REVIEW: Legally Blonde - The New Adelphi Theatre, Salford.

Almost Famous Theatre Company scored a glittering success with ‘Legally Blonde’; a show surrounding UCLA sorority girl, Elle Woods (Jess Porter) as she goes to Harvard to chase love, but instead pursues a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

The show burst into action as stand-out Margot (Hannah Saks) opened with ‘OMIGOD You Guys’, supported by Serena (Abbie King), Pilar (Evanna Maxted) and a strong female chorus. This level of energy set the tone for the entirety of the production, and we were quickly drawn into the world of the American sorority girls. As Porter stepped onto the stage, it became clear she was a perfect fit for the part of Elle Woods. From the beginning, she was pitch perfect, and the facial expressions and squeaky American accent employed meant the over-the-top character of Elle was achieved effortlessly.

Female empowerment is a central theme throughout, embodied in Elle and the lessons she learns and shares with her female counterparts. Porter was able to carry off this self-assurance well and portrayed the head-strong Elle continuously, through high-octane songs and dance routines. Later, there was a beautiful moment in the song ‘Legally Blonde’, where we see a more vulnerable side to Elle. Porter conveyed high emotion with tears in her eyes; a great contrast to the extreme confidence we had become so familiar with prior.

Porter’s interactions with other characters were genuine, and came most enjoyably through the relationships with Paulette (Charlotte Dale) and Emmett (James Henderson). The first inkling of romance between Elle and Emmett comes after Elle has been humiliated at a party; they sit on a bench under a street light and Emmett tells Elle that she needs to focus on her own ambition, a lovely moment for the audience. Henderson’s lovable portrayal of Emmett, including an impressive rendition of ‘Chip On My Shoulder’, meant that the audience were rooting for him throughout. More so, Dale’s portrayal of Paulette was strong and enticing; she must be given special mention for her rounded accent and vocals in ‘Ireland’.

Mention must also go to the vocal range of the cold and calculated Vivian (Jessica McAdam), the cool-guy façade brought by Warner (Jamie Boyce) and the stoic, and seemingly villainous, character of Professor Callaghan (Oliver Willett). All three of these characters were carried off with great continuity. Yet, during Callaghan’s song, ‘Blood In The Water’ the audience missed some lines over the band; this happened a couple of times during the evening, yet was a small issue which can be easily remedied.

Just when I thought the musical talent of this cast couldn’t increase, the second act begun with, ‘Whipped Into Shape’; the audience were blown away by the merging of intricate and impressive choreography with incredible vocals from Brooke Wyndham (Libby Goodman). The high-octane skipping number was a great feat for choreographer Megan Cheeseman, and one which the cast had evidently worked hard to achieve. A further highlight came in the overt characterisation of Kyle (Thomas Bowen), the ‘sexy UPS man’, which, when paired with the dazed reactions of Paulette, sent the audience into rapturous laughter. This happened again during the song ‘There Right There’ in the courtroom, where we were introduced to the sassy and fabulous Nikos (Ross Bickerdike) and Carlos (Ewan Sowerby), who both provided further comic relief.

The staging, managed by Aodhan Ford, was effective and impressive; despite one small blunder with timing early on, when Paulette goes to visit her ex-boyfriend, it was faultless. The stage-hands worked hard to ensure one scene would segue into the next seamlessly. Personal highlights of mine were the street lamp glowing on stage, or the way the Nell Dare’s set design allowed for a courtroom to transition into a bathroom so effortlessly. Further to this, the costumes were wonderfully bright and well-made, ameliorating the authenticity and glamour of the production.

Directors Rachel Balkwill and Courtney Tunnicliffe have created a cohesive and fun-filled show, where the cast were always switched on and full of purpose, even during numerous large ensemble numbers. Furthermore, Musical Director Aaron Godfrey has created a real success of the music; leading an impressive band and directing talented singers through beautiful harmonies, he has brought the music to life, meaning all the songs were a joy to listen to.

There was no member of the cast who did not step-up to the challenge of this intense musical, resulting in a show that was heart-warming and left you feeling fabulous. There’s nothing left to say except ‘SNAPS’ for everyone involved!

Reviewer - Anna Chambers
on - 28/2/19