Interesting Review ... LEGALLY BLONDE

[fr_sabo]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:07am

It's good to know someone is paying attention ...

Excerpt from nytheatre.com
For full review: http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/lega3922.htm

It's possible to watch all of this foolishness without thinking hard about what it actually signifies, I suppose, and if you're able to do so then Legally Blonde may feel like harmless fun. I found it impossible not to focus, constantly, on the insidious messages being transmitted: that rich white people can do or have whatever they want, as long as they have enough cash and dress well; that blue collar workers live in trailers, are ignorant, and are fit only to wed one another; that gay people all dress a certain way (gay men are elegant and effete; lesbians are sloppy and mannish—the one lesbian character in the story bears this out); that women can succeed only through their looks and sex appeal; that gay people are oversexed; that brown people are interchangeable figures of derision (I haven't mentioned yet that in Act I there's a law student named Sandeep Padamadan and in Act II there's a gay poolboy named Nikos "Something"-tacos (sorry, his full name isn't in the Playbill); both are played by an actor named Manuel Herrera and both their names get big laughs when they're first uttered because foreign names are so darned funny, aren't they?)

A great many people are responsible for Legally Blonde, including Jerry Mitchell, the show's director/choreographer, who supplies little in the way of exciting dancing here; book writer Heather Hach and score authors Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin; and no fewer than 16 producers: all of them should be ashamed of themselves for letting this show, which could have been either authentic fluff or provocative satire, instead reflect so complacently the dire status quo of our America first/Me first post-Bush policy.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:15am

"Ethnic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!"

- Avenue Q
Updated On: 5/19/07 at 01:15 AM

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:16am

yeah its good no one goes on that website. it sounds very opinionated...but that is me

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:23am

Reviews are supposed to be opinionated.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:24am

It's good that no one goes there because it has strong opinions? Yes, heaven forbid the opinion; we wouldn't want any of those! Writers should never be opinionated. Especially critics! For shame.

Updated On: 5/19/07 at 01:24 AM

[WordedGrace]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 4:27am

I agree with some of his review though. And the Avenue Q lyric funny sure...but not all of us find humor in ethnic jokes.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 7:55am

It's about the most honest review I've read yet. Now, I'm going to rush the mat and see the 2 stand-outs again.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 8:28am

I agree, ruprecht. His review is very simple and to the point. It doesn't mean that I'm not going to go back and see the show again, though (the two stand-outs for me were the dogs).

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 9:00am

hahahaha that review is stupid beyond belief , The amount of musicals that use the exact same stereotype yet no one mentions them.And the whole thing of women can only succeed if they are good looking ??? Elles looks are almost the reason she doesnt succeed (her internship was because the professor fancied her and she lost her boyfriend because of the way she looked).

Thw whole Lesbian thing is also ridiculous (producers , 2 gay men , both queens??) and where does it mention Gay people are oversexed.

The show plays by stereotypes as do most musicals.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 11:33am

Actually, even as someone who enjoyed Legally Blonde, I find most of what the reviewer says to be completely accurate. Maybe it is simply because Legally Blonde's stereotypes are much more in-your-face than other musicals.

[FosterChild]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 11:40am

I'm not as offended by the gay stereotypes everyone keeps trying to point out but the rest is very accurate.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:37pm

I enjoyed the review even though I didn't have those same reactions. What bugged me the most were the numerous product placements.

Somehow Hairspray managed to be a fluffly musical filled with stereotypes that still had its heart in the right place. That's what Legally Blonde has't manged to accomplish.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:49pm

Didn't the writers used to write for Saturday Night Live? That would explain the flat jokes about stereotypes.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:59pm

yeah the gay jokes never really offended me....who knows.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 3:06pm

Has he never heard an English name that made him laugh? Hell, even Chekhov used "funny" names (in Russian) to make Russian viewers laugh.

[laurafan13]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 6:49pm

don't you feel it was all tongue in cheek. Jerry is gay, why would he want to offend. LBB is not a rich white girl who gets what she wants by money.. ELLE is.. it is a character.. with humor etc.. good grief the news lately is right.. people cannot win.. no matter what anyone says or does someone is going to get pissed. did you see the flak with the color purple.. for God sakes a white girl had the nerve to call someone girlfriend. how dare she.? LAUGH, people and get over it. I am over weight and I have laughed my entire life over people making jokes of fat people. hell I do it. enough already.!!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 10:06pm

Jerry is gay, why would he want to offend.

That argument doesn't fly anymore, laurafan13. Many gay men embrace gay stereotyping (see anything on network television about gay people) that many gay men find not only offensive but damaging to our image and our struggle for equality.

LBB is not a rich white girl who gets what she wants by money.. ELLE is..

Nowhere in that review does the critic even mention Laura Bell Bundy's name, so I have no idea what you're talking about. He refers to every character by the character's name, and the only actors' names he uses are Orfeh and Andy Karl, in praising their performances at the end.

Updated On: 5/19/07 at 10:06 PM

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 10:27pm

If gay men find them stereotypes offensive they need a slap (yes im a gay man).Straight people form all walks of life have been stereotyped far longer and you don't hear them complaining.

The whole reviewers points seem so redundant its frightening, if that reviewer paid attention he would see the half of the things he has said don't make sense and the other half are just plain stupid.

