee bit of a lawsuit going on.
Speaker 1:Oh I know, very strange isn't?
Speaker 2:it? Yeah, absolutely Well. It premiered in LA in September 2008 and then opened on Broadway in April 2009, receiving 15 Drama Desk noms. Yeah, unfortunately, yeah, the most Drama Desk noms received by a production in a single year. We don't often talk about the Drama Desk Awards. Very often do we? It's because they only got nominated for donies and there was no wins. It was like I may put in some other like critical, you know critics stories yeah, so then. The Broadway production, however, was quite short lived.
Speaker 1:I know because it opened in Broadway in April 2009, but closed in September 2009.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like five months. Really Five six months Now. It then was like thrown out into a national US tour, wasn't?
Speaker 1:it.
Speaker 2:In 2010. And then followed by its UK premiere in 2012. Wasn't it Manchester?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it might have been Manchester.
Speaker 2:It wasn't straight into town. No, it wasn't Because it opened in the West End in 2019. Yeah, and then there was a UK tour 2021. But after the LA run, this lawsuit was filed by the estate of Colin Higgins, remember one of the writers of the screenplay. Yeah, so it was filed by the estate of Colin Higgins against the Higgins former attorney who was now representing Resnick, the other writer Right yeah. For the musical's failure to secure Mr Higgins' stage rights for the musical project.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:It's a wee bit, wee bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Awkward.
Speaker 1:Awkward.
Speaker 2:I wonder what Dolly had to say about it probably not very much, because Alan's in the stream well, just just burst into Alan's in the stream it's not a Dolly Parton number, it's not in this musical, but it is a wee Dolly number. I went to see a Cher tribute act last night blooming heck a Northern Irish Cher tribute act. Last night Did you A Northern Irish Cher tribute act and she was blooming, marvellous Essentially Cher. Look her up on Instagram.
Speaker 1:Better than the Cher show.
Speaker 2:Honest to goodness she was. They should have plopped her into a Cher show. It would have been a much better musical. Oh my goodness, honestly, she was absolutely brilliant. The costume changes were on point, the looks, the wigs and the voice, like she was able to sing and talk like Cher throughout. So she did like the wee talky bits in between. Sure, sure, it's been a long time since I did a Cher impression on this podcast, hasn't it? It has, yeah, anyway, tangent.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, awkward with the aisle lawsuit there, but um you know, these things happen I know.
Speaker 2:No, it's true, um it kind. Do you have the plot there? Yeah, because I forgot to write it down. I could tell you, but I'll like, I'll like blab on a bit and go around the world for a shortcut. What's the plot?
Speaker 1:I have a very basic plot.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think the plot is kind of basic, isn't it?
Speaker 1:I was going to say like I don't think it's, it's not rocket science, okay, and I don't mean that degrading. So 9 to 5 tells the story of three women pushed to boiling point by their sexist boss. The three ladies concoct a plan to kidnap him, which creates some chaos.
Speaker 2:So Aye, they tie him up and suspend him from the roof, don't they?
Speaker 1:I mean, they do quite a few things and he still isn't you know. Once he's tied up and realises that these women are out to kind of get him. He's not like oh, I stopped being bad, he's still not nice, oh, I stopped being bad.
Speaker 2:Oh no, he's a misogynistic Craig Like he's never going to change he's not a nice character. But trying to work out how you tie somebody up and suspend them from the riff in an amateur production that's fun. Oh yeah, I'm sure that is fun there wasn't a bar that was going to hold that up. Let me tell you.
Speaker 2:So yeah it kind of gets us comeuppance, doesn't, doesn't it? And the girls have, the girls have their day and yeah, it is a super important, like you know, musical, for you know, girl power, yeah, that's definitely how the film was yeah, I've never seen the film I've never seen the film either.
Speaker 1:All I know is that those three fabulous women are in the film yeah and yeah.
Speaker 2:So dolly parton, she played dora lee, didn't she? And then, who were the two other women in there?
Speaker 1:um the same women from Grace and Frankie, and their names are completely just left in my head.
Speaker 2:Oh, for goodness sake, lauren, did you not write them down in your notes? I can't hold on. I thought you would have the background Whilst you're looking up who the original three were in the film when it opened on Broadway Alison Janie Stephanie. Jay Block, who we've talked about funny, she was a Cher in the original Cher show on Broadway. And Megan Hilty, who we know from Smash fame. She was bloody brilliant in Smash Amazing. That was the first time I came across Megan Hilty.
