When UCLA student and sorority president Elle Woods is unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend for what he perceives to be her lack of seriousness, she studies her socks off and successfully applies to the same course at Harvard Law School. Her fondness of pink and lack of gravitas impress neither her professor nor most of the other students. But her improving albeit rudimentary knowledge of law combined with her street smarts begin to impact people who need legal help.
The
screen-to-stage musical
Legally Blonde begins with a shrill riot of excitement and never really lets up. A previous UK tour in 2018 massively leaned into the pinkness and hammed up the more outrageous aspects of the story. This new touring production directed by Nikoali Foster has dialled back the craziness and is all the better for it with the strong backbone of empowerment and sisterhood allowed to hold the show together in a classy way without quite so much garish distraction and “trashy carrying on”.
Amber Davies’ musical theatre background and pedigree is proven with strong vocals, sharp dancing and a portrayal of Elle that commands attention every time she bursts onto in a scene and sashays her way downstage. A Greek chorus (trio) encourages Elle in her moments of self-doubt, though after their first entrance there’s always some confusion whether they’re still imagined or there in person in subsequent entrances.
Boyfriend-soon-ex-boyfriend Warner (Jamie Chatterton) is ambitious to the point of self-importance. His new love interest Vivienne (the early villain until she witnesses a sexual assault and stands up for her ‘sister’ intern) is played by Annabelle Terry who gets many of the best melodies of the show and uses her impressive vocals to brilliantly lift the show’s finale. Uncool teaching assistant Emmet (George Crawford) falls into Elle’s orbit when he offers her advice and is himself soon being groomed for success, in the courtroom and with an eye to his fashion choices.
A first act highlight is when hairdresser Paulette opens up to Elle about her dreams. While this production’s version of
Ireland shuns the exaggerated ‘Oirish’ buffoonery of 2018 – there’s no hilariously large tricolour and the nods to Riverdance are really toned down – Karen Mavundukure’s performance of the narrative-setting song tees her character up to be loved every time she comes back on stage. This pays dividends when ‘hot’ UPS courier Kyle (Ty-Reece Stewart) delivers a parcel to the salon. After the interval, it’s a hop, a skip, and a lot of jumping as Jocasta Almgill (playing fitness influencer Brooke who’s in court accused of murder) sings while skipping without missing a beat or sounding breathless.
Everything stops the first time that Sprout comes on stage as Elle’s dog, Bruiser Woods. (His wardrobe of costumes is a glorious detail in Elle’s college bedroom.) Later in the show, it’s the turn of another canine cast member – treat-guzzling Rocco, playing Rufus – to dander on stage and show off to the adoring crowd.
Colin Richmond’s curved set with Ben Cracknell’s neatly embedded window lighting focuses the audience attention on the centre of the stage while walls fly down to transform the space into Elle’s classroom and the hair salon. Following a politically incorrect but very fond rendition of There! Right There! (“Gay or European?”), the second act quick set change between elevated courtroom and a witness’s bathroom is visually hilarious.
Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s score isn’t particularly hummable. But their lyrics – unusually for many modern musicals – really drive the story forward (rather than just remarking on the mood or situation) along with Heather Hach’s snappy dialogue. The confident cast deliver an energetic tale of empowerment, confidence-building, and friendship.
Legally Blonde continues its run in the Grand Opera House until Saturday 25 July.
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
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