u/Ok-Remote-1174

Hello,

I love Legally Blonde and I have a lot to say about the UK Tour performance so here is an in depth review of Legally Blonde Musical from UK Tour (specifically Liverpool).

Disclaimer: I’m going to criticise a lot of things but OVERALL I really really loved the experience, there was a great energy on the stage and the actors were wonderful - it was a dream come true to see it live. Interestingly they adapted this show to be more Gen Z. However it had some weaknesses and the biggest weaknesses of the shows were: scenography and tempo. But I understand also a lot of issues were due to the budget and it being a tour.

Anyway… Let’s go song by song with some final comments at the end.

Omigod you guys

• SCENOGRAPHY: We start with a neon sign “Legally Blonde” - it’s beautiful
• SCENOGRAPHY: But we already start to see the biggest weakness of this show - scenography. I understand they couldn’t do it as well as the original because it’s a tour but still it’s a big downgrade from big staircases to just some houses on the stage. Elle’s big entrance get’s totally lost in as she just walks in on the stage.
• COSTUMES: This is also the first time when we see Delta Nu girls and the costumes are completely different - it’s full on GenZ vibe - it’s really nice. Later on the show I realised why this is actually an interesting direction (see at the end)
• ACTING: The shopping scene which is incredibly important for building Elle’s character was terrible. It didn’t land at all and they just rushed through this. That was a problem a through out the whole show - I feel like they had very limited time and were told to go through the show really fast.

Serious

• SCENOGRAPHY: The scenography absolutely ruined this song. Instead of a romantic restaurant where Warner holds Elle’s hands and everything screams proposal night… here nothing suggest it. They are standing on an empty stage next to a claw machine with teddy bears… Warner is dressed in a baseball jacket, and literally nothing indicates that he is going to propose??? Elle is acting a little crazy as she is overdressed and thinking he is going to propose next to a claw machine??? The acting saves it a little bit but barely. It also loses and important aspect of this being a “public” breakup where Warner is a little upset that Elle is making a scene in a restaurant. And we lose the iconic “Check please”.

… What you want

• COSTUMES: One thing I really like is that they didn’t make the girl that help Elle study stereotypically “nerdy” like in the original. Instead she is dressed a little bit more classy but still very much modern and cute outfit.
• the jamaican rapper was a woman and the rapping was really off… maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about but to me it didn’t sounded right, like she was off beat and the cool effect of their voices overlapping was lost
• Now the essay… In the original, Elle is dressed up as a parade commander - it seems organised, planned, shows her as a leader, all the things that people want to show in the personal essay. Here they are all still dressed the same in their gen z outfits and the choreography is much more party like… For me, it doesn’t show that she is a good candidate and doesn’t represent well her movie video essay.
• also this is random but they start with 3 professors and then one dissapears at some point?? they end the song with just 2. maybe i just didnt see him but i was really confused haha did anyone else notice this??

The Harvard Variations

• COSTUMES: … Instead of “serious” Harvard students we get WICKED SCHOOL OUTFITS. All the ensemble seems like they went out of some fashion show but in a way that makes them seem too artsy.
• COSTUMES: It’s the same for some characters we do meet - In the original and in the movie their outfits represent their personality (the best example is Enid Hoops) and it’s kinda important WHEN THE WHOLE SHOW IS ABOUT STEREOTYPES.
• Now for some Gen Z updates of the show:
  • Bruiser now watches drag race instead of days of our lives
  • Elle Woods advised Timothee Chalamet instead of Beyonce

Blood in the Water

• - SCENOGRAPHY again… the scenography and the costumes made it seem like some artsy school or something out of dead poets society instead of a SERIOUS law school.
  • The classroom doesn’t have desks so all the actors either stand around or sit on some spread around furniture (it’s not giving focused students who are all ready to take notes).
  • On a big black board there’s a chalk drawing of the Shark???? Did Callahan draw this before class??? a bit on the nose
• Gen Z update - Elle is texting on her phone during class to show she is distracted and doesn’t pay attention, I thought this was a very good update, made it more modern..
• But… For some reason now Callahan doesn’t call Enid a lesbian but a feminist?? I don’t really understand this change, only that maybe they were trying to be “politically correct”??? but still it’s werid.
• And I’m sorry to say this but Callahan wasn’t played well. He really rushed through the song and seemed overly angry. What makes Callahan scary is how smart and tough he is - everyone fears and resepcts him so much that he can even talk quitelty and everyone will listen. He doesn’t need to shout because just one comment from him will ruin your self esteem forever… well this version Callahan screams and talks so fast… I didn’t get the right vibe from him.
• Also again sad part about the scenography is that in the original Elle leaves the classrom and the door moves and they shut it on her — here they obviously couldn’t do it and it ruined the ending because Elle left and they are just singing to themselves and not at her??? didn’t work great but I understand it was the set.

