Legally Blonde the Musical – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Legally Blonde the Musical at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London. Picture: Darren Bell

Legally Blonde the Musical continues at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London until 31 January.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

’Tis the season of goodwill so let’s first go with the positives about Ovation’s version of the hit American musical comedy that launched Sheridan Smith as a shimmering West End star when it opened at the Savoy almost six years ago.

It’s a high-octane show with wildly energetic dance routines imaginatively choreographed by Anthony Whiteman on the Gatehouse’s traverse stage and house director John Plews makes sure the pace never flags.

Jodie Jacobs, reprising the role of spunky, loveable hairdresser Paulette she played in Kilworth House’s open-air production in Leicester this summer, is a born comedienne with a powerhouse voice who is simply terrific.

She has West End credits but it’s time she got the big break her talent merits. Her ‘Ireland’ solo – she dreams of marrying an Irishman – and comic swooning over delivery-guy hunk Kyle show younger cast members, some guilty of trying TOO hard, how material should be put across.

Ross Barnes and Lily De-La-Haye, so moving recently as the two leads in London Theatre Workshop’s Parade, one of the most impressive Fringe musicals of the year, confirm that promise in roles of a very different hue.

Barnes excels again as the likeable Emmett, the corduroy-clad law school tutor assistant. Spruced up by the blonde but far-from-ditzy Elle, he finally gets the gal after she’s dumped by wet boyfriend Warner who moves sheepishly on to a better-connected Harvard blue-stocking.

The far-fetched story – music and lyrics by husband-and-wife team Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin from Heather Hach’s book – centres around Elle breaking out of the dumb-blonde stereotype and proving there’s a shrewd legal brain lurking behind the fluff.

It’s a bold gamble pitching London School of Musical Theatre graduate Abbie Chambers into the lead role on her pro debut. Elle is the part Sheridan Smith played, so no pressure then!

Chambers is not the only one too high-pitched for my ear. From the get-go of the ensemble number ‘Omigod You Guys’ the squeaky American accents quickly pall.

It is just too loud for the small space – and the sound balance on press night was far from helpful. No doubt musical director Matt Abrams will sort this out over the six-week run.

Only in the hilarious ‘Gay Or European?’ number in Act II does the audience really let its hair down, but there’s no denying the effort and enthusiasm of the 13-strong cast in which Adam Crossley gets plenty out of his three cameos and Chris Durtnal doesn’t waste a gift part as hunky Kyle.

Yet I now know exactly where the Sunday Telegraph critic was coming from when he wrote of the original London show: “It is a great big empty vessel that makes a lot of noise and not much else… I was aware I was sitting among a group of people with vacant smiles on faces that seemed entirely numbed.” And that was when the divine Miss Smith was doing it!

For a musical there aren’t enough memorable tunes and for a comedy simply not enough laughs. But what do I know? It ran for 974 performances in the West End and won three Olivier Awards before going on to tour long and successfully. Thank goodness we’re all different!

Jeremy Chapman

www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com