Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

REVIEW - Legally Blonde is guilty of being utterly irresistible!

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We were invited to see Legally Blonde at the Opera House in Manchester. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder had to say about this fun and uplifting musical...

Some characters are never going to slip quietly away. They were born to live beyond their original source material, bringing joy, triumph and hope to generation after generation. Elle Woods is one of those characters! It’s been almost 20 years since she burst into our world in a flurry of pink perfection and made Legally Blonde not only a hit film, but now a hit musical as well. Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel was quickly adapted onto the big screen with Reese Witherspoon immortalising Elle and smashing female stereotypes with a sparkly pink gavel! A fun, flirty rom com with a heart of gold and an empowering message that you do not have to dilute who you are to be taken seriously, was always going to be perfect material for a musical, and that’s exactly what Heather Hach, Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin have created. Taking to the Broadway stage for the first time in 2007, Legally Blonde The Musical smashed box offices, and upon opening in the West End in 2010 won countless awards including the Olivier for Best New Musical. It has gone on to have global success touring the world, been filmed live, and even had a reality TV competition show to find the next Elle! Legally Blonde confidently steps into the courtroom of modern musicals and delivers a verdict that’s nothing short of fabulous, proving, beyond reasonable doubt, that Elle Woods is still the undisputed queen of the courtroom.

Legally Blonde The Musical captures the joy, sparkle and wit of the film, pushing its message even further and giving Elle a little more agency. The show thrives on female solidarity, authenticity, and breaking stereotypes, especially female ones, all with a cheeky wink and dazzling smile! As we meet Elle Woods, a stunning rich, beautiful, blonde bombshell who loves everything pink, your media addled brain, influenced by societal expectation, is forced down a path of assumption about who she is, and in particular, her level of intellect. Her life outwardly paints a certain kind of picture with the perfect boyfriend, the best sorority, and a popularity most would dream of. But when the so-called ‘perfect’ boyfriend Warner Huntington III dumps Elle as she is just too fluffy to be a serious part of his future image in politics, his underestimation sparks a determination in her that changes the course of her life. Elle enrols in Harvard Law alongside him, and whilst her initial motivation might have been to win Warner back, she discovers new friends who see the real her and never underestimate her capability. Coupled with her own inner strength, Elle becomes unstoppable and finds her unique power is being exactly who she always was. Her fashion, femininity, fierce intuition and razor sharp instincts fuse together in a perfect salute to authenticity, giving her a definitive edge that no one else can match. Her distinct skills lead her to crack a high‑profile murder case that the most seasoned legal minds have been unable to do. The reality of Elle’s world means there will always be some who treat her according to her aesthetics, and she has to face inappropriate advances, even from her Professor, but with inner belief whipped up into a frenzy by the right kind of people, she uses her instincts, talent and love of fashion and beauty to poetically win the case! Legally Blonde champions anyone who ever felt ignored, unseen, and not taken seriously. It shows you that you don’t need to conform to your surroundings to be brilliant at what you do and who you are.

Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe’s music and lyrics have created songs that weave genres together, from musical showbiz, to fizzing pop tunes, Irish folk, traditional hallowed Harvard music, and storytelling magic. There is no shortage of favourites, with songs such as ‘What You Want,’ ‘Positive,’ ‘Ireland,’ ‘So much Better,’ and of course ‘Bend And Snap.’ There is effortless wit, youthful energy, and showbiz pizazz to spare. I had listened to these songs on streaming platforms and enjoyed them but hearing them live from this outstanding cast really brought them to life with a whole new meaning and perspective. The witty yet subtly poignant book by Heather Hach is wonderfully directed by the outstanding Nikolai Foster, bringing us the characters we know but without them ever being carbon copies. The show is slick, youthful, and bursting with positivity, and it has done so without once feeling sweet or sickly. It completely won me over to all things pink!

The choreography by Leah Hill is a wonderful blend of high energy styles, from jazz to musical theatre, a keep fit homage, and spicy Latin moves. It has also captured a sense of humour and femininity whilst remaining strong and powerful. Colin Richmond has designed a set that embodies a pink half coliseum style piece with built in lights by Ben Cracknell that ripple, dance and sparkle in time to the music and create a sense of magic and joy. The remaining set is playful, being brought on in a variety of pieces, slats, and flies, from celebratory balloons to palm trees, and even model versions of Harvard University! It cleverly allows the performers to interact with these set pieces, storytelling with their imaginations and trusting the audience to fill in the rest! Tom Rogers’ costumes are everything you would want and more! Elle is styled to perfection, glitter is bountiful, distinction of personality is reflected throughout the different characters, and fashion plays a huge role in the whole show!

