Here we have, and I quote directly from the programme, “Glamorous Elle Woods is a girl with an eye for style (pink of course), but don’t let this fashionista fool you, this sorority sister is smarter then she seems … Based on the movie of the same name, this international sell-out musical follows the transformation of Delta Nu sorority girl Elle Woods as she takes on her new enrollment at Harvard Law School, tackling stereotypes and scandal to reach her goals and get her man. With dynamic routines, heartfelt romance, laugh out loud comedy and memorable songs you’ll be singing all the way home, this musical is ridiculously enjoyable, beginning to end. Legally Blonde is a show that never goes out of style.”

PRESENTATION/ SETTING – DESIGN AND DÉCOR: James Hartland: The addition of an apron stage added a valuable 3 feet or so to the acting space. The numerous doors and windows cut into the front-facing flats which represented the accommodations of the Alpha Nu girls were fabulous. The addition of flowers in window boxes outside Elle’s place was pleasing. The restaurant scene was set up beautifully as the white table clothed-covered tables were spun on to the stage and dressed by way of some simple choreography with champagne flutes and roses. This was simple and very effective. The Hair Salon was well-achieved. Flats were pushed into place, which were painted in green, with lit mirrors and hairdryers handing from every inch of space. Glass doors indicated the entrance/exit for this space. There were photo frames and hair products dotted about the space. The Courtroom scene was easily achieved by placing rows of benches on an angle facing the audience. This is a fast-paced show, so the suggestions of location must be easy to achieve quickly. Not once did a set or scene change hinder the flow of the action, (with the exception of the side cloth exit, which the performers need to lift and raise before exiting the stage and this was a little off-putting). Well done.

LIGHTING: Chris Horseman: The lighting for this show was absolutely superb. This particular show needs to sparkle and shine from its first musical note to its last, and that is exactly what occurred here in the Redgrave Theatre, on a cold and rainy October evening. We were immediately catapulted onto Elle’s journey without a single glance backwards – and it was a place we all wanted to be for the ensuing couple of hours. As one would expect, the stage was often immersed in hot pink lighting. The silver lettering of, the ‘Alpha Nu’ sign glittered attractively in the magenta lights above the stage. All eight flats were edged with rope lights and a full cyclorama framed the acting space to the rear; this was lit in different colours throughout, from midnight blue to emerald green, to dramatic red. These colours were symbolic of the action on stage, (red for ‘Blood in the Water’ and green for Paulette’s wish to find herself an Irish Hero), and this was a lovely touch. Patterned gobos rotated around the floor and several down lighters cast some lovely light onto the stage. Dry ice was also used to pleasing effect. The Girls sang with ‘lit’ candles near the start of the show and this looked good. The Hair Salon interior was complete with two lightbulb-ringed mirrors – some of which weren’t working, but this was quite fitting anyway. The lights for Brooke’s fitness DVD were good and bright. Later, when Elle and Emmett sang a duet about love, his side of the stage was lit in blue and hers was pink; this was highly effective. Congratulations to this department for an outstanding input.

SOUND AND EFFECTS: James Hartland: There is a good deal of information conveyed in song, so it is important that the audience can hear what is being said over the music. There were a few moments when this was a little unbalanced, (the ‘Bend and Snap’ music was a little loud) but on the whole, the levels were fine. This is a lively show which needs the volume to be pumped-up and generally the sound balance was very good.

COSTUME: Becky Collier, John Cousins: The costumes were spot-on for this show. They were reflective of the time and setting of the piece and the youth culture was successfully portrayed, using stereotypical outfits to represent the various groups of the time. The Alpha Nu’s wore sexy, sporty cheerleader-influenced outfits, comprised of sneakers, cropped tops, knee-length socks and sweats. When they were cheerleading for Elle’s Harvard Admission, they made a dazzling troop in white and pink with matching pom-poms, whilst Elle wore sparkly pink hot pants, white, plastic boots and a feather in her hat. The girls wore grey and silver tracksuits for the finale of Act One and when their energetic routine was finished, they turned to reveal, ‘Elle Woods’ spelled out across their backs – this was a super detail. Elle’s Playboy Bunny outfit was amusingly OTT when in the totally wrong context!
The Harvard students wore tweeds, cardigans, blazers and smart brogues. The Harvard Admissions Committee did look a little crumpled, but their costumes were correct. Elle started off with the pinkest of pink and the most feminine of outfits, (fluffy pink mules and pink mini-skirts) and gradually her transition from Alpha Nu starlet, to Harvard Intern and then a hybrid of sassy, pink Law Ace to end, was perfectly pitched.

The Shop Assistant was as neat as a pin in a black dress with white sleeves and the dresses hanging on the rail in the store were all of the same era. The Store Manager was also very smart in a black dress. Warner looked immaculate and appropriately handsome in preppy brogues, tight-fitting ‘Cambridge’ trousers and a grey blazer. Elle’s parents were humorously attired in golf garb; caps with pom-poms, tank tops, plaid breeches and knee-length socks. The rapping Grandmaster Chad wore a red cap and a floral blouse with medallions. Enid wore a tie-dye T-shirt under a masculine khaki jacket. Vivienne looked wonderfully preppy in short shift dresses with turtlenecks beneath them, patterned lace tights and shiny flats.

Callahan wore a smart, dark suit; just a small note here, the trousers could be a couple of inches longer for an even smarter look. Paulette wore leopard-print tights, long vest-tops, a denim waistcoat, wooden beads, colourful wedges, and her hair done up with scarves. Her assistant looked sassy in thigh-high boots, leggings, and vest tops. Her pregnant bump in the Finale of Act two was suitably pronounced! Whitney looked the part as Vivienne’s best pal, in a beige pencil skirt with a black turtleneck top. The Greek Chorus looked sharp and angelic in white.

Dewey looked appallingly comical in his long, denim cut-offs, long wig and string vest with his stomach hanging out! Brooke and her fellow inmates wore a typical ‘Correctional’, orange boiler suits, with the arms pulled down and tied at the waist, with white vest tops. Later at the court hearing she wore a stunning scarlet body-con mini dress.

Emmett’s physical transformation saw him change from his soft, preppy brown chinos and jacket, to a smart, dark suit and a crisp, white shirt. The Store Sales Assistants looked smart. Kyle the delivery guy fit the bill in his uniformed shirt, open to mid-chest with a good deal of visible ‘sweat’ glistening on his skin! Niko and Carlos both looked ‘European-ly’ smart and handsome! Chutney’s afro was brilliant, as was Enid’s perm! The Interns all looked smart. The Department Store Assistants all looked very smart in their black suits.

A huge amount of work will have gone into dressing this show - well done - it certainly paid off!

MAKE UP: Charlie Barsley: The make-up was very pleasing all around. Well done to this department.

PROPS: Viv Simpson, Cathryn Baggley: The boys carried on and danced with pieces of ‘glass’ and then combined the pieces together to make a mirror in the Store – this was effective. The Perfume girls held delicate bottles of fragrance and wafted them in the air. The Hair Salon was complete with all sorts of products and accessories. The candles used by the chorus were effective, as were the petals and handfuls of snow to highlight the passing of the seasons. Elle’s bedroom was cosy with all of her accessories, books and clothes. The golf accoutrements were great.

STAGE MANAGEMENT: Ingrid Mengdehl, Edith Hermann: The various scenes were set with skill and ease. The restaurant saw the actors spin the tables and chairs on stage and dress them in seconds with just the right amount of flourish. This was a large-scale production to stage in a relatively modest theatre space. It didn’t once feel cramped or congested. Everything ran smoothly. There were no missed cues. Many congratulations to this department.

MUSIC/ORCHESTRA/MUSICAL DIRECTION: Brendan Casey: The 12-piece orchestra was situated behind the stage with the usual monitors in place for the cast in the auditorium. The Overture was immediately punchy and loud, with a heavy synth sound and a rocky vibe. This band certainly started as it intended to continue and the tone for the show was immediately set. The trumpet solo for Elle’s Admission routine was fabulous. All elements of the score were brought to life and the music was a joy to listen to.

