This adaptation of Legally Blonde is absolutely worth the trip, with a cast that performs effortlessly before ratting off a “what, like it's hard?”

Legally Blonde is everyone’s favourite noughties film. I was tempted to write “guilty pleasure”, but no, the razor-sharp law comedy is pitch-perfectly written, and knows exactly what it is — carefully curated camp. As is the case with many successful comedy films, Legally Blonde has made the jump to the stage, complete with a series of catchy choruses and dazzling choreography.

Elle Woods is a cinematic icon given new life on the stage. Amber Davies - known for Strictly Come Dancing, previous West End shows, or Love Island if you're so inclined - takes Reese Witherspoon’s celebrated character and runs with it. The show builds on what already works from the original, granting Elle more immediate depth and moments to shine. Her introduction is peppered with little jokes that accentuate her future desire to go to law school and give us some more interiority to the beauty queen. George Crawford also shines as Emmett, Elle's eventual love interest at law school, who's original incarnation played by Luke Wilson always felt like a bit of a non-factor. Here though, he gets to demonstrate the differences in class between himself and Elle, and how both are underappreciated because of their backgrounds. It's a much needed throughline that grounds the piece from the general showstopping absurdity that perpetuates it. 

The best moments are the smallest characters; the second half boasts an impressive court setpiece complete with a flamboyant judge and eccentric stenographer whose minor mannerisms ended up being a highlight. The show of course leans into comedy in most moments, Karen Mavundukure does the impossible and holds up to the great Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette, and her timing impressed me the most. That said, there's still some compelling drama, most notably with Professor Callahan's (Adam Cooper - suave charm turned lecherous) assault on Elle which plays for much longer than you'd expect, placing you firmly in Elle's shoes and desperately wanting it to be over. An impressive feat to juggle both tones throughout.

The longer runtime does mean there are some pacing issues, though. The ending comes a few minutes too late, and some clunkier scenes in the first half could easily have been abbreviated. Elle, too, takes a while to get going into the character we root for and recognise. Her love for the simple-minded Warner lasts far too long and longer than in the film, so much time is spent devoted to the audience willing her to snap out of it, which can make for a frustrating watch at times.

The musical numbers are appropriately energetic and catchy; “Omigod You Guys”, “Blood in the Water”, and “Bend and Snap” are all fun ensemble pieces, and “Gay or European?”, the one number that for me had broken out of the confines of the show and I had heard before, was performed as over-the-top as possible (perhaps to gloss over how it may not have aged so well, but I digress) and was a delight. 

If you're a fan of Legally Blonde (and if you're not, I don't trust you), then this adaptation is absolutely worth the trip, with a cast that performs effortlessly before ratting off a “what, like it's hard?”
 

Legally Blonde The Musical plays at Mayflower Theatre until Saturday 28th February.