Speaker 1:Same. Thing.
Speaker 2:And then when I was doing an amateur production of, yeah, the Glees 95, obviously I listened to the soundtrack and she's in the soundtrack and I was like, oh, it all makes sense now and she was also glenn down wicked and she but yeah, but I, yes, you, I wasn't yeah, exactly sorry, the three um ladies and they're all still like um friends today.
Speaker 1:So dolly parton, uli tomlin and jane fonda that's it jane fonda.
Speaker 2:the film was basically written for Jane Fonda, wasn't it? Yeah, she was the first one they wanted to sign up on the dotted line when it opened yes, it did open in Manchester Opera House in 2012. It was Jackie Clune, natalie Casey, amy Lennox. And then this is when Bonnie Lankford first made her nine to five appearance as Roz, the crazed secretary who fancies the pants off Franklin. Is it Franklin J Hart?
Speaker 1:Franklin J Hart.
Speaker 2:Jr. Yeah, franklin J Hart Jr, the misogynistic pig Roz is a really funny role, like really funny role. Then, when it opened in the West End in the Savoy Theatre, amber Davies, who at the time everybody was like, oh my goodness, because, was she on Love Island or something? She was on some reality TV, right, and then she got loads of crap basically about who's this Love Islander appearing in the West End. But what people didn't realise was she'd changed prior to yeah, so leave her alone, mike, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:And she's got a really fun podcast.
Speaker 2:She's got a brilliant podcast. I listen to it all the time. Yeah, it's brilliant. Yeah, check out Amber Davies' podcast. She gets to interview loads of people in the biz.
Speaker 1:No, she does, she does?
Speaker 2:Do you think she'd come on this?
Speaker 1:I mean, all we could do is ask.
Speaker 2:That's true. Call to.
Speaker 1:Stage is her podcast.
Speaker 2:Call to Stage Amber Davies' podcast. Do listen to it. It's really good for all you stageys out there, just out there. Um, just make sure if you start listening to hers you do continue to listen to ours because we, we, we got you first.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, um, and leave a wee review. You know we, you know we like share christmas present. Wrap us up in a box and give them to your friends for christmas. Um, there's merchandise mugs, tea towels, t-shirt over tea towels we do nowshirt. Have we tea towels we do now. We do now Tote bags. We've got everything, we've got them all. So, yes, no, amber Davies was in the West End production, along with Louise Redknapp and Natalie McQueen. Yes, and then Bonnie Langford appeared again as Roz yes, she did. To Brian Connolly as Franklin J Hart Jr. Yeah, I have a wee soft spot for Brian Connolly. I quite like him. Oh, my goodness, he's like pure ham. He's like double ham on a sandwich, very hammy. But he was right for the musical. Yeah, I quite like him. And then David Hasselhoff. Sadly, I missed his. He played Franklin J Hart from December to February 2020, just before COVID. Yeah, I'm not sure about him. I'm not so sure about him either. Um, however, it gets a bit of a hard time this musical, doesn't it?
Speaker 1:yeah, I think because it didn't have such a great record on broadway.
Speaker 2:I think it's a fab um drum show I agree that you can really get your teeth into this thousand percent until you have to try and like suspend. I was gonna say.
Speaker 1:I think people loved the movie and it also, like I think it had a bit of a backlash because it was so, you know, like women and women's rights and all of that, which is just ridiculous, why this is.
Speaker 2:This is why there's so many issues with our world. How can that cause a backlash?
Speaker 1:I don't get it no, I know, and then I don't know. I think there's something in it. It's not that people love Dolly Parton and they love her music. They just didn't warm to this as a musical and I I remember speaking to somebody else about this. It reminds me of Witches of Eastwick with Out the Devil.
Speaker 2:I love Witches of Eastwick too. We haven't done that on the podcast either.
Speaker 1:There's about 50,000 musicals we have not done.
Speaker 2:Interestingly sidestep. I auditioned for an amateur production of what's it called Witches Playing like the young boy, character, boy, uh, character. Yeah, do you know who was up against me and got the part over me? Hey raymond walsh. Oh, there you go, there you go, it's all right. He's gone on to bigger and better things. I forgive him for it. Like I hadn't hoped really, in hindsight, did it anyway?
