My Legally Blonde Review

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 1:19pm

For all its glitz, energy, pyrotechnical dance numbers, Legally Blonde disappoints. I caught the Sunday Matinee April 8 at 2 pm.

When I saw Legally Blonde the movie, I didn't expect to like it, but Reese Witherspoon embraced her blondeness, was in on the blonde joke from the get go, was over the top blonde and when she lost her boyfriend, we realized she was a real person with real feelings and we felt for her. Such is the magic of a good director and a camera that zeroes in.

No so in the musical. The musical opens with a cutsiepie number called Omigosh with a plethora of obnoxious sef involved valley sororiety girls. After the number, Elle Woods joins the groups with dog in hand and becomes one of the insipid masses of blonde vapidness. When she loses her boyfriend, I felt nothing except good that a little pain came into the insipid woman's life. (I believe Avenue Q instructs that this is Shaudenfraude) The musicals fails here where the movie suceeds in letting us want to side with Elle Woods. That is the biggest problem with the show. You don't care about Elle Woods.

Hairspray, the musical, achieves this so much better when we zero in on Tracy Turnblatt in the opening number of the musical and we fall in love with her from moment one. Sweet Charity, the musical achieves empathy when we focus in on Charity from moment one. Not so with Legally Blonde.

Although "Ohmigosh" is a visually stunning number with unfortunately eye rolling and embarrasing lyrics, it works against the main character in the opening position of the show. I recommend they move this number until after we meet Elle Woods.
Give Elle the first moments of the show and make us fall for her.

I don't think it's Laura Bell Bundy's fault but the director and the book writer and how they set her up. Laura Bell Bundy does a decent enough job but she is missing a directorial hand. This brings us to Jerry Mitchell.

I have been a big fan of Jerry Mitchel for many years admiring his choroegraphic work on La Cage, Hairspray, Full Monty and others, but he is missing the directorial eye focussing instead (as many choreographers turned directors do) on the energetic dance number. Let's disquise mediocrity with great numbers.

Another problem with the focus of the show can be fixed very easily. There are a trio of "sorority sisters" aka "the greek chorus" which is behind Elle. Well one of them is blonde and she steals too much focus. She has a better wig than Laura Bell and she is prettier than Laura Bell. They should make this girl a red head or a brunette. They should also give that girls wig to Elle Woods as Elle's wig looks fakey and the sororiety sister simply has a better wig. It seems as if they are dead set on having a carbon copy of Reese Witherspoon's hair which looks just like that; a fake carbon copy of Reese Witherspoon's hair. (Thankfully, Laura Bell's hair or wig is much improved in Act Two)

I found the music a great disappointment as well adding very little to enhance the movie enjoyment. Thank g-d for Jerry Mitchell's choreography to camoflauge this second rate score and lyrics. Jerry Mitchell is a choreographic genius. Now, if he could just focus a little as director, he may be able to fix the proceedings.

As for the supporting cast, I think Michael Rupert as the curmudgeonly lawyer does a great job. Chistian Borle (who was so wonderful in Spamalot) is not used to best advantage as a character actor. Orfeh and Nikki Snelson are energetic and fine. All of the cast are fine performers but the major character trait is "energetic" and they lack a real director's hand.

I think Legally Blonde will please 12 -14 years olds but will dissappoint thinking adults. When a musical doesn't add or improve on the movie, and I don't care about the main character...what is the point? For all its glitz and glamour, I was legally bored.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 1:23pm

I think this should go for all reviews on this board, but I was wondering what well known musicals are your favorites, and which ones are your least favorites? This will help me to see how your opinions line up with mine, since I haven't seen Legally Blonde. :O)

[sparkles]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 1:27pm

"Another problem with the focus of the show can be fixed very easily. There are a trio of "sorority sisters" aka "the greek chorus" which is behind Elle. Well one of them is blonde and she steals too much focus. She has a better wig than Laura Bell and she is prettier than Laura Bell. They should make this girl a red head or a brunette."

That is Margot (played by Annaleigh Ashford). The character is blonde in the movie as well, so I think they were trying to stay true to that.

"I think Legally Blonde will please 12 -14 years olds but will dissappoint thinking adults. When a musical doesn't add or improve on the movie, and I don't care about the main character...what is the point? For all its glitz and glamour, I was legally bored."

I respect your opinion, BUT I wish you wouldn't generalize. I am a thinking adult and I absolutely loved this show, and I know other adults who felt the same way! I thought they added a lot from the movie while still remaining true to the original story. It's definitely not as deep as some other shows, but it is nice sometimes to see something that is lighthearted and fun! I thought it was very clever. Sorry you didn't enjoy it though.
Updated On: 4/11/07 at 01:27 PM

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 2:29pm

At your request, here is my list of favorites, likes and dislikes.


My favorite current musicals:

Avenue Q
Wicked
Hairspray
Drowsy Chaperone
Producers
Spamalot

Least Favorite current musicals:


Rent
Spelling Bee

Favorites of all time:


Gypsy (but not with Bernadette- yes to Tyne, Rosiland Russel, Angela)
Cabaret
Li'l Abner (my favorite non thinking musical)
How to Suceed (with Morse; not Broderick; directed by Burrows-not Des McEnuf sp?)
Zorba
Fiddler
Sweet Charity (with Verdon, or Debbie Allen; not Reinking or Gretchen Wyler)
Mame
Applause (with Lauren; not Ann Baxter)
Promises Promises
Sweeney Todd

(I put withs and withouts because some performers ruin shows for me)


Least favorites of all time and some of the worst eves in the theatre:

Baby
Marlowe
Starmites
Doctor Jazz
Phantom of the Opera ( I never got this musical)
Rent

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:00pm

Thanks for posting that, I like to see what things we like in common, just to feel out how I would agree with your review.

[GreenGirl22406]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:07pm

I'm going to see this in April, and I'm actually becoming more excited about seeing what I think of the show than the show itself (if that makes any sense). All the reviews have been interesting so far, with most people not loving it but not hating it either. Oh well. What did you think of the casting? Just curious...

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:20pm

"cutsiepie number called Omigosh with a plethora of"

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is called "Omigod" not Omigosh! :)

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:23pm

You are right, DrTheatre. The full title is "Omigod You Guys"

[hiltyfied]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:46pm

Greengirl, I don't this show is close to being the best I've ever seen (or even the best it could be) but I like it a lot. I really like the cast, but there's enough about that in my review.

[WilliamT]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:48pm

Just curious, GoldenBoy, will you be posting your review in all threads related to LB?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:52pm

haha. i was wondering the same thing.

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:57pm

Thanks TWS...I knew that was the title, I was just wondering if the changed it for NYC or goldenboy does not like writing the word God, because that happen twice in GB's review.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 4:37pm

Ohmygosh you guys! or Ohmygod you guys!...
the music is second rate and lyric so insipid it deserves to be
misquoted.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 4:41pm

Well actually it's Omigod.

And it IS getting quite annoying to see you posting your review in EVERY thread related to Legally Blonde. Give it a rest.