Omigod you guys, Legally Blonde the musical is back in London! It’s only for a limited time so catch it at the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre before it’s too late.
Since opening on Broadway, Legally Blonde the musical has firmly cemented itself as a favourite amongst theatre fans. When fashion major Elle Woods forms a plan to get into Harvard, all that matters to her is winning back her ex-boyfriend. What starts as her wanting to prove to him that she’s intelligent enough for him turns into a journey of growth and self-appreciation.
A top tier musical, if I do say so myself. It’s uplifting, fun, and full of bops. The original movie is brilliant, but the musical was a game-changer.
Questionable creative choices…
Let’s start with the negatives shall we? We can’t sugar coat it… the stage looks like a barn. The yellow border is supposed to look like blonde hair, but in reality it just looks like hay bales. Why someone thought this was a good idea is beyond me. A downright ugly stage is not really the first impression you want to be giving to your audience. During the second act, the scenic design doesn’t look as garish after it has started to get darker and can be improved with lighting. But it wasn’t the most pleasant thing for ones eyes to look at for the entire show.
Direction by Lucy Moss, most known for co-creating Six the musical, was sadly unimaginative. The Open Air Theatre is a huge stage to fill, and her lack of experience directing musicals of this scale became clear very fast. I enjoyed how she has rejuvenated the show and added new life into it, bringing it up-to-date for a 2022 audience. But some of the direction really missed the mark and I felt like she didn’t always know how to use the space.
There seemed to be some sound issues too. I saw an early preview, so maybe this was later fixed, but the sound design felt like I was listening to the show through a cheap pair of earphones. It wasn’t very pleasant and didn’t really do this talented cast justice.
The costume design for the most part didn’t look like something that should be in a professional production. They modernised the script, but then had some of the actors dress like it was the 90s. It was confusing to say the least. Something else that was a very questionable decision was the choice to have Bruiser, Elle’s beloved canine friend, played by a human. If you don’t want to train dogs to do the show, that’s fine. But a stuffed animal would have worked better. No one needs to see a human Bruiser dancing suggestively…
Can we skip to the good part?
On the flipside, I struggled to fault the cast who truly owned their characters. It was a beautifully diverse and talented cast, and Courtney Bowman is a powerhouse in the lead role. Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, as the loveable Emmett, is also an absolute delight.
Nadine Higgin blew me away as Paulette and definitely knows how to command everyone’s attention with perfect comedic delivery. You may have to wait a while (start of the second act) to meet Brooke, played by Lauren Drew, but her character entrance is insane. She is a superhuman for mastering the difficult skipping rope choreography all whilst hitting every note of her song.
The music and lyrics, by Laurence O’Keefe, is one of my personal favourite contemporary musical theatre scores. With a catchy opening song, an act one closing belter, comedic numbers, and emotional ballads, it has something for everyone to enjoy. Not to mention, a remix of the emotional ballad. What more could you possibly want?
The Open Air Theatre experience
It was my very first time at the Open Air in Regent’s Park and I definitely will be back. In true British outdoor fashion, we had a show stop during act two thanks to the heavens opening up. As the actors took cover, we were told to remain in our seats and brave the weather. Once it stopped, and they dried the stage, the performance was resumed.
This is exactly the kind of chaotic first experience of the Open Air theatre I wanted. Thank you mother nature for adding a bit of drama into my evening.
Final thoughts
It has to be said that this hugely talented cast is unfortunately let down by a creative team who don’t seem to know how to handle the material. It’s clear an attempt has been made to bring new life into a musical that made its debut in 2007, but ultimately it falls flat.
The source material, however, is strong. That alongside the cast is what keeps this production afloat. At the end of the day though, it is still the joyous show we all know and love and you will still have a great time! But maybe this was never the right venue for it.
Did you see Legally Blonde at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!