Speaker 1:tangent tangent, I think. Um, I also just fixed my mic, so I do apologize. The first while of that I was shouting at people. I think I had it up instead of turned it down, so apologies.
Speaker 2:You did that on purpose. You just want people to hear you more than me. No See tiredness. Do you know what the New York Times called this show?
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:It's a great put down. They called it an over-inflated whoopee cushion. It's not a great put down like unfair and unjust, but hilarious. And it called it a gaudy and empty musical, which I think's unfair.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I don't think. I don't think that I don't. You know, we've talked about this before. There's some shows which suit being in town, or being in broadway sorry, london west end and being there for years and years and years and there's some which are good as little, like flighty musicals which come in which just sit being on tour and this is one of them, I think, and I think this is a good touring show
Speaker 1:I agree I don't think it should like, um, you know one minute, be be in the west end and then come out and then, a year later, like go in again.
Speaker 2:I don't think it needs to be in and out yeah, but I do think it needs to be on tour and do you think it's just come into my head? So I'll ask the question do you think the initial reaction to it wasn't as um favorable or the fact that it didn't last in that first broadway run was because people had heard like there was a lot of press of dolly parton's musical? Do you think people were coming to it expecting to hear like a jukebox musical of dolly's?
Speaker 1:songs I think, I think so Okay. And then maybe there wasn't a huge amount of people familiar with 9 to 5. Like, people know 9 to 5, the song, but maybe a huge people don't know 9 to 5, the film. So then, we're maybe a bit confused. So I think that's why here I Go Again. The Dolly Parton musical would be more successful.
Speaker 2:There's another one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she's doing a second it's on tour at the minute. It's like stop it here we go again and this is all of her music this is all right.
Speaker 2:Okay, this is her back catalog. Right, got you. It'll be interesting then to see the difference. Yes, okay, perfect. Um, it's kind of cool, though at the beginning of 9 to 5, like Dolly comes up on the clock and like talks directly to the audience and stuff I have never seen it.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's really cool. Even the Amdram, like the package that you get sent. You get sent Dolly like a video of Dolly and she's like howdy folks and welcome to this, you know, and she's like put your mobile phones away and it's Dolly and it's like that's not a good Dolly impression.
Speaker 1:I understand, but yeah.
Speaker 2:Cher, cher's definitely my forte, but yeah, no, it's kind of cool.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's cool. No, I haven't. I haven't seen it. I know that there it's sorry, it's one that I know that has been around and I want to see and I probably will see it, but I've just listened to a soundtrack have I made it up, is there a chat of 2024 25 tour, or have I made that up?
Speaker 1:I might have totally fabricated that I haven't heard that okay, I've made that up, maybe well, maybe haven't, you've, maybe said it now, and then producers are going to go here you know what happens on this pod.
Speaker 2:All we have to do is absolutely utter it and it happens. Okay, well, we talk about our musical lyrical lingos then yeah.
Speaker 1:So in the song Around here Around here. So this is where oh, I've forgotten the characters' names, but they're showing.
Speaker 2:It would be they're showing Judy, if Allison. Janney's character is showing Megan Hilty around yes no because Megan Hilty is Dora Lee the blonde. She is Dolly, dora Lee is Dolly, it's. I just said it. What did I just say? Judy, judy. So Judy is new to the office. And is it Vivian? I don't know. I just said it. What did I just say? Judy, judy, judy. So Judy is new to the Office. Yes, and is it Vivian?
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't know the character's names.
Speaker 2:That's so annoying. I've done this show.
Speaker 1:Well, she's showing her around the Office and how you do things here. So it's called Around here and it says here's your mimeograph yeah, so, and it says here's your mimeograph, yeah, so this movie is or the movie set. It was set in 1980s and the the mimeograph. Yeah, I can't say it. Here's your mimeograph um, and the musical is of the same time period, so that is carbon paper yeah like a duplicator and it was before a photocopier.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:Like we are so blessed to now have a photocopier. Oh you've no idea.
Speaker 2:I remember back in the day going into mum's office and seeing a fax machine and being absolutely blown away by it.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:We've come a long way since fax machines and mimeographs. Yeah, because the line is here's your mimeograph and the carbon paper, there's the intercom, there's a phone and there's a stapler.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so I knew what a phone in the stapler was but did you know your carbon paper? I didn't realize the two were linked oh yeah, so until I did the, the research yeah, so I knew that carbon paper because, um, you remember in retail, like before chip and pin and contactless and before you could pay with debit cards.
Speaker 2:Lauren.
Speaker 1:You could only pay with credit cards.
Speaker 2:Yes, and they did the whole.
Speaker 1:It was like watching our parents do this. They put the credit card forward and then it went like this. It was like the weirdest thing. You put the credit card in this piece of plastic, put the carbon paper over it and then slid this other thing over it and it took up an imprint of the card because I mean, that was really financially safe, wasn't it doing things? I just had all your card details on this piece of paper totally eventually, then disintegrate, disintegrates does that?
Speaker 2:Oh, I didn't realise. Carbon paper disintegrates.
Speaker 1:The numbers and all eventually went off or rubbed off.
Speaker 2:You see, you said remember in retail, but I have actually never been in retail. I know Hospitality all the way.
Speaker 1:Never worked in retail.
Speaker 2:Hostess with the most. You won't see me in retail. They would have done it in hospitality too, it was a way to pay, yeah, no, no, I know what you're talking about whenever we were working it was like just prior to that, but we definitely would have seen that carbon paper and also now I like, yeah, it's quite hard to get those wee books where you need to make a duplicate copy yeah, there's some forms.
Speaker 2:We still well, actually, no, even they've gone. When I started job like there were a few forms that we would have had to fill in, we needed like three copies and that's exactly what they used Like it was carbon paper.
Speaker 1:I actually whenever, so I would go out and like assess people in the workplace.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So I would. I used to have like a duplicate copy. It was like a duplicate copy of thing and we would write like what we seen and what we expect to see the next time and all of that, and then we would have kept a copy. Give a copy to the employer yeah, give a copy.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, like the transfer forms, like transferring kids from primary school to secondary school. They would have always like all of those forms were filled out by hand and so old I know, but it doesn't happen anymore. It's all online. Yeah, interestingly, the show starts with Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 musical.
Speaker 1:A fun fact about that? Don't, because I'm about to say it.
Speaker 2:So one of the 9 to 5 the saw the actual song was one of the few Billboard chart songs To feature the clacking of a typewriter.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And Parton stated in numerous interviews that when she wrote the song, she devised the clacking typewriter rhythm by running her acrylic fingernails back and forward against one another. That's what you were going to say wasn't it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I can do it Because, like if you.
Speaker 2:You have big long nails.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, but they've got like gel on them.
Speaker 2:Oh, no Did you hear that there.
Speaker 1:I did.
Speaker 2:Don't do it again. You might chip a nail and I don't want you shouting at me Don't, don't, don't, don't. So there you go. 9 to 5 was also the second highest grossing film in 1980. Earning more than $100 million at the box office. Imagine getting $100 million. Do you know what film was the highest?
Speaker 1:grossing.
Speaker 2:Nope Empire Strikes Back.
Speaker 1:I've got oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Wizard of Oz that same year.
Speaker 1:No, Wizard of Oz is so much older.
Speaker 2:What are you talking about? Do you know that the studio also wanted a sequel to 9 to 5 the film? Yeah, they did. Why, Like what would the sequel be? I don't know. Hold on, I'll phone them up and ask them. Excuse me, Dolly, I was just wondering. We do this podcast, you see, and we were just wondering why did the studio want a sequel?
Speaker 1:Well, that was just like corporation greed. They just wanted to make money. There was no need for the story to have a sequel.
Speaker 2:And Dolly only agreed to star in the film if she was allowed to write the theme song. Well done, dolly. Stamping your mark, dolly is the best. Dolly is class. However, I haven't watched the Dolly Netflix musical thing. I know, I've heard and I've just stayed clear. Is that the right thing to do? The Christmas one, the Christmas special?
Speaker 1:do you remember I made you watch the first episode of Schmigadoon and you loved it.
Speaker 2:I did.
Speaker 1:That's what it's like, but for real. Yep, do you get me Okay?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Fair enough. In Schmigadoon it's acceptable. Yes, I'm not sure it's acceptable anywhere else. Brigadoon, it's acceptable. Yes, I'm not sure it's acceptable anywhere else. Anyway, have you any other musical lyrical English?