DIRECTION: Steve Blackmore, Lynden O’Neill: The Choral scenes were sensitively handled. The restaurant couples who witnessed Elle and Warner’s break-up were suitably upset in their reactions. The regular contrasts on stage were consistently well-realised, for example the Admissions scene; the three Admissions Tutors were suitably buffoon-like and dithery, whilst the sassy Elle and Co danced their Knee-high boots off in their Majorette-styled routine. It is contrasts like these that please audiences so much. The Greek Chorus really did lift the mood at several places throughout the show, as was fully intended, ‘Wipe your Clothes Off and Dance’, was a super example of this. Their use of props, (petals, and snow) to show the passing of time was brilliantly done. The use of tableaux to indicate Brooke on her exercise DVD and the remote control being used by Callaghan was excellent. The mining and timing were all spot-on. The tableaux of, ‘The Bend and Snap’ was fantastic. The finale saw the cast at Graduation in their robes and mortar boards, facing the back of the stage, where Vivienne introduced Elle as their Valedictorian. There was a super high energy in this scene. Paulette’s, “Where are they now?” broke the 4th wall nicely and provided the audience with some pleasing closure. There were fabulous photo-finishes at the end of every number in this show. This was an engaging, slick and highly professional show. Many congratulations.

SINGING: There is so much song in this show that it is crucial for the performers to be able to capture the essence of storytelling whilst remaining focussed on the show itself. Diction needs to be perfectly crisp and emphasis on certain words must be pronounced if the meaning of the dialogue is to be clearly conveyed. I am very happy to report here that all these important boxes were ticked. BAOS is a company where vocals are always strong and the craft of theatrical storytelling is always paramount. This attention to detail can make a production soar high and this one did just that. The ‘Choir’ sections of singing saw the girls produce some very tight harmonies, which was pleasing. The, ‘Pretty Impressive. Good to know’, echo was lovely. The beauty of the score for this show is that many of the musical numbers are comprised of several, varying layers; strong Principal singers overlapped, echoed and harmonised with the chorus elements of songs and the overall effect of this was very pleasing. All of these effects were excellently achieved.

MOVEMENT AND DANCE: Donna Podesta: The choreography was super. The energy was always high and the steps covered a good deal of space without the loss of any control. Many steps were Cheerleader-inspired and so were bouncy and fun, complete with high kicks, finger clicks, rapid weight-transference, hip and shoulder isolations, to name but a few. The disco vibe in, ‘What You Want’ was perfect. The dance moves were large and vibrant. By contrast the girls became studious, in line with their heavy, wordy text books. When the boys were partying and Grandmaster Chad was giving it his all, the cool and lunging moves were soft yet full of purpose. This was a striking scene and the choreography was excellent. The Cheerleading / Majorette-styled dance for Elle’s admission to Harvard was fantastic. The girls sang up and out with energy and gusto. They danced in formation, in travelling lines and they literally danced rings around the stuffy, old Admission guys from Harvard! The low-level clicks in, ‘So Much Better’ were great. The dancers each gave 100% in every number in this show. You cannot ask for more than that! ‘Whipped into Shape’, was a fabulously, high-energy number with ropes used to skip with – there was good attack here. Nikos and Carlos’s play-off dance was utterly fabulous, ending with a flamboyant, “Fine, OK we’re gay!” The homage to River Dance was fabulous, as the cast danced, standing ramrod straight and kicking their legs, whilst bathed in bright green lighting!

