Legally Blonde the Musical is the current production being performed by Showstoppers (the Southampton University Musical Theatre Society), which is being performed at The Annex, a small and intimate venue, in Southampton until Saturday 8th December.
Directed by Alex Wareham and Antigone Robertson, this show has a lot to be proud of and as it was put together in just 8 weeks, I think the whole cast have a lot to smile about.
The cast boasts strong vocals in group numbers which went in partnership with the fantastic choreography, put together by the talented Sophie Hawey and Zoe Blackall. Their choreography was fresh and dynamic. Whole cast numbers were received well by the audience with the volume of singing just right. The cast were slick and their energy oozed from the stage. It was clear to see just how much they were enjoying being a part of this production.
There were crackling microphones during the show; however, I’m sure this will be ironed out as the run continues. Some lines were difficult to catch due to talking too fast and the American accent which was being attempted; however, there were many comical moments during the show which the audience appreciated. One particular comic role was played by Scott Johnson who portrayed Kyle the UPS man with great comic timing and the audience just loved him!
The white set consisted of three doors and some steps. This along with the props and movable pieces of scenery such as the bed, benches and table all added to overall production and helped to turn Elle’s bedroom into a courtroom and then into the hair salon. The simple set was used to its full potential. For longer scene changes a simple black cloth was used, which worked well in contrast to the static white scenery behind.
Special mention must go to Patrick Riley who played Emmett Forrest. He played the character perfectly. His strong singing voice and acting talents complemented each other well. Elle Woods was played by Beth Mitchell who acted this role to perfection.
Star of the show was Imy Brighty Potts who played Paulette. She added comedy, style and sass to this role and I can’t fault her singing voice or acting ability. She came across as a confident and talented performer and it was clear that she loved being on the stage.
This show was certainly an enjoyable evening and was enjoyed by an audience of mainly university students. It was great to see their support. I think the whole audience left singing!
Congratulations must go to the whole cast and production team.