Positive

• They did good - The spotlights on Warner and Vivian work great and the whole song was very fun. The girls playing Delta Nu were amazing.
• One thing which isn’t a big criticism but Delta Nu girls who now become The Greek Chorus are still in the same outfits which is ok but it’s a nice touch in the original to change their outfits to white to show that they are in her head.

Ireland

• Paulette is absolutely amazing.
• They also added more to the song!
  • now she sings something like: I never knew my dad, my mom was half italian but my grandfather was from ireland so i want to get married in Ireland and have Lord of the Rings themed wedding. I think it added a lot to her character and explained better why she cares so much about ireland which always was very bizarre.
• Also the ensemble actor who was playing some hairdresser in the back of the scene was really giving her all hahah she was doing so much in the background

Serious Reprise

• So for some reason one of the ensemble members was playing a drunk lady throughout the whole scene and I was very confused about this choice. She would sway drunkenly, lean on the walls and do bizzare things. It was really hard for me to focus on the main scene because she was so attention grabbing.
• Again the scened where Elle talks back to Vivian was rushed - it didn’t land because all the background characters were stood far away, didn’t seem to be listening, Enid comes out of nowhere, Elle said it so fast you don’t even know what happend. It was confusing.

Chip on my shoulder

• SCENOGRAPHY: Elle’s room is giving Glinda’s from the Wicked movie. Lots of these luggage boxes which I don’t know what to call.
• okay but one thing I love - BRUISER IS HERE THE WHOLE TIME. They just put him in his little bed and gave him a toy or a snack and it’s so cute.
• But unfortunately they again really speed through all the funny lines and nothing lands, there’s not a moment to feel the joke. For example when Emmet drinks the red bull I barely heard what he said bc he already crashed the can and put it in the drawer, when in the original he takes a big long sip, sighs, says the line and we have time to process it AND THEN the scene moves forward.
• COSTUMES: Here Elle changes from the bunnie outfit into a different one… but it kinda looks like a pyjama? it wouldn’t be a problem if she didn’t go to class in it when she already decided to take it seriously.
• Also Delta Nu’s are a bit akward in this because they made them walk through Elle’s cluttered room.
• And no Emmetts iconic little dance at the end 💔

So Much Better

• I liked this song, it’s not as crazy dramatic and extra as original but It’s good… but she is still wearing the pyjama outfit :||| Whipped into shape

Whipped into shape

• SCENOGRAPHY: this is the one scene where they spent all their scenography budget and it’s amazing - they have this neon TV frame so the whole song we watch as if Brooke is on TV. It looked very cool.
• To make it more Gen Z now Callahan says “But I don’t speak Instagram” which is okay but they keep mixing if she is doing DVD, TikTok, Instagram or what - but I understand that it’s not possible to change all the lyrics.
• COSTUMES: Now… why is Brooke dressed like an 80s fitness instructor?? She is in jail?? hello??? They already had a cool solution for this in the original where she is wearing a sports bra and orange pants which and later also the orange jail jacket.
• Also now Enid wasn’t called a lesbian so the joke is a little bit lost?
• However the scene after the song was super cool because they made this visiting room where you have to talk through a phone. It makes it look very cool when they all try to talk and hear the phone and the scene where Elle starts signing the Delta Nu song - at first Brooke is really confused what Elle is trying to show because she can’t hear her.
• Unfortunately not a lot of chemistry between Emmet and Elle, the "butthead" moment doesn't hit and they seem more than friends.

Take it like a man

• Ok so then they enter the department store… but why are there man spread out on the shelves?? they had so much sass and it all seemed so sensual???
• Also there’s no changing room, Emmet just changes in the middle of the store…

Bend and Snap

• AGAIN THEY PUT THE DOGGIES ON THE STAGE JUST FOR FUN??? I LOVE THEM
• my hot take is the UPS guy was too extra… he was super hot but in the original he is mysterious and very subtly flirts with Paulette thats why she thinks he isn’t interested. But in this version he is literally all over her - zero mystery. But I love Paulette and she is an amazing singer.