THE CAST

ELLE WOODS: Emma Griffiths: This was a super bit of casting. Emma was perfect for the role. Thankfully, her make-up wasn’t at all overbearing and this allowed us to watch all of her facial expressions come to light as she travelled through this emotional landscape. Her often wide-eyed disbelief was very naturally achieved and it was easy for the audience to feel affection towards her. Elle’s vulnerability mixed with her steely determination makes this role a gem to play, but the actor must be believable if we are to accompany her on this outlandish journey. This calls for the performer to open out and be unafraid of expressing the vast spectrum of emotions that Elle feels as she experiences pure joy, downright despair and 100% determination along the way. Emma Griffiths achieved all of this and more. She was a delight to watch and we were rooting for a good outcome for her throughout. Her adoration of Warner was believable and the comedy was brought out during their break-up, as we witnessed her desperation to have a ring put on her finger. She was sassy as a Majorette in her Admissions appeal. “How about love?” her plea to Admissions was aided by a heart-framed picture of Warner; her face showed true grit and determination here, even when dressed in a slightly ridiculous outfit! Every little detail of Elle’s love of pink and fluffy was brought to life here, including the fluffy, pink pen she wrote notes from Callaghan down in. Her retort to Vivienne when misguidedly dressed as a playboy bunny, (and Vivienne was wearing her own, preppy clothing) was fabulous, “Hello Vivienne. I see you came as last year’s sample sale”. Emma really showed her professionalism after Rufus the dog had gone rigid and had to be dragged offstage by Paulette. Elle paused for long enough for Paulette to have her ad-libbed comedy moment with the dog and for the audience to re-settle themselves following such mirth, before completely composing herself and re-focussing into the following dialogue with Emmett. Well done - this is never easy. Her calling Emmett a Butthead was funny and her liking his, ‘Scruffy Vibe’ was sweet. After Callaghan had kissed her, she smacked his face with a truthful intensity. She was broken, but still lovely. Her song, ‘Legally Blonde’, which followed was very moving. Her proposal to Emmett was very sweet. Elle is a fabulous challenge of a role and the entire show’s success hangs off her every move – Emma Griffiths did herself and the entire cast and crew of BAOS very, very proud!

EMMETT FORREST: Michael Griffiths: He was smart and contained, focussed and honourable. What lends this character some reality is his unabashed critique of Elle’s fortunate background and initial take on life. This was all dealt with the utmost sincerity. His good nature was very pleasant to be around. His song, ‘There’s a Chip on My Shoulder’ was wonderful. His line, “This vanity’s real picturesque, but it started its life as a desk”, was perfectly timed and delivered with the right amount of concern and humour. He is a constant source of encouragement to Elle. It was very endearing when he referred to her as, “Miss Woods, Elle.” He was visibly moved when he discovered what had taken place between Elle and their Lecturer, “What about Love?” Michael played this role with a sensitivity that was never too far away from gentle humour and this gave Emmett a lovely truthfulness. He spoke all of his lines with a lovely, vocal quality and his eyes always seemed to reflect the inner thoughts of this young man. His vocals were secure and very pleasing too. Very well done.

PAULETTE BONAFONTE: Christina Davies: This was another superb characterisation. She looked the part and spoke with a fabulous, ‘Bronxy’ accent. Her response to Elle when she announced she’d like to go brunette, was, “Honeeeeeeeey!” This was deplored with mild exasperation. This performer spoke with clarity and conviction and her stage presence was both large, but also very natural. ‘Send my love to the Leprechaun’, she took a wonderful pause for effect at the conclusion of this song and dealt with the tricky timing with ease and confidence. When Rufus, the dog, went rigid and wouldn’t freely go home with Paulette, (after the huge build-up to them having a wonderful owner-pet relationship), Paulette coped brilliantly and didn’t throw this hilarious comical moment away. Her ad-libbing extended to, “I don’t think Rufus loves me anymore!” Her reaction to seeing Kyle, “He’s like walking porn”, was superb! Her bend and snap was great. When she started to see Elle’s Greek Chorus singing in the background, she said, “I see dead people, but I haven’t had any Jaeger”. The second appearance of Rufus saw him locking his legs again – this time it was Kyle’s chance to walk the reluctant pooch, to which Paulette delivered the deliciously ironic, “He really likes you.” This was strong performance and we were in extremely safe hands with Paulette from start to finish. Well done.

