Legally Blonde the Musical

© NODA CIO.  All rights reservedThank you, Len Batey (Chair – Harrowby Singers) for the warm welcome at Grantham Guildhall Arts Centre last night. I was excited to see everyone again and to meet the new members of your growing society.

Legally Blonde is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Neil Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. It is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name. This energetic show tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrols at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner. She discovers how her knowledge of the law can help others, and she successfully defends exercise queen Brooke Wyndham in a murder trial. Throughout the show, very few characters have faith in Elle, but she manages to surprise them when she defies expectations while staying true to herself.

The stage set (designed by Tim Turner and built by Kevin Read and Len Batey) was interesting, the sorority house up on a platform with practical door and windows was utilised well. This changed later to the courtroom and had added pods for the bathroom and department store. This clever design looked good and was managed well by the stage crew (Leah Knight and Jessica King), I felt everything ran smoothly and the whole design enhanced the action. The use of a mid-tab (a silky silver backdrop) worked well for the restaurant and other scenes, whilst the stage was changed behind. Luckily you have a large backstage space to help when moving large pieces on and off. The stage manager Kevin Read had a well-rehearsed team, well done.

The lighting designed by Jasmine and Luke was excellent. I loved the use of the glitter ball, the roving spots, and the way the stage was lit to underscore the action on stage. The sound was good, a couple of minor issues with balance at the beginning of the show, but this improved after the second number. As this was the first night, I’m sure this minor issue will be sorted through show week. A challenging show for any sound tech, and this was Jasmine’s first time running the soundtracks live, so I feel this magnificent effort paid off.

Choreographer Leah Knight created challenging dance moves for each number. The dancers were excellent, I was enthralled! I particularly enjoyed the Irish jig style number (Ireland- sung with gusto by Paulette, Emma Wooley.) ‘Positive’ was also a great number for the dancers, they looked like they were enjoying every moment. The exercise yard (Whipped into Shape) had me feeling breathless by the end, how anyone could speak after was amazing. Megan Woodfield recovered very quickly, she must be extremely fit. Her voice was super, her diction and accent were very good and I felt she was well cast. A new member of Harrowby Singers, she gave a strong all-round performance. The main chorus and Elle’s sorority sisters were played by Emily Wood, (Serena), Millie Walpole, (Margot), and Sarah Proctor, (Pilar), this trio took a huge amount of the choreography and lines in the Greek Chorus elements of the show. They all gave strong performances, oozing charm, and sass as they supported Elle through the story. Emma Wooley in her role as Paulette was super. Her acting, diction, and singing were excellent, she embodied the ditsy Paulette and I loved all her numbers in the salon, ‘Bend and Snap’, an iconic part of the show, and ‘Ireland’ both had so much energy and impact.

Nicole Cutbush was wonderful as Elle Woods. Her first performance with Harrowby Singers yet she demonstrated her huge talent and stage experience. Nicole had energy, sparkle, and enough pink costumes and blonde hair to make her character believable. The part of Elle can almost be caricatured, as a simple girl, without much life experience. Yet Nicole played her with a maturity not often seen in this role. She played Elle as a charming, friendly, and caring soul which is not immediately obvious, I loved her characterisation and acting choices. Nicole sang well, danced energetically, and led the strong cast with skill. Elle’s dog Bruiser and Paulette’s dog Rufus were played by the delightfully adept Dash and Honey.

Other strong performances came from Corey Hall as Emmett, his studenty attitude and gentle nature were believable and his acting demonstrated the changes this character goes through during the story. Luke Williams gave a sparkling performance as Warner, Elle’s love interest in this story. His body language and attitude demonstrated his understanding of the role and his acting choices enhanced many of his scenes. Dewey was played by Kier Owen, with a confident stage presence and strong characterisation. Kirk Bowett sang one of my favourite numbers in the show. His voice and style were just right for the part of Professor Callaghan. Blood in the Water is a jazzy swing number and I felt he performed it well. I felt he relished the darker elements of his character which he performed with an easy style. Two other clever performances came from Hannah Saddington and Yvonne Hamlyn. Stalwarts of Harrowby Singers, who enhanced every scene they were in. A charismatic first-time performance of Kyle by Henry Bwaila deserves a special mention too.

The large cast with many familiar faces and new members gave super support performances. Musical Director Kier Owen had obviously worked hard to bring out your voices and especially the harmonies for this performance. You all demonstrated a good understanding of performing the numbers, not just singing. A truly enjoyable and energetic show. The dancers were excellent, the leads were charismatic, and the cameos were strong, I felt everyone was having a fun time onstage. Meeting you all after the show impressed on me how supportive you all are to one another and how Harrowby Singers has changed for the better, over the past few years. It feels like you have all created a community feel and good attitude to welcoming new members to enhance your skill set and the experiences for your audiences and members alike. It is always a pleasure to see you all perform and hear about the next big show which will be Charlie and The Chocolate Factory in March 2025.

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved 

 

 

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.