THEATRE TALK: Legally Blonde Exceeds Expectations

Thumbs up for Elle and co

After Legally Blonde's frankly disastrous Children In Need performance, where terrible sound caused Sheridan, Duncan and co to misjudge their toning rather dramatically, some had been getting a little concerned about the state the show would be in by the time it hit the West End. With nerves cited by Sheridan for her failure to hit the notes, thankfully it now seems that all has been fixed, as reports back from the previews suggest the show is tight, vocally strong and, on the whole, well cast.

While its pink and fluffy nature means Legally Blonde won't be a show for everyone - with its appeal sitting firmly in the girls and gays realm - the surprisingly catchy tunes, appealing love story and upbeat conclusion should help pull in the crowds over the next few months while it irons out technical and presentation problems and builds support and visibility.

Interestingly, Legally Blonde has also made an unusual decision - to try a Broadway-style lottery for front row and other great seats for £10 during previews and £25 when performances 'proper' start. This isn't something on most of the West End's radar - if theatregoers are lucky, they can get day seats or discounted versions depending on age and employability. It's an experiment the rest of the industry will no doubt be watching eagerly.

Which way will it go?

The Whatsonstage award nominations have gone online and the public is already voting in their thousands. Numbers could top last year's, which is fantastic news for the theatre industry. With a number of crowd-pleasing nominations, such as Rowan Atkinson for his Fagin and John Barrowman's short spell in La Cage Aux Folles, it is a pity that some other - and very deserving - performers won't get the chance to be lauded for their hard work.

Just one of these is Edward Bennett, whose short-notice and sterling takeover as Hamlet when David Tennant injured his back last December was nothing short of brilliant - for some, he even improved on the Doctor's version with his centred, intriguing and emotional portrayal of Denmark's tragic son. Bennett is currently to be found in Sam Mendes' Bridge Project from June-August 2010 at the Old Vic, playing Ferdinand in The Tempest and the initially unsympathetic Oliver in As You Like It. Bennett can do haughty with his eyes closed, so it will be interesting to see how he manages one of Shakespeare's most ridiculously written characters...

The Misanthrope makes its mark

The Misanthrope has only just started previewing, but is already making its mark - for all the wrong reasons. With the cheapest tickets at £25 for rotten balcony seats, running up to premium prices for the stalls, it looks likely to cut out a large chunk of those who don't particularly enjoy paying already quite large amounts for the worst seats in the house. If you don't fancy stumping up that much cash, you could try the dark and chilling Rope at the Almeida, which started on Thursday and continues till February.

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