Legally Blonde – Savoy Theatre

My teenage daughter was desperate to see this musical – whereas having seen the film with Reece Witherspoon I was a little less enthusiastic about all that pink and Chihuahuas. However, while she hoped that by attending I might be swayed in my views about owning one of these small dogs, I was keen to open her horizons to the possibility of a future degree near Boston (but in the medical rather than the law school).

We admired the view of the Savoy Hotel as we stood outside waiting for the doors to open and took our chocolate treats to our seats in the dress circle which provided a fabulous view. There were numerous excited little girls in the audience along with a healthy smattering of tourists and the usual musical-going crowd.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, it’s about a bright and bubbly fashion conscious girl (Elle Woods) who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard law school to demonstrate that she can be serious – and the “prejudice” she encounters because of her fondness for blonde hair and pink accessories.

As soon as the orchestra struck up, the audience were clapping – and I wondered what I had let myself in for as the first set opened at the Delta Nu sorority house. There was a dizzying but impressive number of scene changes as Elle sets off to dinner with her man expecting a proposal – only to suffer the embarrassment of rejection. There’s some raunchy dancing and some street moves along the way.

I have to say that the scene where she takes a full cheer-leading, dancing, singing and flag waving ensemble to present her case for admission to the fuddy-duddy law professors was a slice of genius and I found myself laughing out loud – especially at the line “Don’t lawyers feel love too?”.

At Harvard we meet the professor (played well by Peter Davidson) and he does a song about what it takes to be a lawyer (“Blood in the water”). The star of the show for me was not Susan McFadden playing Elle (although she was pretty good and knocked out some great songs) or Lee Mead playing Emmett but Natalie Casey (who I adored in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) playing hairdresser Paulette. What a character – and her great dream for an Irish love who “can dance without moving his arms” was hilarious. There were numerous great numbers – the workout routine “Ripped in shape” and the Riverdance send-up, some excellent scenes (like in the department store, the delivery guy and my daughter’s favourite - the “bend and snap”) and some nice touches (like the pink Uggs of the male hairdresser).

There’s a brush with harassment (from a lawyer) and a final exciting Court scene and obviously a jaunty final number and a “happily ever after” (in a law career!). Despite my reservations, I thoroughly enjoyed it and came out feeling somewhat lifted by all the harmless silliness and my daughter is still saying how it was one of her favourite shows (and she’s seen quite a few).

And as well as the inevitable Chihuahua (OK, I admit it, it was cute) there was also a rather handsome Bulldog in the cast.