Legally Blonde is a musical based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon. It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrols at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner. She discovers how her knowledge of the law can help others, and successfully defends exercise queen Brooke Wyndham in a murder trial.
The show premiered in San Francisco, before a move to Broadway in 2007, receiving seven Tony nominations. The West End production opened in 2010 and was nominated for five Olivier Awards, winning three including 'Best New Musical'.
And that's a point I think we need to stress - 'Legally Blonde' is so much more than a pink, fluffy love story. The show absolutely has some sequins and sparkle, but its also a vocally demanding, high energy salute to equality and not judging a book by its cover. It deals with some important issues and is as relevant today as it was when it made its debut a decade ago.
The set design for this show is the first thing that hits you as the overture fades. There are some subtle differences between this production and previous incarnations; not enough that a die-hard fan would complain, rather a solid attempt at refreshing the staging and giving the tour a new lease of life.
But what really makes a show like this is the cast and with some slick choreography and some incredibly energetic musical numbers, nobody has a place to hide. However the team on stage at The Grand tonight definitely show why British theatre is right at the top of its game.
Rita Simons (Eastenders) takes on the role of Paulette and grabs it with both hands. A definite hit with the audience, Simons has a strong singing voice and an already much-loved acting style. Her presence on the stage is commanding and the casting is superb - she moulds into every facet of Paulette's character and creates a believable and strong female rather than, what can sometimes be, an exaggerated character who is played just for laughs.
Liam Doyle (Wicked) is exemplary as Warner. Giving the character a 'misunderstood' edge, Doyle is more than a safe pair of hands for the role. However, out and out, tonights performance was completely owned by Lucie Jones.
At 26-years-old (and recently married - congratulations!) Jones already has a CV that many performers would kill for, having performed in productions including 'We Will Rock You' and 'Les Miserables'. From the moment she opened her mouth in 'Omigod You Guys' to the end of the final medley, she had the audience in the palm of her hand. Put the reality TV days to one side - Lucie is one of the new generations of leading lady without a doubt.
The role of Elle has such a strong connection to Sheridan Smith it can be difficult to imagine anyone else stepping into her stilettos. Let's face it, she won an Olivier Award for her performance of the lawyer-to-be. However, for me, Jones was easily on a par with Smith this evening.
As well as being a confident and endearing actress, Jones' vocals tonight were simply stunning. Her rendition of the shows title song was nothing short of breathtakingly poignant and she had the audience hanging on every word. I've never seen a performer evoke so much solidarity to a character as Lucie does; during moments where Elle was beaten down I, and so many others in the auditorium, had to stop ourselves from running up on stage and giving her a hug! With so much of the show hanging on Elle, Jones' performance of the character was nothing short of a masterclass in musical theatre.
All in all, one of the best shows touring the UK at the moment. I defy you to stay sitting down and not invest yourself fully in 'Legally Blonde' - a pacy, well rehearsed gem of a musical.
Legally Blonde plays at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre until Saturday 11th November. For more information and tickets, visit wolverhamptongrand.co.uk.
