Legally Blonde – Saint Stephens Theatre

Sound Events Scotland returns to the Fringe for a second year with their successful musical, Legally Blonde. Elle Wood (Taylor Crum, 19) totters her way to authenticity and love as she outsmarts the self-righteous Harvard elite and her ex-boyfriend, Warner (Aaron Hastings), in a high-octane, chirpy tale of a girl coming into her power through her wits and not her tits.

Crum is currently in her third year of musical theatre at Hamilton Theatre Arts, Glasgow. She sings and dances, balancing effortlessly on six-inch stilettoes. She has more to offer and will be a fully rounded professional performer when she finds her ultimate groove and dives deep into characterisation. Musical Theatre is a demanding genre, if you can crack the full spectrum and include detailed characterisation, the sky is the limit.

Crum had an unfortunate wig which was an interference in the first half. Thankfully, the interval saw it sorted and the technicians also lowered the music a touch to allow the cast a chance to avoid straining their voices to an overly loud backing track which can become tiring for the audience as well as the cast.

There are moments of tenderness with Rhys Crawford playing Emmett Forrest. This contrasts well with the excitability of the girly sorority ensemble pieces.

Paulette Buonufonté and Professor Callahan (Calum Philp) are rendered with wit and colour. Kathleen McClenagh playing Paulette is extremely watchable and funny.

Well done to the costume designer who created an extroverted look for the upbeat and funny Paulette, and for all the cast. I particularly liked the homage to Orange is the New Black and had to admire the casts’ energy and ability to sing while skipping!

The lighting could assist more in creating atmosphere and mood. Colour choice is good, but drenching the back curtain of the black box with downlighting would work better than directing it into the audience where I, unfortunately, got it in the eye. The ruthless Blood in the Water is an instance where a wash of red, draping the back curtain, could highlight the cynical and sinister intention of the effectively delivered number.

A spotlight on Paulette when performing on the audience level would also assist the storytelling further. However, it is a shared space and whether changes to the lighting are an option is questionable. If not, then change the staging so that Paulette is not performing in the dark.

The use of levels is effective as is the way the cast enter through the audience and tumble in an excited mess of pink up the steps and onto the stage.

As this show continues, the director, Zoe McRae could reverse the graduation scene in order to avoid the audience being left looking at a wall of black cloaks as the piece reaches its climax with the main character completely blocked from view.

Young Scottish actors, cutting their teeth, are fortunate to have the opportunity to perform in this internationally acclaimed festival, learning their trade and absorbing feedback from an unknown audience without breaking the bank in travel and accommodation costs. Moreover, it is good to see the talent of untrained yet solid cast members, such as Zoology graduate, James Logan and Dutch/Canadian, Theo Van Delft embraced by the enthusiastic, word-perfect and foot-perfect cast of twenty.

Playing until 25th August, https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Legally%20Blonde%22

Reviewer: Kathleen Mansfield

Reviewed: 2nd August 2024

North West End UK Rating: