Louise Redknapp on starring in Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical

Virgin Radio

10 Aug 2021, 10:25

The singer joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to talk about performing in the stage adaptation of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical, life on the road, and making a new album.

Louise reprises the role of Violet in the show, which opens on 31st August at Southampton Mayflower and ends March 5th at Manchester Palace Theatre. She is playing selected dates throughout the run. She told Gaby Roslin and Ricky Wilson, who are in this week for Chris, “It’s just nice to be back. I came in yesterday afternoon, which was my first day back in, and you just forget what a piano sounds like, and a group of people singing together, and that energy in a room. So, we’re all loving it. I don’t know if we’re remembering it, but we’re loving it!

“I’ve done it for eight, ten months, and then a big gap in between. I’ve got a lot of new cast members, which is nice, so it freshens up the show, and shows a little bit of different light and shade to it but, for me, I’m hoping most of it’s going to come back, but you know what it’s like sometimes, it’s so easy just to forget stupid little things. Over the next couple of weeks I’m hoping it’s all going to come back!”

When talking to Gaby and Ricky about the differences between being in a musical and writing, recording and performing her own music, Louise said, “I love music, I love performing, it doesn’t really matter what type of music I’m doing, so I love the fact that I get to do both, and being in a show, it becomes quite nice because you know what to expect every day. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love changing it up and releasing an album and going to do something like that, but it becomes normal, everyday you go in and do your job, you know what you’re singing, you know the reactions you’re going to get, and that part is nice, especially after being at home for two years!”

Of being part of the 9 to 5 production, the singer added, “I feel really grateful that I’ve got to dip my toe into the world of theatre. It’s something, at school, I always wanted to do but I went more into the pop industry. So I feel lucky that at this stage of my life I’ve been given the opportunity to try it out.”

With the 9 to 5 show travelling all over England and Scotland, Louise said that she will be mixing it up with regard to staying in the places where the shows take place, and heading home. “A lot of the places I can drive home in the night, which is most probably going to be shattering, as I’m still going to have to do the school run in the morning!” she laughed. “But I’m away for a couple of weeks, and I’m home for a couple of weeks, so it’s nicely laid out for me, which works. 

“There’s always cities that you look forward to going to, and when you’re on tour, you know where all the best brunch places are for, like, poached egg on toast.”

Louise admitted though, that she does enjoy her home comforts after a show. “I’m a real home girl. If I can get home, I will. Even if it’s just for a few hours, it feels like you’re back to normal for a minute. You know, you can hear the kids screaming, or getting ready for school, or doing whatever, it just gives you a little bit of normality to then go back in to what you do.

“Even if I get home at one in the morning, I can have a little bit of Netflix in my own bed, bowl of cereal, get up in the morning. You just feel like you’ve regrounded yourself and then gone again.” 

Louise’s first album in 20 years, Heavy Love, was released in January 2020 and peaked at number 11 in the UK charts, and she told Gaby and Ricky that she is working on another record. “I’m currently just making a new album now,” she explained. “It’s just nice, I’ve got to that stage in my music career where I love doing it because I love doing it, and luckily the last album did pretty good, so I’ve got the chance to do another one, working with some great writers and singers. It’s just nice to get back in the studio and write. It’s one of my favourite things to do.”

Summing up how she is feeling about all of her artistic ventures, the 45-year-old said, “I will never, ever moan about the job I have ever again after lockdown. I just feel that we are all so lucky when we do get to travel and do amazing things.”

The 9 to 5 UK tour runs from 31st August - March 5th. For tickets and information, visit 9to5themusical.co.uk

For more great interviews listen to The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or catch up on-demand here.