Review: Legally Blonde The Musical (UK & Ireland Tour)
Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Musical theatre fans were left screaming “Omigod you guys!” with delight recently when it was announced that Legally Blonde was returning to London next year for a limited run at the London Coliseum. Before that, however, it still has the matter of completing its huge tour of the UK and Ireland, and this week London audiences got a taste of what was to come with its arrival at New Wimbledon Theatre. I couldn't wait any longer for the chance to see this fabulous cast in action, but how easily would the creative team be able to pull off a killer production of such a well-loved show. What, like it's hard?
Based on the now iconic 2001 movie, the musical adaptation of Legally Blonde premiered in 2007, making its West End debut in 2010. In the years since, it has enjoyed multiple international productions and is currently on its third UK tour ahead of next year’s London transfer. Legally Blonde tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority president who seemingly has the perfect life. Her world is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner breaks up with her. Determined to win him back, Elle follows him to Harvard Law School where she is immediately dismissed for not fitting in, due to her seemingly superficiality and inability to be serious. Discovering her own intelligence, Elle goes on to prove them all wrong as she unlocks unlikely friendships, problematic associates and love, all while trying to win a case.
There is a great message in Legally Blonde of never judging a book by its cover. While the story itself can easily be dismissed as frivolous and inconsequential, there is a strong message lurking beneath the surface with no shortage of depth. It is a great mirror to the story itself, with Heather Hach’s book peppering the seriousness of these themes amongst a show that is full of fun. It is an incredibly effective method - one that encourages the audience to smile and laugh, but still plants its real-world message at the same time. There is a reason why the story of Elle Woods has resonated with so many over the last 25 years, and this musical has done a great job of showcasing the fascinating way anybody has the ability to surprise and why first impressions can often be completely wrong.
Turning a classic movie into a musical can often yield very mixed results - it is crucial that the songs not only fit into the story but actively add to it, otherwise it has the sense of feeling shoehorned in and begging the question of “Did this need to be a musical?”. Thankfully, Legally Blonde does this brilliantly, with Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s music and lyrics earning their place amongst many a musical theatre lover's favourites over the years. ‘Omigod You Guys’ and ‘So Much Better’ are classics in themselves, while the title number ‘Legally Blonde’ is the gold standard in how to get a title in a musical number without making audience members roll their eyes. What truly impresses is how this musical takes classic moments from the movie and runs with them to reach a new iconic status, most notably in ‘Bend And Snap’ and the gloriously fun ‘Gay or European’. Meanwhile, new additions such as ‘Ireland’ create showstopping moments and flesh out characters from the original story further.
That is what makes the bones of this musical fantastic, but what about this production? A good musical doesn’t always equate to a good production, with the visions of directors and other creatives sometimes resulting in questionable choices. I have seen several productions of Legally Blonde over the years, and while I have always enjoyed them, sometimes I have been left baffled by some of the choices (such as the 2022 Open Air Theatre production having humans as the dogs). It is with that in mind that I can safely say that this production is so much better than I’ve seen before. Through some remarkable choices, this production is by far the best iteration of the show I have seen to date.
Much of that is down to Nikolai Foster’s inspired direction. Updating certain aspects of the show so Generation Z is now referenced with new technology in the show, Foster carefully navigates the perfect balance between staying true to the original while introducing new elements that elevate the story and increase its relevance. Foster very clearly understands the message at the heart of the story and goes out of his way to never negate that with silliness, while also ensuring the fun, frolics and laughter are never far away in this story. There is a consistent quality in productions that are “Made at Curve”, with Foster at the helm, and this production is arguably one of his best. Inspired choices such as this particular staging of ‘Whipped Into Shape’ inside a TV screen makes this a production it is hard not to fall in love with.
