Last May the tickets went on sale for the West End production of the musical version of Legally Blonde. The show hadn't quite made it on Broadway - closing after only a year and a half - and I wondered whether the show would do any better here. Needless to say, being a huge fan of the show, my friend and I got ourselves tickets to the first night of previews on the 5th of December 2009. I was concerned about the transformation the show would go through for the show to open in London. The only show I have seen both on Broadway and in London is Wicked and I feel the American
production is much better. The British accents drive me slowly to insanity and the slight cultural changes to the script are noticeable. I was terrified that this would happen to Legally Blonde, as changing the show in this way would
probably ruin it.
I was also rather nervous about the cast. Two of my favourite actresses starred in the Broadway production - Laura Bell Bundy and Annaleigh Ashford - and I was concerned the "faces" cast in London would not live up to their Broadway equivalents. However I was pleasantly surprised by the performances of Duncan James (Warner), Peter Davidson (Prof. Callaghan) and Jill Halfpenny (Paulette). Sheridan Smith blew me away with her spectacular portrayal of blonde, bimbo law student Elle Woods. From the minute she appeared through the lift she was exactly how I imagined Elle. She sang and danced her way through the show, hardly even breaking a sweat! Not only does she provide the lead vocals for the majority of songs, she sings backing vocals and dances superbly in the numbers where her Delta Nu "Greek Chorus" provide the main vocals. Being used to seeing her star as Janet in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, it was a refreshing change to see her step out of Janet's usual dress up of tracksuits and trainers and into pink dresses and stilettos! We especially thought she looked rather amazing in the Playboy Bunny costume Elle wears to a party.
Alex Gaumond (Emmett) wasn't quite as good as I'd expected but then I feel the shy, kind, considerate role of Emmett is quite often obscured by the bigger characters who like to steal the limelight more. Aoife Mullholland (Brooke) was sensational and the high energy skipping number 'Whipped Into Shape' in which she both skips and provides lead vocals was enjoyable and awe-inspiring. She appeared to be solid muscle! Caroline Keiff had a step up from her role as Nessarose in Wicked, taking on the role of Vivian Kensington - Warner's new girlfriend. She played the bitchy mean girl shockingly well and her vocals were up to the standard we Wicked fans have come to expect from her. Amy Lennox, Susan McFadden and Ibinabo Jack were simply outstanding as Elle's best friends, Margot, Serena and Pilar. I feel the show would not be the same without these three roles and along with Suzie McAdams (Enid) they rocked their small parts, almost upstaging the main cast!
The upbeat chorus numbers such as 'Bend and Snap', 'Omigod You Guys', 'What You Want' and 'Positive' were full of more energy than I could have ever imagined! I wanted to get up on stage and join in - I'm sure no one would notice as I know some of the dance routines anyway - but that would be taking it too far. Elle and Warner's duet 'Serious' is hilarious and 'There! Right There' - the song about whether someone is "gay or European?" - plays on stereotyping and on the reliability of Elle's Gaydar - clearly a good tool to possess if you want to be a lawyer! The song that stole the show for me however was 'Legally Blonde the Remix'. At this point in the show, Elle has decided she's going to stop trying to be someone else and embrace her pinkness and go "back to the trial". The whole chorus joins in with this energetic number which climaxes with Brooke firing Callaghan and Elle taking to the floor as a lawyer - "To represent me, you gotta be, legally blonde!"
I could probably talk forever about Legally Blonde but I don't want to ruin the show. All I can say is that 'Omigod You Guys' this show is entertaining, witty, full of great talent and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. It is better than the film. It may be slightly infantile in places but that is what makes this show the masterpiece that it is! A night out at Legally Blonde promises to be a night you will never forget! And Sheridan Smith better keep a hold of those law books or I'll be stealing them from her! Elle Woods is a role I was born to play!
