Legally Blonde10/5 matinee

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:08pm

Sorry If it's hard to understand. I'm in a hurry.

I saw the matinee yesterday and there were no understudies. I thought Bailey did fine till it got to after What You Want. When she appeared on stage before Harvard Variations I picked up on this really fake voice she was using. I think when I watched the search for the next elle woods they called it a Disney Princess voice. I also thought that she made Elle seem really dumb. The second act was a little better but she was not very good during that irish river-dancing thing. I also noticed that when she would try and make jokes no one really thought they were funny. The thing I was disappointed in the most was that there was no chemistry between Christian Borle and Bailey. It looked like he didn't even like her that much.
Overall I thought the show was very good. It's to bad it's closing. It was my second time seeing it. The first time was with Laura Bell Bundy and I wish she wouldn't have left. I have a feeling if Laura Bell was still there it wouldn't be closing so soon.

Anybody have any questions just post it. Or if anybody has any similar experiences with the show.

[feline0favenueQ]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:14pm

I haven't seen Bailey, but this seems to be the general consensus on her. I'm really sad it's closing though. I think Bailey is more "Elle" than Autumn, but I think Autumn earned it and would vocally rip up Legally Blonde. I think she is a tad too bitter, but she would blow the roof off the Gershwin as Elphie.

How was the new UPS guy? Better than Ven?

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:20pm

I saw Bailey on September 13th and I thought her and the whole case were amazing. My only complaint about Bailey was her contact with the audience was really pour. I'm going again closing night so I will post how she did.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:21pm

"I have a feeling if Laura Bell was still there it wouldn't be closing so soon."

I honestly don't think this is an issue with the leads. I think a closing around this time (or at least by the end of the year) would have been inevitable whether you had Laura or Bailey in the role. This show is aimed at teens and young adults, most of which are back in school now and don't have time to see Broadway shows as frequently as they did in the summer.

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:26pm

Yeah I wasn't sure if I should say If Laura Bell was still here... It probably wouldn't make a difference to teenagers or ticket sales. Well except it makes a difference to me. haha

I didn't see Ven. The last time I was there it was a couple weeks before Andy Karl left. I thought the new guy (I can't remember his name) who played the UPS guy did a good job though. He made me laugh and a lot of girls in the audience loved him. I thought Andy Karl had the role down pat more but he was there a lot longer than this new guy. If only the new guy had more time in the show I think he would be great.

Oh and I heard Autumn during her line in Omigod you guys and she sounded fantastic. I just don't think she fits the character of Elle.
Updated On: 10/6/08 at 04:26 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 5:15pm

Aw, sad you didn't like Bailey. I loved her and thought the show was amazing--even at a matinee performance! I saw it 2 or 3 weeks ago.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 8:29am

What does that mean, "even at a matinee performance?!"

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 8:53am

What does it sound like?

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 9:05am

I actually agree with you, that after What You Want, Bailey picked up this voice that I thought kind of ruined her performance. It sounded like she was just trying to be really quiet, but it made it seem like she had no interest in what she was doing and was just reciting her lines.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 9:21am

Are matinee performances different than evening? You made it seem like well for a mat, it was good....when it shouldnt matter eve or mat...

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 11:27am

Maybe it was just a bad day for Bailey. She's still new to this.

[Parks]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 12:14pm

It seems like 2 show days are usually more difficult to do--casts sometimes have been known to possibly phone in matinee performances.

You know what I'm talking about.

[Conor2]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 12:54pm

I've seen Bailey do this role twice. The first time was her second week in, and she seemed to have a good grip on the acting, but her voice was really pitchy.

Second time was a month ago, and I was absolutely confused at how she'd gone downhill. I finally knew what "schmacting" meant--her acting was really way too over the top, and she played Elle like an airhead. She did nail the final note of "So Much Better," though.