PROF CALLAGHAN: Lynden O’Neill: He was conservative, (uptight), and very commanding. ‘Blood in the Water’ was a highlight number from this production. His eyes, posture and energy were all very intense. This is a performer who totally owns the space when he is in it. He sang with ease and a good deal of clarity. His level of attack was very convincing. His educated American accent was extremely natural. He added a flourish of drama when he slammed the doors on his final note. His handling of the DVD remote controller was well-executed and his line to his interns, “I don’t speak MTV”, was suitably dismissive. The change we saw in him from powerful, respectful Lecturer to sly, underhand letch, when he kissed Elle, was superbly achieved. There was no pantomime about this bold move - he was real and sly and was abusing his position of power. This was a strong performance. Well done.

WARNER HUNTINGTON III: Alex Milner: This was a super portrayal. He was immaculately presented throughout and held himself with a good degree of poise and dignity. He truly did believe he was born for higher things and he expected the best for himself. The duet he sang with Elle near the start of the show as he imagined his future, (without her), was ruthless, yet he was still likeable. This is a tough balance to achieve with this role. We could glimpse his fleeting moments of self-doubt as the show gained pace and he still seemed to carry a small flame for Elle. In the end, his superficial outlook sees him rejected by both Elle and Vivienne but his belief in his own appearance never falters and this is what will see him through his modelling career. He held clear determination in his eyes at the start of the show when he was imagining his future … without Elle. However, he wasn’t without regret and this was a sensitive scene. He sneakily looked over at Elle’s notes in class, with a bewildered expression on his face. Prior to a song, Warner was talking to Elle and had to make a gear change before singing; the script does demand this, and Alex dealt with this very professionally. He paused before gently moving a few bottles of alcohol to one side of a small table before perching on the edge of it and starting his song. His line in the courtroom scene was good, “Emmett nailed the Pool boy!” He was scathingly disappointed to discover that Elle and Callaghan had kissed. His face showed it all. Near the end, he was very endearing when he told Elle, “We do belong together”, he had missed the boat, so to speak, but he was hopeful. Well done.

VIVIENNE KENSINGTON: Sarah Wilkinson: She was neat, superior, smug and not a little bitter to start with. She was immaculately turned out and spoke with the same attention to detail. Her suggestion of throwing Elle out of class was delivered with arched eyebrows pointed directly at her enemy and with a voice that oozed with nastiness. We are supposed to really dislike her when we first meet and this was achieved. Her excitement at getting engaged to Warner felt very real. The softening of this character almost goes unnoticed; it is so subtle. Near the end of the show, she sings to Elle, “Get back in the game, go show ‘em who’s Legally Blonde”, the high note she ended this song on was terrific. Her introduction of Elle as the Grad Valedictorian was warm, kind and beautifully presented.

BROOKE WYNDHAM: Ruth Harries: She certainly encapsulated the role of fitness guru here and her bubbly effervescence was most suited to this role. Be careful not to let the power and volume in your vocals become a little shrill at times. The Alpha Nu chant she performed with Elle was really cute and the gestures were all impeccably timed as was her liposuction admission. The reference to her backside resembling cottage cheese was funny, but it could have been a little bigger still by being directed a little further in our direction. Brooke was a little silly and high-pitched, but her intentions were all good. Her focus and energy throughout the courtroom scene were spot-on and she seemed to thrive on the attention. Ruth gave us a pleasing Brooke Wyndham.

ENID HOOPES: Stephanie Golledge: she totally looked the part and lacked any sense of glitz or glamour. Enid has a good deal of information to impart, and it was so much to fit in as she sang her own resume. Take care with diction at times like these as we don’t want to miss a word. Her slightly-tensed shoulders worked well to lend her an air of vulnerable determination. Her outrage at anyone calling Gloria Steinem a skank was tangible! Enid was a fab team player!

MARGOT: Dani Copperstone: She had a wonderfully, powerful singing voice and her wide-eyed facial expressions that accompanied these were very attractive. She really stood out in the Greek Choral numbers, with her strong stage presence and rich vocals.