My god so the show stereotypes (well F**k me with a hot fire poker) if that were the case 80 percent of Broadway musicals would never happen.
Musical theatre has always dealt with stereotypes to get its story across going right back to Musical Theatres routes (musical comedy).
Its very Rare to see a real 3 dimensional Character developed for a musical, musicals have around 2 hours to tell their story and only very little of that is book time(the rest musical numbers which everyone knows is very hard to create a 3 dimensional character in a song.

And i say again as i said earlier , the whole point of "well she can get what she wants because she is rich and attractive " is stupid.YES her parents could afford her Harvard fees but she still had to work like everyone else to get in.

The attention she gets for her looks is almost entirely negative (Professor hitting on her, Boyfriend dumping her, no one taking her seriously etc) so her looks are not helping her cause.

The whole argument about Gay stereotypes (yawn) Producers(did any one say a word?) or how about A Chorus Line? , what about Spamalot ? its a stupid argument(has this man watched musicals)

If a reviewer doesn't like a show fair enough, but at least switch your brain on before you write a review for all to see.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 10:35pm

YES her parents could afford her Harvard fees but she still had to work like everyone else to get in.
In the movie, she sends in a video definitely showing off her "assets", which persuades the pervy Harvard admissions people to let her in. In the show, she sends in a headshot, which persuades two of them, and then does some sexy dance moves.

Would that really work if someone not so attractive did that?

I really like Legally Blonde, but I definitely agree with the reviewer. There's no depth to the show.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 10:37pm

she could have stood their stark naked if she wanted but the fact is had she not got a 175 on her test she wouldn't have got through the door

Updated On: 5/19/07 at 10:37 PM

[fr_sabo]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 2:17am

Updated On: 5/20/07 at 02:17 AM

[fr_sabo]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 2:19am

popular elphie: I agree with you. Just IMHO, theater is meant to explore and examine deeper aspects of the human condition, AND at the same time entertain. But NEVER at the expense of any stereotype or marginalizing an ethnic or minority group. But then again, Broadway is not what it was. It has become a capitalistic enterprise. Is there any other reason--other than to make money--to bring a story that has already been told on film to the stage? The only exception I could think of are plays of Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, etc. i.e. Streetcar, Who's Afraid ..., Cat on Hat Tin Roof, etc. It has become quite a trend for producers lately ... film to Broadway. Artists, in my opinion, create ... not recyle. The gap between Tom Stoppard's language driven plays and the lyrics to a show-stopping "Omigod" is really interesting. I think it is what Eric Bogosian attempts to convey in his play TALK RADIO ...

But at the end of the day, as long as people are entertained ... that's good. There are audiences for everything. But as an artists, we have a fabulous venue to affect how people think to make this world a better place to live ...

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 7:32am

When was Broadway ever not a capitalistic enterprise?

Although we fondly remember the great shows from the "Golden Age", there were plenty of silly fluffy pieces being produced back then too.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 7:56am

lol, I laughed after reading that review. Very interesting indeed!

Obviously the reviewer missed the point of the show. Isn't it about stereotypes?

And i'm sure i'm the only one who didn't laugh at the gay/european jokes.

[Whiteguy2088]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 8:54am

" But NEVER at the expense of any stereotype or marginalizing an ethnic or minority group."


I love that Legally Blonde brings up taking advantage of stereotypes is SOOOO wrong. Haha. Let us be realistic. Legally Blonde is NOT that bad. Did you flip out when Avenue Q, The Producers, Wedding Singer, A Chorus Line, Rent appeared? Sorry to break it to you, all use "stereotpes" and they "marginalize ethnic and minority groups". We are all part of some minority, some small group that we identify with.

Give me a break people. Someone will always be offended by someone else's comments. A religious conservative may be offended by a musical promoted homosexual relationships but we would instanstly disregard their anger as ignorance, stupidity, etc. (Don't get me wrong, I would to).

The fact is, people will be offended.

I mean, IF YOU REALLLY think about. Wicked stereotypes woman so horribly (Galinda, your typical "BLONDE"... is it fair to blondes accross America to make that judgement? HOW DARE THEY!)

I don't remember people crying over Wicked hatred on the female sex.

Legally Blonde is about unconventionalism. To get into Harvard, you need amazing scores, good grades, be involved, great essay etc.

Elle made a video, worked her assets and achieved her goals. She got ahead in life because she used what she knew she could, her good looks to enchant the men.

WAIT HERE. I AM OFFENDED. As a male I would never accept someone based upon physical appearances, MEN ARE NOT SHALLOW... blah blah blah. I could make a huge deal out of that. It would be stupid... yes. But I could.

Fact is. There is a message to the musical and to the film. As cliche as it is, it is important.

Never let anyone tell you that you can't. You always can. You can always find away.

Maybe that message has been said many times before. Perhaps that message disgusts you. But it is an important message.

If you don't like Legally Blonde that is cool. It is a fluffy and techno-color experience. But please do not justify your disdain for it because you are going to claim it manipulates stereotypes and is degrading- You just think it lacks depth and is rather lackluster.

Sorry to rant but it really pisses me off when people try hiding behind intellectual jargon instead of just saying that did not like it- and you don't have to.