New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon – until 23rd June 2018.
Reviewed by Nicky Wyatt
5*****
When one of my favorite movies becomes a stage show or a book, I always have a nervous anticipation of what to expect. Will it be the same or better, will it be different? The answer has to be of course that it will be a bit different it’s live to start with. Well I can honestly say I needn’t have worried!
On a blustery Monday night in Wimbledon to get transported into the totally PINK (and it is very PINK) world of Elle Wood was just absolutely fantastic. A fast, funny, frivolous show with an amazing cast.
The story of how Elle ( Lucie Jones) gets dumped by her dreamboat of a boyfriend Warner Huntington lll ( Liam Doyle), because she is a ditsy, pampered, blonde sorority girl who just isn’t serious enough for his family to accept as he is going to Harvard, with a pre-planned life of being a lawyer and maybe even senator. He dumps Elle to pursue his career leaving her distraught, seeking comfort in chocolate and locking herself away to lick her wounds. Like most women though she comes out fighting and decided she will become more serious and go after her man, even if she does have to stop partying and start studying to get into Harvard.
She may be going to Harvard but she still takes all that glitters and is pink with her, well she’s not Elle without it is she?!
This high energy show has, as I said, an amazing cast.
Elle (Lucie Jones) a former X Factor finalist has the biggest smile on her face throughout this show, she exudes warmth and has great energy mixed with a powerful voice.
She has a great connection with Paulette (Rita Simons). My word that lady can sing her voice is incredible! Delivering some quick humour which had the audience in stitches at the same time as joining the ensemble dance routines she really was great to watch and to hear her sing was fab.
Professor Callahan (Bill Ward) the man they all want to work for, old school suit bit of a lech always wins and gets what he wants, well most of the time. Bill Ward delivers some great one liners and manages to pull them off as the smarmy rogue. He’s a chauvinist a bit of a bully to all. His protege Emmett Forrest (David Barrett) turns away from him as he becomes Elle’s right hand man, he’s funny, kind and endearing with a great voice.
Everyone on the stage quite rightly deserved their applause and standing ovations, there were two members of the ensemble that really caught my eye (Sally Firth) Galen/Laker Girl/Da Joyce Riley her dancing was incredible and (Helen Petronva)Whitney/Brooke Wyndham the most incredible skipping routine. How she didn’t trip or stumble was amazing.
The four legged performers were both cute and incredibly well behaved on stage, well done Rufus and Bruiser
All great shows need great music and choreography Legally Blonde has both. Routines devised by Anthony Williams were so slick and great to watch.
Some might say it’s a little outdated now but if you liked the movie, enjoy all things sparkly, camp and pink you will absolutely love this.