Speaker 1:I've got here for you the language in that song he sings.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's it. Franklin J Hart's song, isn't it? It is just gross. Oh, he's horrible, it's just gross, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's just gross. And then I was like do you know what I have to like?
Speaker 2:gross because he's not saying bad language, guys.
Speaker 1:It's because he's just being misogynistic, horrible man. But one line, which it's not a musical air, but it just really turned me it gave you the ick, did it. I won't flinch until I quench my thirst from her sweet cup. Those sweet cups yeah, horrible no, I just don't.
Speaker 1:But I thought it was great writing. Yeah, I thought it was really good writing as, in a way, because obviously you know, especially in films, and movies you're hearing a lot about what these characters are before you meet them, and then your first introduction to them they've really got to sale. So this song, I think, really makes you go. Yeah, I can see why those girls yeah, to get their own back on them thousand percent um.
Speaker 2:uh. There's a song that uh dolly parton's character, dora lee um, sings, and it's called I'm Just a Backwoods Barbie, yep, and she sings like Barbie or the models in Frederick's Catalogue.
Speaker 1:Yep, I had that too.
Speaker 2:Did you? Yeah, yeah, I didn't know what that Frederick's Catalogue was. So Frederick's of Hollywood was the leading US intimate apparel retailer, mm-hmm, with an emphasis on racier clothing and other items.
Speaker 1:I think mainly lingerie, racy lingerie.
Speaker 2:So it was like Victoria's Secret before Victoria's Secret, I think. Actually the arrival of Victoria's Secret kind of like not killed Fredericks off, but kind of became a real.
Speaker 1:Threat to it.
Speaker 2:Threat to it.
Speaker 1:yeah, it ran from 1989 to 2015. So it hasn't been gone that long. Okay, I still think 2015 was like five years ago. I mean, you still think you're 12 when you're talking about birthdays and stuff but yeah, and I love that because that's, um, like a little nod to dolly as well, because the way dolly dresses is because she was so fascinated with a woman in time that she thought was like beautiful, and everybody said that she wasn't.
Speaker 1:You know like I think, I don't know. It is always alluded to like the woman that dolly um dresses herself like was maybe a prostitute or something um, but she was like she looked at pictures and she was like I really think that they're beautiful and I love that this has been included in this song yeah, and she.
Speaker 2:I don't know if it's this song or if it's in one of um doralee's other songs. Um, she also sings a line about don't judge a woman by her push-up bra and pants. Do you know what I mean? Like it doesn't matter what you look like or what you dress. Like you know you got to give you know her the fair.
Speaker 1:Yeah, don't judge a book by its cover.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean, don't judge, but push your bra and pants, but push your brain pants. Doralee sings with a southern accent. Guys, just in case you're wondering what I'm doing there, what?
Speaker 1:I like about this musical is and because it happens in the film as well only through this research I know this is that they kind of let you know what happens. You know like, and then Doralee goes on to do this and like Roz, you know, goes on to do this and I like it like it's a little round up and you're like, you know like. And then dory goes on to do this and like ross, you know, goes on to do this and I like it like it's a little round up and you're like, you feel like you've you've been with them that whole journey or something oh god, yeah, like it's.
Speaker 2:It's cleverly written, like you, 100 they. They write franklin j hart so outrageously awful that you can't but absolutely hate him. Yeah, um, but it also. You know, each of the women have their own, like her, apart from that kind of like misogynistic boss, they also have their own hurdles to like overcome. You've got dora lee, who's judged because how she looks. You've got judy, who who's um is it husband has just, you know, left her and is being really horrible. And you've got I'm really annoyed, I can't remember that third character's name violet, violet, that's it well done. And then you've got violet, who's a single parent. Do you know what I mean of a, of a son who randomly smokes weed? Yes, that is a funny scene when the three girls all get together and have a wee smoke, and it's so funny.
Speaker 1:And I like as well, because their songs are all in their character and it's all them visualising what it is they would do to Franklin isn't that right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1:And then it's Dora Lee who's like no, I'm going to go on and do this.
Speaker 2:That's it, yeah.
Speaker 1:Like this needs to happen.
Speaker 2:So yeah, it's quite fun. So they all smoke a little bit of you know what, and then they have these fantasy dreams.