Colin Richmond’s set design is a beautiful mix of glam and camp, glamp if you will, with miniature buildings and props delightfully eccentric and playful. The design is all a bit tongue-in-cheek, particularly the unexpected transformation from the courtroom into the scene of the crime. Ben Cracknell’s lighting design is similarly used to fantastic effect, whether it’s bathing the stage in bright, rainbow colours or ensuring it always looks gorgeous - even the prominence of the logo on stage at the start and finish is stunning. This production is stylish and sleek, with Tom Rogers’ costume design mixing high-fashion and the corporate world. Another standout aspect of this production is Leah Hill’s sensational choreography, used to jaw-dropping effect in numbers ‘Serious’ and ‘Whipped Into Shape’ to name just two of the many highlights. The precision and detail in the movement makes these numbers suitably grander and always exceptional to watch.
How do you step into the shoes of Elle Woods and follow in the footsteps of Sheridan Smith, Lucie Jones and Courtney Bowman, not to mention Reese Witherspoon? With ease, it turns out. At least, Amber Davies makes it look easy, which it certainly isn’t. There is a natural charm to her performance that creates the believability you are watching Elle Woods, with Davies showcasing her remarkable talents through gorgeous vocals and an acting that combines effortless comic timing underpinned by an emotional tone that heightens the seriousness of the themes. Amber amazes as Elle, commanding the stage with a phenomenal presence that could fill even the largest of stages (as I’m sure many will discover at the Coliseum next year) while retaining a sweet quality that ensures every single person in the audience will be rooting for Elle, and indeed Amber, throughout the show.
It was also a joy to see both understudies for Elle Woods, Hannah Lowther and Rosanna Harris, on stage at this performance as Margot and Serena, joined by Remi Ferdinand as Pilar to make up the fabulous Greek chorus, hammering in the theme of sisterhood that features in the show. George Crawford is utterly charming and full of charisma in the role of Emmett, creating a loveable interpretation of the character and showcasing flawless chemistry with Amber Davies (unsurprisingly given this is their second show together in a year) leading to an electric dynamic. Crawford more than holds his own without her, however, with his big number ‘Chip On My Shoulder’ leading to a soaring finale that showcases Crawford’s outstanding vocals brilliantly. Jamie Chatterton delivers a solid turn as Warner, Annabelle Terry fleshes out what could otherwise be a one-dimensional villain as Vivienne to bring a bit more humanity and depth to the role, while Adam Cooper plays up to the villainous nature of Callahan in a suitable creepy portrayal, excellently performed by him.
Understudies are the lifeblood of this industry, and with sickness running rife at the moment, taking many out (myself included earlier this month), the performance I attended allowed several to shine. I attended a performance of Legally Blonde earlier in the tour, but not to review, and was absolutely blown away by the star quality and power of Karen Mavundukure as Paulette, undoubtedly one of the most iconic roles in the show. This was matched at this performance by understudy Keanna Bloomfield, who brought the house down with a note-perfect ‘Ireland’. Similarly, Jocasta Almgill blew me away as Brooke earlier this year, especially when it comes to the complex and surely exhausting performance of ‘Whipped Into Shape’, which understudy Lauren Hampton handled with gusto.
As a cast, Legally Blonde boasts a strong and talented ensemble, where everyone gets a turn to shine - though a special mention must go to the scene-stealing Sprout as Bruiser Woods. I have previously used the word awe-inspiring in reviews; Sprout was more aww-inspiring, eliciting that reaction with his every appearance, and a fitting reminder for why humans should never ever play that role… ever!
Through my previous visits to Legally Blonde over the years, I have always enjoyed it but never quite loved it like this. It would have always lingered around the four-star mark for me, but never been able to reach that elusive fifth and final star. That changed this time. Through a mixture of inspired direction, a vision that extends through all the creative team and a sense of heightening the fun factor while never glossing over the serious message in the show, the result is an absolutely faultless production, led by an amazing performance from Amber Davies. Everybody involved in bringing this iteration of Legally Blonde to life has created the gold standard when it comes to this musical… or should that be the pink standard? Either way, it would be a crime to miss it!
Legally Blonde continues its tour of the UK and Ireland until 2nd January 2027. Dates and tickets here
You can then catch it at the London Coliseum from 22nd March - 22nd May 2027. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/legally-blonde-tickets
Catch up with my conversation with George Crawford and Karen Mav on my podcast, All That Chat. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Photos by Matt Crockett