Legally Blonde

After performing a series of concerts last year, Acton AOS were back at the Crewe Lyceum for their production of ‘Legally Blonde’, directed by Caroline Coles and Benjamin Stubbs. Prior to the production, social media was painted pink with brilliant promotional material from the group. Upon entering the auditorium, the audience were met with a great front cloth and soundtrack – if you didn’t know what to expect from ‘Legally Blonde’ you would now! Having the Delta Nus in the auditorium before the show was a nice directorial choice. They remained in character talking about how excited they were for Elle. It was great how the whole auditorium was used throughout, with characters making entrances through the audience (such as Carlos in ‘There! Right There!’). The Greek chorus of Delta Nus also sat in the boxes watching the court proceedings take place, which was a nice touch also. The pace from start to finish was good, and the production moved along nicely. The set was good and fit for purpose, as were the costumes. Elle’s wardrobe was great, and all credit to Chloe and Jo Stubbs for these costumes and ensuring costume changes were efficient.

Adam Whitehead was the musical director for this production. The cast performed to backing tracks, and performed extremely well to them. The vocals from the entire cast were great – it was clear the work that Adam had put into getting the cast prepared. The vocals from the Delta Nus were a delight to listen to.

Rachel Capper was the choreographer for ‘Legally Blonde’. The routines were highly energetic and performed well by the cast. There were lots of styles of dance throughout, which the cast were well drilled in. Great work Rachel!

Technical elements were well integrated into the production. The sound balance was spot on throughout the production. The lighting was strong throughout as well, with a good use of specials used. There were moments throughout with the lighting that may have gone unnoticed, but really added to the production. The colours of the Irish flag during ‘Ireland’ and the heart effect before Elle took Emmett shopping to signify their love beginning to blossom were really neat touches.

Chloe Parr was fantastic as Elle Woods. Chloe commanded the stage throughout, showing off great comedic timing. She was great at the more emotional moments of Elle’s journey as well. Chloe’s performance of ‘Legally Blonde’ was spell-binding and a joy to listen to. She had the audience in the palm of her hand during this number. This was a standout leading performance, which Chloe performed with ease. Brilliant!

Kieran Picken is fast becoming a familiar face in District 8, making his debut with Acton AOS in the role of Emmett. This was a confident portrayal from Kieran, who looked at ease in the role. His performance of ‘Chip On My Shoulder’ was performed very well – Kieran commanded the stage.

Steven Coles impressed as Callahan. He struck an imposing figure, which was perfect for the role as the Harvard professor. Steven commanded the stage whenever he was on it. His performance of ‘Blood in the Water’ was well performed by Steven and staged very well with the ensemble.

Emma Johnson did well as Paulette. With a hint of Jennifer Coolidge, Emma understood this comedy role and delivered the comedic moments well. Her performance of ‘Ireland’ was good, displaying Emma’s vocals. Her work with Oli Mell as Kyle added to the comedy of the production.

Dom Burdin put in a good performance as Warner. His performance of ‘Serious’ was good, and he worked well with Chloe, bringing out the comedy of the number. Dom worked well with Sian Lewis as Vivienne as well. Sian did well in this role, showing her initial jealousy of Elle, before becoming one of her biggest cheerleaders.

Laura Morris was impressive as Brooke. ‘Whipped into Shape’ is a great Act Two opener, which is full of energy. Laura did not break a sweat as she skipped and sang through the number. Even more impressive is Laura performing this on one of the steepest raked stages in the country! Well done to the ensemble in this number too. The whole number looked completely effortless.

The Delta Nus, led by Emily Cannell (Margot), Jessica Davidson (Pilar) and Eleanor Morris (Serena), were a cohesive group. Each displayed individual personality traits, as well as forming a tight-knit group. The harmonies in ‘Omigod You Guys’ were fab.

The ensemble all performed well throughout, appearing in various guises. They were all well drilled in what they were doing. They were used throughout to create background atmosphere, such as the waiters and violin player during ‘Serious’, which added to the comedy. Luke Dipple was hilarious as the scorned lover, Carlos, milking every moment on the stage!

It would be remiss not to mention the four-legged stars of ‘Legally Blonde’! Both Ruby and Puddles were totally ‘paw-some’ in their roles – snaps for Ruby and Puddles!

Overall, this was a very good production. The energy was infectious throughout, there were some strong performances, and the vocals from everyone were great.

A big thank you to everyone at Acton AOS for their kind invite and their hospitality.

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