Speaker 2:So Judy's song is called the Dance of Death where she's like a real seductress in the black dress and like is toying with them, like um james bondi kind of feel. Then you've got cow, cow girls revenge, which is obviously dora lee's, and she's like she's tying them up. And then she's what's that thing called? When you take a really um hot poker and like yeah, branding, you know branding them and stuff. And then you've got which takes you completely bonkers potion notion it's called where violet is like, you know, like a warped version of snow white, like concocting these potions to give him, yeah, hilarious, like absolutely hilarious great, great part for however what when I went to see it in the West End, those were all cut.
Speaker 1:What.
Speaker 2:They completely changed that kind of like sequence.
Speaker 2:Now there was an element of fantasy, but those individual numbers, as far as I can remember, because I remember when we did it, apart from suspending franklin, j hart from the roof I might have mentioned a couple of times, honest to god, the sleepless nights we had trying to work out how the heck we were doing that. But the second, probably biggest, challenge was was these dream sequences? Just because they were all so you know the staging of them? Yeah, and that one like glued into the next, do you know what I mean? So it went from one fantasy and I was like it was just crazy to get my head round and I do remember coming away going well, aren't they chancers like?
Speaker 2:literally they have cut or rewritten all of the bits of this show that were the hardest bits to do. Do you know what I mean? And I was going? I mean like could not have made those rewrites before they put it out for release and licensing to amateur groups? It would have caught, it would have saved an awful lot of headaches anyway. Yeah, but that funny that's one of my stand innovations, those dream sequences, because they are so hilariously funny well, somebody hasn't seen it and it's just obviously listened um to the uh cast recording.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, they come across and you can kind of get their their characters in those songs too. So it's interesting that they took them out yeah, no, I it, it definitely was them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that they removed. Yeah, and I think they replaced it with a number right, okay, that wasn't as good. Do you know what I mean? Uh, or as catchy, like as you said at the beginning. There, they all have their own individual style, like linked to the character. Do you know what I mean? But anyway, do you have any?
Speaker 1:other me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's me standovations, or any is there? I know you haven't seen it, so is there any songs that really stand out to you?
Speaker 1:no, I think I really liked backward barbie um, because I really like that. Obviously she struggles with, obviously she dresses and looks the way she looks because it makes her feel good, but then the reaction she gets from other people is the thing that she doesn't like. So it's kind of that like, do I stop doing something I enjoy because it means then somebody's going to treat me better or, but then that means I'll not feel good myself. 24 7, so I like that song yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:I think nine to five has one of the. I think we need to do this sometime because I think I've referenced this a couple of times on the podcast. Um, I think nine to five has one of the best act, one finale numbers okay, yeah, so you need to do this yeah, don't we like the number of times I've mentioned. You know it's a great song to end the first half on. We should do like our top 10, like act one, finale numbers or something like that. I'm's do that.
Speaker 2:I'm going to write it down. It is brilliant. So Shine Like the Sun is where they basically have kidnapped him.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:And they're basically singing about a brighter day to come. But the song is like well done, dolly. Hats off to Dolly, cowboy hats off to Dolly, because it's really good and it's like proper, proper empowering. And like shine like the sun. It's so good. It's a brilliant number. I also love Change it when so he's tied up in one of their houses and Violet is in charge of the office and she changes everything in the office. No-transcript.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love that.
Speaker 2:And it's really good.
Speaker 1:Because she's been pretty much doing his work for him, because he just is a shit Bad language on the podcast. Yes, I love that she's gone in and everybody's happier and productivity is up.
Speaker 2:She's like well, change it. Yeah, yeah, really good. And then the last number that I think stands out for me is get out and stay out, okay, which is judy's song that she sings about her husband going. Do you know what it is? I am a stronger woman than you. Yeah, get out and stay out.
Speaker 1:I don't need you or your nonsense yeah, and that's her finding her feet and finding her comfort in her new self yeah, but I mean for a melt your face number.
Speaker 2:Get out and stay out will melt your face. It's a proper belter, like it's a class class song. Yeah, see, there's a lot going for this. Yeah, this show now. I left when I saw it in the west end going oh, do you know what I'm saw it. Yes, they've cut out all the difficult bits, but it also didn't feel like a West End show, as you said earlier. Do you know what I mean? I was like this is a brilliant show. I truly believe it's a really underrated show. I think you're right. It is perfect for, like, youth groups and, you know, amateur theatre. It is such a good show. I don't know why it's not done more often. Like the numbers are brilliant, it's such good fun.
