Legally Blonde is the story of a young woman with frothy interests driven to apply to Harvard Law School in pursuit of the man who has just jilted her. Finding talent and brains she didn’t know she had, she excels at Harvard while remaining true to herself. And then there’s a happy ending – on her own terms. So you smile all the way back to the Tube.
Music by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin is superbly directed by Katharine Woolley. The 15 piece band – framed upstage by Laura Hopkins’s set, which is based on oaty, vertical strip curtains through which characters dive on and off – plays the wide variety of styles required by this show score with real flair. There is, for example, a song in the trial scene which owes so much to G&S that if the pair were alive, they’d be suing for plagiarism. The Irish number is nicely done too.
Ellen Kane has had a field day choreographing this high octane show which features a lot of what one character calls “ethnic movement”. The slickness and energy is terrific especially in the remarkable skipping number in which Lauren Drew manages to sing at full belt while skipping in high speed patterns without ever missing a note or a jump.
As the central character, Elle, Courtney Bowman is variously assertive, vulnerable, frustrated and feisty. She fills the stage, singing very loud pop numbers and sweeter lyrical numbers with equal skill. And, not a stereotypical “dolly bird” in appearance she confers real dignity on this character as she gets to know herself better and work out what she really wants.
Because Elle is supported by her sorority back at college in California where she comes from, we often see them as what she calls her Greek Chorus. They sing and dance encouragement and advice. It’s spiky stuff.
Perhaps this feel-good story is just what we need on an early summer evening – especially when it’s set in the tree-girt glory of London’s loveliest venue. And the rain held off on press night.
openairtheatre.com
Review by Susan Elkin