Review: LEGALLY BLONDE, King's Theatre
Legally Blonde runs at the King's Theatre until 11 April
Legally Blonde is a musical based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the 2001 motion picture. Music and lyrics are by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin with book by Heather Hach and it is directed by Nikolai Foster.
It’s been eight years since the last major UK tour of Legally Blonde and it's something that audiences have clearly been crying out for. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a packed theatre with this much energy, not to mention the length of the queue for merchandise.
Elle Woods (Amber Davies) is a pretty in pink Malibu girl who thinks her whole life has been mapped out. She’s the president of her sorority and expects her boyfriend, Warner (James Chatterton) to propose. Instead of proposing, he announces that he’s ending their relationship as Elle just isn’t “serious” enough and he is off to Harvard to study law.
Determined to win back her man, Elle studies hard to get accepted to Harvard herself and discovers she has a knack for the law, but her new challenge is to be taken seriously by her fellow students. Cue recent graduate Emmett (James Lim), who sees the potential in Elle and encourages her to apply herself. Lim is fantastic in the role as the supportive friend who accepts Elle in a way her boyfriend never did.
Music-wise, this is a non-stop pop extravaganza with fantastic choreography from Leah Hill. Legally Blonde is a fun and energetic show featuring a multitude of quotable lines and iconic moments. The set design leaves a little to be desired, though, as it favours simplicity, which is at odds with the rest of this bold and vibrant musical.
Amber Davies is the perfect whip-smart Elle with bags of sass and sweetness. Karen Mavundukure gives a wonderful performance as Paulette, and her big number “Ireland” gets the best reception of the night. Two cast members who made a big impact with their little time on stage were Sprout in the role of Bruiser Woods and Milo as Rufus the four-legged companions of Elle and Paulette.
This is a great production of a much-loved musical with a strong cast that definitely brings the feel-good factor.
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
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