Review: LEGALLY BLONDE, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

When Legally Blonde came out in 2001, its main character Elle Woods became an instant icon. Witty comebacks in hot pink stilettos, she tore down stereotypes and validated blondes across the world. She probably also inspired generations to pursue a law degree and not be intimidated to hide the multi-faceted human beings they can be.

With music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach, the musical adaptation of the film (which is in turn based on Amanda Brown's novel) had a stint on Broadway in 2007 with Laura Bell Bundy as Elle, but flopped dramatically. It did, however, and rather predictably, build a following through the years. It became a cult phenomenon and opened in the West End in 2010 to great acclaim.

When it was announced that Lucy Moss (the Moss part of Six's Marlow and Moss) was reviving the show at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, it felt like a bold season opener.

It's a shame that a large, outside stage doesn't lend itself well to the over-the-top ditziness of the material. This take feels (and sometimes sounds - what's going on with the acoustics of the place?) like the final showcase at an expensive summer camp, especially the first act. It's simply the wrong theatre for it.

To get back at her snooty and perfectly patronising boyfriend who believes he needs "less of a Marilyn, more of a Jackie", Elle decides to get a law degree from Harvard to demonstrate that there's more than just looks and knowledge of the latest trends in her blond head.

Through unruffled self-confidence and impeccable style, she proves Warner that she's a smart, well-rounded woman who can accomplish anything she sets her mind to. So, she girl-bosses her way through Harvard, smashing every bit of patriarchy and toxic attitude she finds, eventually finding her equal.

Moss assembles an inclusive and diverse company that, while shining on their own account, are engulfed by the vastness of the stage. The lack of control of a standard indoor proscenium undermines the performances and denies many musical moments the wow factor they deserve.

The Hair Affair, Paulette's salon that hosts the emblematic Bend and Snap, dwindles down to a sad vertical sign and a small stool. Most of the rest of the scenes play to an empty stage too and the actors meander wildly on designer Laura Hopkins's three-layered stage.

Gold locks printed on flimsy tinsel-like material look more like hay or the lining of a Christmas hamper than blonde hair, and they get jazzed up by Philip Gladwell's lighting design only in the second half because of the late sunset. While the show suffers on a visual level in the first act due to the faint atmosphere, we get to see all its potential in the latter.

Courtney Bowman is a revelation, a star in the making. With a powerhouse voice, she is sassy, charismatic, and utterly perfect as Elle. Moss makes it clear that Warner is no match for her and Alistair Toovey delivers a bland, spineless sleaze of a man, drawing a parallel with Michael Ahomka-Lindsay's humble but assured Emmett.

Nadine Higging is "the moment" as Paulette. She steals scene after scene in a sequence of excellent performances. Isaac Hesketh, Hannah Yun Chamberlain, and Grace Mouat are Elle's friends Margot, Serena, and Pilar.

The Gen-Z-fication of the musical kicks off with them, donned in all pink, fanny packs and fluffy phone cases, shooting something akin to a TikTok video. They are fabulous. Less so is Eugene McCoy as Callahan, who introduces a professor high on power, but missing any of the presence or menace needed.

Responsible for all the looks of the company, Jean Chan is the true star of the production. Her costumes riff off on one another, creating a vibrant palette that's as descriptive as it's eloquent. She has Harvard teeming with greens, nudes, and greys, which she disrupts with Elle's hot pink.

Her friends and sorority mates all have cool flossy clothes that speak for their individuality while maintaining a sense of visual cohesion. She finally dresses Warner and Emmett in the same suit, giving it different colours and most likely a contrasting material to make Warner look suddenly inexpensive in his.

Her contribution to the show is a feast for the eyes and the root of all our current envy. Except for Elle's first wig - which looks like dry ramen noodles and can stay in her closet - and her canine friends Bruiser and Rufus (two actors in Fursuits), who look like they could have auditioned for Cats but didn't get the callback.

Ellen Kane's choreography is lively and engaging, but its effects get lost in the large space unless the cast is collected downstage. Moss' vision of the classic is larger than life and exciting, but deserves another platform to grow into its oversize pink blazer.

Legally Blonde is a show that calls for a certain kind of OTT quality and this doesn't entirely bring it to the table. Elle Woods is anything but cheap. Did all the budget go into the costumes and the bathtub scene in the second act? We shall never know. What we know is that, while the material remains a banger, this candy floss revival bends but doesn't fully snap.

Legally Blonde runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre until 2 July.

Photo credit: Pamela Raith

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