“Omigod you guys!” The iconic Harvard-bound bubbly blonde takes centre stage at the Edinburgh Playhouse in Nikolai Foster’s touring production of Legally Blonde. In full giddy, rosy glam, the ensemble pays a neon homage to the 2001 classic in which a Malibu-hailing sorority president journeys to Harvard Law School in a bid to win her ex back.
Amber Davies is a bubbly but driven Elle, channelling her easy-going effervescence but avoiding coming across as one-dimensional. With an airy voice, she embodies Elle’s floaty charm, nailing iconic lines like “What, like it’s hard?” Davies never reduces Elle’s character to a ‘blonde bombshell’ stereotype though, particularly in a tense scene exploring her objectification at the hands of her professor.
Karen Mavundukure steals the show as Paulette, bringing a free-wheeling and larger than life presence through slapstick mannerisms. Jocasta Almgill similarly dazzles in striking orange as Elle’s defendant, Brooke, opening the second act in a mesmerising rendition of ‘Whipped into Shape’ alongside slick jump rope choreography. The ensemble shows off strong comedic timing — from the flirty back-and-forth between Paulette and Kyle (Ty-Reece Stewart) to the unpredictable shenanigans in ‘There! Right There!’ (with the court judge appearing out of nowhere). Of course, the loudest cheers are for canine stars Bruiser (Sprout) and Rufus (Rocco).
The ensemble brings electric energy into the upbeat and fluffy numbers — the infectiously catchy ‘Omigod You Guys’ opens the show with bubbly enthusiasm and a sea of neon. Other more tender numbers at times come across as saccharine, in particular the duets between Elle and Emmett (George Crawford) which at times detract from the focus on Elle’s character in its own right.
Heather Hach’s writing is punchy and self-mocking. Elle’s trusted friends become a Greek chorus, popping up when Elle struggles at Harvard. Some numbers have a stop-start effect, keeping the audience on their toes — like Warner (Jamie Chatterton) who arrogantly interrupts Elle mid-solo before breaking up with her because she isn’t “serious.” Pop culture references are woven in, from mentions of Drag Race to Timothée Chalamet.
Mark Wilkinson’s intricate set switches seamlessly between locations, with the curved neon walls firmly rooting us in Elle’s glittery world. Smaller dollhouse-style pieces replicate Elle’s Malibu home, being swapped out for looming set pieces imitating the hallowed Harvard walls or grand pillars of the courtroom. Elle’s bedroom gleams with enough sparkly decorations to make Glinda envious. This version of Legally Blonde radiates rosy joy, and looks ever-stunning in a timeless shade of pink.
Legally Blonde is running until 3 October at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
Image by Matt Crockett, provided to The Student for press use.