There! Right There!

• so… Artichako’s lawyer and judge seem more gay than The Gay European (Nikos) himself.
• The bend and snap in the court room happend so fast I don’t even know when.
• SCENOGRAPHY: and again like in Blood in the Water, they don’t have tables and just awkwardly stand which takes away from the cool effect of - serious place + fun musical number. I love the original.choreo in the desks and here they didnt do anything much. Nikos is also really hidden behind the witness stand - we can barely see him and we def can’t see his silk transulsent socks :(((
• The Judge is so fun tho hahaha they put him so high up for no reason but i love him. They made the typing girl say the line “but if he’s not gay I’m free on saturday” and i think it would be funnier if the gay judge said it hahahah
• but who absolutely stole this scene is Nikos’ boyfriend HE WAS SOO GOOD, deserves an oscar.

Legally Blonde

Now, this is the most important scene and the biggest heartbreak, but not becauce it’s an emotional scene but becasue they ruined it.

• First the scene with the professor. The scene where he hits on Elle was so weird - they made him kiss her on the lips and IT WAS SUCH A LONG KISS. Then Elle goes to the door but you can barely see Warner and Vivian so you cant really get the right impression how Warner leaves disgusted and Vivian takes her side.
• This is more of a personal thing bc my bf said he thought it was good acting for him - but for me it was weird how she was on the floor dramatically. Felt exaggarated and too melodramatic for this very serious scene.
• Then… she meets Emmet and the biggest crime of this musical happens. Emmet listens to her, seems kinda upset but THEN THERE’S NO DOOR so he just sings to her how he think she should stay. And i hate that. In the original they are seperated by doors - for me it implies she doesn’t really hear what he says, it’s just his thoughts, he wishes he told her earlier and helped her more. INSTEAD he holds her hand and basically becomes Warner where he wants her to stay just for his sake… where the whole point is she started to do law because she started to like it and wanted to help people. I GOT THE ICK FROM EMMET. They also end the song sort of hugging and he kisses her on the forhead which completly takes away from how Elle feels alone and not understood. I HATE IT.

Legally Blonde - Remix

• In the previous scene It wasn’t very clear that that Vivian took her side so this was a bit abrupt but okay.
• and then… when she says “Sorry Vivienne, I’m never wearing that again” and goes into the closet…. instead of having a quick exchange “honey you’re in the supply closet” “I KNOW” LETS GO SIGN THE BEST NUMBER → here she goes into the closet… then all the girls start arguing (???? why??? they just start shouting at each other) and then suddenly they realise that she is in the supply closet but for us it doesn’t even look like a closet ??? we also already forgot she went there. and she comes out but the beat, the drama it was all lost bc we shifted our attention to something completly different.
• the Ireland dance is not as good but okay

COURT SCENE

• again - I love the gay judge
• And again - for me the witty scene didn’t land. Once again it felt like they are rushing, not enough suspense or time for jokes to land.

Find my way / finale

• in the original it’s very obvious that Elle proposes to Emmet, here idk what she did
• It’s also really sweet that they highlighted Elle’s friendship with Enid so much more in this musical. And at the end it’s a big girl power moment where all her female friend come to hug Elle and only later guys join.

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GEN Z - I think the choice of making it more modern makes sense. First of all a lot of the audience was young so although it’s seems crazy - they aren’t used to DVDs and VHS?? They don’t know Days of Our Lives?? But secondly and more importantly, Elle Woods is the “stupid blonde” stereotype of our generation. She cares about influencers, she is on her phone a lot, her outfits seem very extra to us (the 2000s crop tops and low jeans aren’t that crazy anymore). I think it was a very good choice and made me rethink if I would like the Elle Woods of my generation as much as I’m used to a 2000s version.

Elle Woods was played really well and she did get the essance of the original. She was phenomenal. The only problem was the tempo that didn’t highlight her smart moments well enough for me.

Emmett - idk who did the casting because they need a rise, look him up - he looks exactly like Netflix version of Christian Borle. He was ok but at times gave too much Warner. I love in the original how they seem like besties - and here did seem like there’s some crush very early on. He was a bit like the movie Emmett.

Callahan - sorry but he didnt do it for me :((

My favourites??? Paulette - what a singer, the gay judge and boyfriend - such small roles but what a job they did.

For anyone who read it all - I’m glad I’m not the only person who cares about this musical so much. AND I would absolutely love to know your thoughts!!!