Amber Davies (The Great Gatsby, Pretty Woman, Back To The Future) is utterly delightful as Elle Woods and made me fall in love with this character all over again. She brings us a heady mix of intellect and enthusiasm that has been unspoiled by the cynical side of the world, making it impossible not to love her. Her talent is undeniable as she belts her way through each song with killer vocals and dances up a storm, with those additional Strictly skills! George Crawford The Great Gatsby, Spend Spend Spend, Waitress) is our loyal Emmett and fuses his respect for Elle with his own strength bringing a little more identity to the role. He is not there simply for Elle to fall in love with or to be her champion, but he delivers his own important message about not being defined by your upbringing or background, bringing something extra out in the character. Elles’ three besties Margot, Serena, and Pilar, known as the Greek Chorus, are played by Hannah Lowther (SIX, The SpongeBob Musical, Heathers), Rosanna Harris (Grease, War Of The Worlds, The Funny Girls), and Remi Ferdinand (Hamilton, A Chorus Line, The Sound Of Music). The energy fizzing off these three is electric and they do an incredible job of gluing the show together as their storytelling role flits between 1^st person, the voices in Elle’s head, and narrators. They keep the audience on track and do so with power, talent, and an infusion of showbiz magic! Keanna Bloomfield (The Sound Of Music, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, My Fair Lady) is tonights fabulous Paulette and delivers an endearing, fabulous and quirky performance that is a huge hit! She takes us from a supportive wise friend, to revealing her own vulnerabilities, a stunning yet tender song, before delivering epic humour!

Adam Cooper (A Chorus Line, The Red Shoes, Singing In The Rain) as Callahan is the perfect blend of authoritative arrogance, and legal attitude, lording it over his students. He made the role incredibly believable and authentic, a huge achievement in a part that could have easily blurred into a panto villain. Jamie Chatterton (Sound Of Music, Little Big Things, The Osmonds: A New Musical) is the shallow Warner and plays him with a calmness that always makes him seem uncomfortable in his own skin and it is a brilliant move, because it means that again we see him as a flawed character rather than one we are encouraged to simply hate. Annabelle Terry (Get Down Tonight: The KC & The Sunshine Band Musical, Scissorhandz, Macbeth) is Vivienne and her smooth, underplayed delivery is the perfect opposition to Elle’s bubbly approach. She is entirely controlled, considered, and allows herself to be the polar opposite of Elle and her friends. This equally gives her room to relax when she befriends Elle, becoming more animated but within her own realm. Jocasta Almgill (A Chorus Line, Grease, & Juliet) has unbelievable stamina as Brooke, leading us through a skipping rope routine that exhausted me from the comfort of my seat, and brings that feisty and fiery personality to the stage with glee! And of course, not forgetting the audience favourites, who perhaps got the biggest reactions, Sprout as Bruiser Woods and Rocco as Rufus! These adorable dogs were clearly having the time of their lives, were so content, and performed to pawfection!

Legally Blonde The Musical has been summoned before the court of audiences, and the verdict is joy, empowerment and pure pink brilliance. It may be an explosion of pink glitter, but beneath the showbiz sparkle is a message of importance, made accessible through humour, heart, and a score that pumps adrenaline. The show promotes success through being yourself, utilising your own lived experiences, and emotional intelligence. It encourages us to forge these things into our own unapologetic style and celebrate that we may see the world differently to those around us. It regards empathy, listening, supporting, and authenticity as superpowers, not weaknesses, and is such a beacon of light, especially to the young people in the audience, of which there was clearly a hard core fan base!

What I respected with Legally Blonde The Musical is the way it sidesteps women battling each other for male attention and to get ahead. Instead, it celebrates female solidarity, from Paulette cheering Elle on, the Delta Nu sisters lifting her higher every time she doubts herself, and even Vivienne eventually learning to respect her. The big victory in the show isn’t a single thing. It isn’t Elle getting into Harvard, winning the case, or falling in love with the right man. It’s all of those things, made possible by discovering her own capability, her own worth, and celebrating her own authenticity. It’s realising that the only validation you should ever seek is your own. So yes, this musical may be pink and fluffy and overly sweet at times, and comes with its own touring audience fan base who whoop and cheer continually, but with a powerful message hidden in plain sight, it can be whatever it needs to be and wants to be. That’s the whole point of the show! Female ambition, intelligence, empowerment can coexist with fun, fashion, friendship, and frivolity! It doesn’t have to be one or the other. So, whether you’re a teen, middle aged, or in your golden years, we can all learn a thing or two from Miss Elle Woods. She welcomes everyone as equals, and does so with a smile, a song in her heart, and a sprinkle of pink! Legally Blonde The Musical is fun, uplifting, funny and bursting with heart, proving once again that Elle Woods can win over any jury she stands before. And the final ruling is clear! Legally Blonde The Musical is guilty of being utterly irresistible.

WE SCORE LEGALLY BLONDE...