SERENA: Holly Ward: This was another delightful supporting role. ‘Guys, she’s not here’, was a super announcement, which caught all of our attention. Her vocals from the widow DSL, were very good. Her line to Margot, “You’re a slut!” was comedy gold!

PILAR: Justine Marshalsea: Her excitement about Spring Break in Cabo was tangible. Take care not to lose any dialogue upstage. Her dance moves were very neatly executed.

KATE: Jenny Bryant: She looked the part with her glasses, hat and backpack. She handed out the text books to the other girls with determination and care, “Well even if you do, you’ll need an LSAT score of more than 174.” This was good.

GAELEN: Lizzy Westney: Here was another superb characterisation. She sang with a powerful voice, moved with energy and flair and was completely focussed and absorbed in the action. This was a sassy, vibrant performance.

LEILANI: Kirsty Bennett, MINDY: Heidi Lesiw, JASMINE: Lorna Stanley: The girls were effervescent and so much fun! They were fully committed to each moment on stage and they added an extra degree of sparkle to the production.

KYLE: Jake Chew: This was a fabulous portrayal of a man who can do no wrong - he is the answer to all of our prayers for Paulette, with his timberland boots, glistening chest revealed under an open-necked work shirt. His swagger was brilliantly sexual, but definitely not over-the-top. His River Dance tribute was awesome!

AARON SCHULTZ / PRISON GUARD: Dan O’Hare: Aaron sang with a lovely clarity. His facial expressions were easy to read. His announcement to all about Callaghan defending exercise Queen Brooke was super.

CHUTNEY WYNDHAM: Charlie Cartwright: She was sardonic, sarcastic; a nasty piece of work! Her crazy perm was amusing as she scoffed, “He was my father”. She was a little crazed and this was good.

STORE MANAGER / SALON STAFF: Sophie Sturge: As the Manager, she had a fabulously powerful voice and she owned the stage for the short time this role was in action.

SALESWOMAN / STENOGRAPHER: Jess Bell: The Stenographer attempted to flirt brilliantly with Nikos. The stenographer was very focussed; typing furiously with her legs neatly crossed in front of her under the desk. Her face showed just how unimpressed she was with the proceedings!

MRS WOODS: Laura Davies: She was a little kooky in her flamboyant golf garb and this added to the humour of this cameo role.

WHITNEY: Becca Ashworth: She was wonderfully, ‘preppy’ and was a suitable sidekick to Vivienne. Her line, “I’ve got a case of Chardonnay. Now that’s a party”, was superbly delivered.

MR WOODS / DEWEY / LOWELL: Lee Westney: As Elle’s father, he looked ridiculous in his tartan golf garb, and this was good. As Lowell, he was good at leering at Elle when imagining her as the face of Harvard! He wasn’t able to achieve a full shoulder-lift with Elle at the end of this scene, which was a shame, but he did do his best to hold her in position until the end of the song. Dewey was suitably gross when he answered the door to Paulette, with his stomach hanging out of his string vest, “Crap, not you again! Paulette, get your fat ass offa my property”. He was a misery and the audience loved to dislike him.

GRANDMASTER CHAD / NIKOS: Ashleigh Powell: Nikos appeared bored and nonchalant when slouched against the wall whilst Elle executed a few bend and snaps in front of him. His ‘European’ accent was fabulous! Nikos was very funny in the court scene; he had a magnetic quality that made us not want to take our eyes off him. Grandmaster Chad rocked the whole joint! He was one cool dude!

CARLOS: Euan Hyden: This was a fabulously camp characterisation! Much physicality was employed here, when he pounced off the desk and onto the Courtroom floor. His outrage that Nikos was renouncing their love and relationship was hilarious, “You are SO gay, you big parfait, you flaming one-man cabaret!” The dancing that followed was OTT, affected and brilliant; verging almost on a touch of Swan Lake styled moves! He has a lovely big, singing voice.

PADAMADOV: James Watkins: This was another sensitively-drawn characterisation. His accent was convincing and his poise and calculation of his self-worth was apparent.

