Legally Blonde

Well, that was certainly different! Which is exactly what Marianettes set out to achieve. With some new faces in charge in the form of Director Jack Beedle, whom I last saw on stage in Marianettes version of Fame, and newcomer Watford based Choreographer, Sophie Farrall-Daniel together with Marianettes stalwart Musical Director Ed Jones brought a whole new dimension to this classic. As producer Natalie Goldsworthy said ‘We wanted to produce something you wouldn’t see on the West End.’ Well that they certainly achieved with some aplomb.

The story is, of course, about blonde fashion expert Elle Woods who, after being dumped by her rather shallow boyfriend, Warner Huntingdon III in order to pursue a law degree at Harvard, whilst believing she is just a dumb blonde not suitable to his career progress, she also enrols in Harvard law school in order to get him back.  She soon learns to use her legal knowledge to help others and discovers her own potential, proving that she is much more than just a pretty face, is true to her own integrity and of course (spoiler alert) eventually discovers her true love.

The stage was a box set with imposing high flats at thirteen feet tall which were then covered in various perfectly symmetrically patterned A4 posters including such things as ‘Elle For President,’ all of which were washed in an appropriate pink hue by the lighting department of Tom Hall and Ryan Windscheffel. On stage was a massive pink painted pyramid staircase, which Designer and Stage Manager Steve Ward told me had to be built and stored in a garden because of its size. Its right-angled shaped back fitted perfectly into the corner stage left, where a white entrance door built right at the top of the flats opened to allow some very dramatic entrances down onto the stage. To stage right was a double white door used as the main entrance for actors, furniture and props. It was even more impressive despite the limited time available to them.  

The furniture, tables, chairs, benches etc very slickly brought on and off by the cast themselves, which I was informed by Steve Ward were so well organised that they left him nothing to do. Hmm? Not sure I believe him, but it was extremely well done. I was amused that in the court scene what looked very much like and I assumed was going to be the dock was actually used as the judge’s bench and the witnesses sat at the bottom of the staircase in a very low seat adorned by a loose-fitting white stretch cover. Different!

Costumes and wigs (uncredited, so I assume a joint effort by cast and crew) were certainly worth a mention with some stunning outfits for the ladies, some top-quality suits for Professor Callahan, Emmett and Warner, an orange prison jump suit complete with the institution’s name on the back and a very convincing UPS uniform.

The band, under the leadership of MD Ed Jones were of course their usual high-class act. A visit backstage at the interval revealed they were squeezed tightly into a space on two sides down the side and back of the stage with Ed on Keyboard using a TV monitor to conduct at the right angle between the two. So well done to Ed Jones, Andrew Longland-Meech and Phil Wright (Keys), Les Arnold (Drums), Colin Woolmer (Bass), Danny Barton (Guitar), Liz Schofield (Trombone) Chas and Isaac Hutchings (Trumpet), Lesley Brazel and Andy Stewart (Reeds), Liz Guest (Violin) and Melanie Siddall who replaces Liz for the Saturday shows. Great job in a tight space. George Colledge did an expert job of balancing the vocals with the band, although perhaps a small drop in volume wouldn’t have gone a miss. It was extremely loud.

This is a fast-paced musical which has enormous energy unleashed and I have to take my hat off to Choreographer Sophie Farrall-Daniel who, having become a mum just five weeks before the show opened, managed to commute from Watford to Bedford to put some very classy, highly drilled numbers together. I can only be in awe and ask where on earth she got her energy from, let alone the cast’s. The highlights to me were the numbers involving the skipping ropes which were superbly choreographed and looked totally spot on.  And there were some excellent variations on Irish dancing. And from the moment we started with ‘Omigod You Guys’ it was very upfront, in your face and the energy levels off the scale. Well done, welcome to Bedford!

This isn’t quite a no speaking dialogue show, but very close to it, so most of the acting was through the songs, which were expressed very well with some stand out performances, with Georgina Shaw, in her first role with Marianettes leading the way as Elle Woods. She certainly fits into their ranks like she has been a member for ever. Amply backed up by another newcomer Jessica Kolthammer as her friend, beautician Paulette with a lovely rendition of ‘Ireland.’ Hannah Meyer, yet another first timer gave us the wonderfully bitchy Vivienne, fiercely guarding her relationship with Warner against his previous girlfriend Elle and tricking her into attending a party dressed as a Bunny Girl. Another memorable performance was Rachel Dean-Corke as the accused murderer Brooke Wyndham with ‘Whipped Into Shape’ (with Colby Gregory as Professor Callahan). Well done also to Mea-Ellease Goodwin as Pilar, Victoria Heath as the Delta Nu Dance Captain, Rin Oreilly as Enid Hoopes, Alisha Howard-White as Margot and Harriet Holden as Serena. Also to the ensemble of Alicia Bray-Whitworth, Corey Butler, Megan Harvey, Izzy Lawson, Rachel Spavins, Rebecca Walters, Hannah Cook and Jordan Warwick.

For the boys, Adam Ledger (aka George Clooney’s doppelganger) was the self-promoting Warner Huntingdon III eventually very much humbled by Elle. Great opening number in ‘Serious’ with Elle. Colby Gregory looked every inch the part as the two-faced Professor Callahan and had some wonderful ‘if looks could kill’ expressions as he stared disapprovingly at his students. Scary performance and a great voice with ‘Blood In The Water.’ At first, I didn’t actually recognise Tim Dawes as Emmett underneath his wig despite seeing him in several past productions. A really good foil to Adam Ledger’s self-centred Warner and rival for Elle affections as the much more sympathetic character. ‘Chip On My Shoulder’ was a particular stand out number with Elle.  Well done also to Rob Hughes, with a magnificent moustache, returning to the stage after a 32 year absence, Cameron Richardson, as the adonis looking UPS delivery man, George Coates as a gay man unmasked by Elle, and  to Marianettes stalwart Phil Smith.

However, if the audience reaction is anything to go by the top stars of this show were both four legged. Six month old Chiweenie, Cappuccino, playing Bruiser, his tiny head peeping out of the top of a shoulder bag, and eight-year-old English Bulldog, Pepperoni, playing Rufus, obviously enjoying the stage limelight as shown by her reticence to make her exit. Awesome!!

Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the glossy magazine style programme, which as far as souvenir programmes goes, this one, designed by HyphenSmith Design with content by Natalie Goldsworthy and Caireen Kennedy-Smith, was outstanding. It would rival any magazine on a newsstand! It will certainly be passed onto the Noda Programme and Poster committee as an entrant for this year’s regional programme competition.

So well done to Jack Beedle, his cast and crew for a very entertaining, high-octane show. Many thanks for the very informative backstage tour and to the FOH crew for your excellent hospitality. A job well done all round!

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