Legally Blonde the Musical Jr

Legally Blonde the Musical Jr. is a show packed full of humour, heart and high energy, and Star Struck Theatre Group certainly delivered on all three. Under Becky Smith's direction, this ambitious production brought the much-loved musical to life with confidence and enthusiasm. With almost every principal role double cast, this review reflects the production as a whole and the collective efforts of both casts.

The show got off to an energetic start with an enthusiastic opening number that immediately established the fun atmosphere. The ensemble threw themselves wholeheartedly into the performance and maintained that commitment throughout. There were a few sound balance issues during the opening, with some soloists struggling to be heard over the chorus, but this improved as the show continued.

The demanding role of Elle Woods was shared by Jessica Smith and Molly Wreathall, with both performers bringing their own interpretation to the character. Jessica portrayed Elle's vulnerability well and clearly showed the character's journey from underestimated fashion student to determined lawyer. There were a few understandable nerves, particularly during some of the early vocal moments, but she settled well as the performance progressed. Molly delivered a wonderfully confident portrayal, combining excellent projection with an outstanding singing voice. It is hard to believe she is only ten years old, and her powerful final song brought the show to a thrilling conclusion that genuinely gave this reviewer goosebumps.

Isaac Mynott had the considerable task of playing Emmett Forrest in both performances. His warm characterisation and lovely singing voice made him an instantly likeable Emmett, and it was noticeable how his confidence grew across the performances, with stronger projection and a more measured delivery allowing his performance to become even more engaging. Warner Huntington III (Eve Morris and Chloe Hind) successfully captured the arrogance and charm that makes the character so entertaining, while Emma Dewsbury and Ayannah Peters both brought confidence and authority to Vivian Kensington. Their performances ensured the changing relationship between Vivian and Elle felt believable, adding depth to the story beyond the comedy.

One of the highlights of the production was Paulette, played by Chloe Hind and Georgia Dewsbury. Both performers brought warmth, humour and infectious energy to the role, alongside excellent vocals. Georgia deserves a special mention for the way she calmly covered a small on-stage mishap without breaking character. Moments like this often go unnoticed by an audience but demonstrate real confidence and experience. Brooke Wyndham (Violet Jefferys and Eve Morris) impressed with strong vocals and confident characterisation, while Noah Weavers was consistently hilarious as Kyle. His comic timing, stage presence and chemistry with Paulette made every one of his scenes a joy to watch, and he clearly relished every moment on stage.

Of course, no review of this show would be complete without mentioning Bruiser, played by the adorable Louis, who won over the audience from the moment he appeared. Every entrance was met with a chorus of appreciative "awws", and his calm performance added an extra touch of charm to an already delightful production.

The company as a whole worked incredibly hard throughout. The ensemble created a lively backdrop to the action, and the finale in particular showcased some wonderful vocals that brought the production to an uplifting close. There were a handful of occasions where some members of the chorus appeared slightly unsure of choreography or where focus drifted from the principal action, particularly during dialogue scenes. As performers become more experienced, remembering that acting continues even when you are not the centre of attention will help make an already strong ensemble even stronger.

The choreography suited the young cast well and made excellent use of the performance space. The iconic ‘Bend and Snap’ number was performed with plenty of enthusiasm and was clearly a favourite with the audience. There were one or two points where the overall pace dipped slightly and maintaining the momentum through these scenes would help keep the flow of the show more even.

Behind the scenes, the production team had clearly invested a huge amount of work into bringing the show together. The colourful costumes perfectly suited the vibrant style of Legally Blonde, although there were a few small continuity issues, such as missing costume pieces and the occasional forgotten prop. Similarly, a couple of lighting cues were slightly delayed. These were only minor issues, however, and did little to detract from what was an otherwise polished production.

Producing a double-cast musical is no easy task, and Becky Smith and the entire production team should be immensely proud of what they achieved. Star Struck Theatre Group has produced a fun, heartwarming and thoroughly entertaining production that gave so many young performers the opportunity to shine. One thing to consider is that dividing talent across the casts meant there were stand out performances in each but also weaker performances, if only one cast was used a stronger overall show would be produced. Congratulations to everyone involved, both on and off stage, for all your hard work. I look forward to seeing what Star Struck Theatre Group does next.

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