Speaker 2:And I've actually made Chorus because of those bigger numbers, yeah, so it's not like it's just those three girls.
Speaker 1:Listen, the company.
Speaker 2:I did that show with were brilliant for picking shows that involved ensemble and big company. They they always saw that you know they didn't think about two hand. You know shows that you know had one or two leads. They were great for picking what shows can we do that we can involve as many people as we can, which you know, and this was one of them, and it was really really excellent. It was a really fun show to do. The script's hilarious.
Speaker 1:No, I think that, if you can see it, and maybe there'll be a 2024, 25, or 25, 26 world tour, timothy's just putting it out there.
Speaker 2:Don't worry, they've heard us. You watch this space. What on earth will you do if tomorrow morning, you wake up to what's on stage announcing that, honest to goodness, you leave it with me?
Speaker 1:love it. Love it, um, yeah, no, I think it's something that, if it does come to a town near you or an amdram are definitely doing it. Go check it out. I think you'll leave the theatre feeling satisfied.
Speaker 2:Oh, thousand percent. It's a like feel good musical, like totally feel good. And Bonnie Lankford also did the splits on that show and then was dragged across the stage from one side to the other whilst in the splits honest to goodness, like that woman does the splits. Yeah, we saw Bonnie Lankford in Les Mis this week and she was also in the splits. I never thought I'd see the day where Madam T went down into the splits, but she did. She'll get it in there somewhere.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:There we go. Do you have a favorite dolly number no like in general as in a dolly song no like island um, I will always love you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's.
Speaker 2:I mean, I mean everybody knows whitney fun fact I adore whitney and love whitney and idolized whitney. Still do. I didn't realize that Dolly Parton had. That was Dolly Parton's song, until much later, like much later in my life.
Speaker 1:No, because I love Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Speaker 2:Oh, I haven't seen it Love that musical. And is it Dolly?
Speaker 1:Dolly's in it. Yeah, Okay.
Speaker 2:I haven't even listened.
Speaker 1:She sings that in it.
Speaker 2:No way yes.
Speaker 1:Seriously yeah.
Speaker 2:I haven't listened to that musical soundtrack. Actually, what A musical soundtrack that I haven't listened to. That's ridiculous. Guess what I'm listening to this week, talking about musical soundtracks the Sunset Boulevard, nicole Scherzinger, tom Francis. One is coming out very soon and I am literally like, like woke up this morning to was the first show last night yeah, that's right yeah and people are going mental.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can't wait to hear that cast recording crazy. I think. I've, like, known it's coming out or they released Like the release date, like about four months ago, and, honest to goodness, it's like Countdown, countdown, countdown. The beginning of next month. We're nearly there. There you go.
Speaker 1:Nearly there.
Speaker 2:Anyway.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:On to next week.
Speaker 1:On to next week.
Speaker 2:I am Excited for next week. Are am excited for next week. Are you excited?
Speaker 1:very much so, because it's a bit of a left field choice yes, it is very different and it is a show I have admired for years and it is one of the shows that if I had to put, like you know, if I had to do like a collage of you and like you in the middle and, like you know, maybe 10 I'll go 10 because you know you like a lot like playbills around your face or cast recordings around your face this would definitely be in the top four seriously.
Speaker 1:I don't know why, when we all talk about next week, but I just, every time I see it, I think of you straight away this is really weird.
Speaker 2:come back next week for next week's musical. I can't wait to continue this conversation, okay.
Speaker 1:Love it Because I do love.
Speaker 2:Next week's show. I know Well thank you for joining us. Until then, go listen to some Dolly and don't be working too hard. No, I can't stand people that don't work. Nine to five, do you know? Oh, I'm sorry, I apologise.
Speaker 1:Honest to goodness, don't know you're living. I'm an entrepreneur, so I work 9 to 12.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:Is that alright?
Speaker 2:I'm an educator. I actually don't work 9 to 5, I just work every hour. God sends me.
Speaker 1:But not during the summer.
Speaker 2:Until next week, don't even go there. That is a battle you do not want to start.
Speaker 1:I am obviously on your side. You're poking a.
Speaker 2:I am obviously on your side. You're poking a bear. I am away to listen to Islands in the Stream to calm me down. Until next week, bye.