WINTHROP: Robert Hardacre: He was suitably snooty on his first introduction to Elle, but he warmed up to the idea of her being the face of Harvard! His initial questions and concerns of admitting Elle were well-fired.

PFORZHEIMER: Connor Byrne: Another snappy, little role well-played. The change from snooty Admissions Tutors to welcoming Elle to Harvard was well-achieved. He and Lowell had nice, drooling smiles as they considered Elle joining the elite establishment.

D A JOYCE: Louise Couzens: She asked very clearly the questions to Nikos. She held her head high throughout the proceedings.

TV REPORTER: Becky Merchant: She used a lovely, peppy delivery which invited interest.

JUDGE: Rachel Jayne Taylor: She was supremely poised throughout the proceedings. In reference to Nikos, “…but if he turns out straight, I’m free on Saturday”. Later, she continued to be very self-regulated and in command of the situation, “Here we are at the crime scene.”

HAIR SALON STAFF: Lydia Cook, Natasha T Green, Jake Wheeler: These performers were all very adept at the necessary stage business required that made them look fully occupied in the hair salon.

PERFUME GIRLS: Sarah Joseph, Charlotte Rowlands: These girls were elegant, dainty and attractive when they paraded their wares inside the exclusive Department Store.

BRUISER: Eden / Willow: What a cute, little dog!

RUFUS: Bessie: This was one of the funniest performances by a pooch I have ever seen! Rufus was supposed to come across as delighted to see Paulette, but when he went rigid, dug his paws into the stage floor and had to be dragged off by her, the audience went wild! This was extremely funny and had the audience in stitches. It was even funnier when it happened a second time! What a character!

EFFORT, ORIGINALITY AND ATTAINMENT: BAOS is an ensemble that works so tightly together and with such verve, that they cannot fail to entertain their dedicated audiences. ‘Legally Blonde’ was an absolute joy to watch. You must be very proud of all that you have achieved here.
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Thank you for your most kind hospitality and I wish you every success with your next production, CLARE TOGHILL

Steve Blackmore never fails to please and this was no exception, although for Steve this was a change it was a well-known musical, as normally we expect the unknown and unusual. Film to stage musicals don’t always work well, but Legally Blonde has transferred very well despite the many scene changes that are needed. BAOS used a minimalist set which worked well in so many ways.

SET
Well done to set designer James Hartland - The use of moveable flats to create the many scenes, made sure that the action of the show flowed smoothly and quietly.

MUSIC
At times this was a little overpowering, the first number” Oh My God” was too loud that I couldn’t hear a word that they were singing, perhaps it was where I was sitting because it did improve.

SOUNDS
At times this was a little loud causing a little distortion at times in some of the songs.

LIGHTING
Well done to Lighting Designer Chris Horseman and the lighting crew Toby Abbott. Dave Dodd and George Malin, at all times the cast were well lit

CHOREOGRAPHY
Excellent choreography, from the many routines to the skipping scene, which could have gone so wrong, and the Irish dance which was well handled, the cast at all times were full of energy and enthusiasm and at all times had smiles on their faces.

COSTUMES
Well done to Becky Collier and John Cousins for the many costumes which always looked right, so that everyone was well dressed.


THE CAST

ELLE WOODS (Emma Griffiths)
The part calls for a ditzy blonde, who is bubbly, loveable, determined, many faceted, outgoing, vulnerable and energetic. Emma ticked all these boxes and brought sparkle to the stage with your interpretation of the role. This was an outstanding and confident performance. You have a strong singing voice and you brought out all the comedy in the part. At all times you stayed in character and interacted well with Emmett, Pauline and your “Greek Chorus” as well as the other members of the cast and we were with you through all your pitfalls and problems wishing you on to win and in the end achieving your dream and winning Emmett. You made sure that we realised that being blonde didn’t hold you back. Congratulations on a superb performance.

EMMETT FORREST (Michael Griffiths)
Michael gave an understated performance, you quickly showed the many sides to your character, smart, yet quirky sensitive to Elle and your attraction to Elle was obvious from your first meeting. Good stage presence creating a well-rounded character. You interacted well with Elle and the other members of the cast. Well done on a confident performance.

