The Legally Blonde story is perhaps most famous for its film version, also based on the novel by Amanda Brown, but the stage musical of the story is equally as successful in its own right. Nominated for seven Tony awards and five Olivier awards, and winning 3 of the latter, including Best New Musical, the production was clearly well received from the off. It is a brilliant comedy, with very fun lyrics and music and if you’re a fan of the film or the book, you’re bound to love this exciting adaptation. It’s the kind of show that can always make you laugh and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but rather just has a lot of fun.
The story is very similar to that of the movie. It begins with Elle Woods, president of the sorority Delta Nu at her university, excited since she believes that her boyfriend Warner is going to propose to her that night. She and the other girls celebrate and prepare for the big night, but when she arrives, she discovers that in fact Warner had planned to break up with her that evening instead, saying he wants a more serious relationship with someone clever like him at Harvard. At first, she is sad, but then decides to follow him to Harvard Law School with the hope of winning him back.
Once there, it is clear that Warner still wants nothing to do with her, and makes fun of her, thinking she is stupid. In her sadness, Elle meets Emmett, a young teaching assistant in the law department, who upon finding out her motives for being there is shocked. He tells her that if she wants to prove Warner wrong, she must work really hard, and helps her to study until she is top of her class. The story then follows her journey through the year at Harvard, and the decision she must make once she proves herself to Warner, about whether he still deserves her, or whether there is someone else who she now loves.
The show’s music uses a variety of styles to suit the story, with some giving off a traditional musical theatre vibe, and some being slightly more modern pop centric, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The songs are very witty, and the acting is fun and comedic to watch. Though it may help to watch the film first, which will make it easier to understand the story of the show, this also isn’t necessary, since I in fact watched the show first myself, and found it perfectly enjoyable. The production design for the piece is very vibrant and eye-catching, and really helped to get the tone of the piece right, keeping it light and charming all the way through, just like the film. It is what you’d expect after watching the film, with no big surprises, but in this case, I think that works in its favour with fans knowing what to expect and enjoying it for the favourite story that it already is. The performances of Laura Bell Bundy and Christian Borle in the original production were also enjoyable to watch.
This piece is certainly not serious and will not change your life with its message, but if you’re looking for a laugh, a bit of fun and a good time, then it’s worth a watch. Though it is not currently being performed on either Broadway or the West-End, there is a good recording by MTV of the original Broadway cast that can be found online, and I can say from experience that it is a good way to relax for a couple of hours.
Image from: http://images.moviepostershop.com/legally-blonde-the-musical-broadway-movie-poster-9999-1020453814.jpg
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