PAULETTE BONAFONTE (Christina Davies)
You created a character who was brash, yet at times unsure of herself. You have good comic timing and your song “Ireland” and your Irish dancing were excellent. You interacted well with Elle and the scenes with Kylie were well timed and well handled. You were Paulette in dress and manner and gave an outstanding performance.

PROFESSOR CALLAGHAN (Lynden O’Neill)
You had thought about this role and you brought out the both sides of the character, the pompous, manipulative and charismatic yet under lying there this was the shark. You wanted to get your own way, but in Elle you met your match. Good strong presence good voice in singing and dialogue. You were this man and in the end, you got your just deserts. Well done on a confident performance.

WARNER HUNTINGDON III (Alex Milner)
This is another character who is self-absorbed, an achiever, with a holier than thou attitude. You looked and acted the part, you interacted well with Elle and Vivienne. But you were what you were in that you would change sides to join the winning team. Well done on a natural performance.

VIVIENNE KENSINGTON (Sarah Wilkinson)
As the stuck up over achieving smart and sassy girl you had thought about the role and created the character perfectly, good strong singing voice, you interacted well with Elle and we saw that you held on to Warner as you were threatened by Elle, but you saw in the end the real Warner and dumped him and realised that Elle was your friend. A strong and powerful performance. Well done

BROOKE WYNDHAM (Ruth Harries)
It was good to see Ruth back on stage and in a role, that suited you, excellent singing and dancing the skipping scene was remarkable the scene was well worth watching, you made it look so easy. You created a believable character and there was good interaction with Elle and the other members of the cast. Congratulations on another excellent natural performance.

ENID HOOPES (Stephanie Golledge)
The character calls for someone who is self opiniated, strong feminist, with good comedy timing. This was well played and natural performance at all times you looked relaxed and at home on the stage, you fitted in well with the other members of the cast and gave a well thought out performance. Well done

KYLE (Jake Chew)
You looked the part in your UPS outfit, you strutted your stuff and brought out the comedy in the role, this was a well thought out character and there was the obvious attraction between you and Paulette. Well done on a first-class performance.

SERENA (Holly Ward) – PILAR (Justine Marshalsea) – MARGOT (Dani Copperstone)
As the three main friends of Elle, Holly made sure that we saw the character of the energetic cheer leader that Serena was, Pilar was the sensible but sassy one and you created just the right amount for the character and lastly, we had Margot the dim witted and boy crazy one. The three of you have strong singing voices and you worked well together and in your support for Elle as well as appearing as part of the Greek Chorus. Three excellent performances, well done.

NAMED ROLES
There are so many of you, and it always difficult to name everyone, but you all created different characters and always stayed part of the action as well as staying in character. Excellent singing and dancing. Each one of you contributed to the action, I must mention NIKOS (Ashleigh Powell) you looked every bit the gigolo and you brought out the character you were “Gay and European” you made the most of the role, making sure that we noticed you, well done. Congratulations to all of you on your performances.

They say never act with Dogs or Children and “RUFUS” proved this point with the entrance and exit, it was obvious that she was Stage Struck!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this upbeat musical. Congratulations to Director Steve Blackmore for your first-class direction, to Musical Director Brendan Casey who had obviously worked the cast hard, and to Choreographers Donna Podesta and Natalie O’Hare for your imaginative and in the case of the Skipping and Irish dancing some breath-taking dancing. Of course, we mustn’t forget the many people who helped backstage who help to make sure that everything runs smoothly, and of course to the energetic and enthusiastic cast, always with smiles on their faces, who made sure that we were swept along with the whole show, leaving us at the end wanting more.

Thank you for your kind invitation, the only problem occurred front of house when there was a mix up with the tickets, which did cause a problem with the seating, but thanks to Frankie who did come to the rescue for the second half. I look forward to being invited to your next production.

Tony Winstone
NODA Representative – District 13