Sometimes movie transfers to the stage just don’t exactly gel and I must admit wondering exactly how Legally Blonde would come across. Pauline had seen it on Broadway before it shut down and she absolutely loved it, but then again she was a huge Legally Blonde fan. I’ve seen the first movie and remembered liking it but didn’t exactly rate myself as a diehard fan. I don’t think I’ve even seen the second movie!

Turns out Pauline was right about the musical – it was excellent!

Sandra says that she thought it was a mixture of the first and second movies – I will have to take her word for it since she has the DVDs and has seen it more recently than I. To be honest this has been one of the better musicals I’ve seen – you needn’t have seen the movies to understand what was going on and the story was well told throughout.

The musical was funny, witty, smart, great engagement with the audience and, to my absolute pleasure, included live animals in particular the English Bulldog who belonged to the character played by Jill Halfpenny. So cute!

Oh, a quick summary for those unfamiliar with the movie. Elle is a spoilt blonde whose entire world revolves around her boyfriend. When said boyfriend dumps her and heads off to Harvard. Determined to win him back she follows him only to find that he’s moved on to someone more serious and career-driven. In the end she finds confidence in herself, works out she’s too good for him and ends up with an unexpected love.

Sheridan Smith, who I know best for playing Smithy’s sister Rudi in Gavin & Stacey though I’m sure her CV is a bit more wide-ranging than that, was absolutely stunning as Elle. She couldn’t have been more different from Rudi that’s for sure! The character with her so chirpy, ditzy, so pink ways could have been grating and annoying but she wasn’t and I think that’s due to Sheridan Smith’s sense of comic timing and delivery. Sheridan was supported by Duncan James, of former boy band Blue, who was oh so sexy (so very sexy!) as Elle’s smug boyfriend and Jill Halfpenny, remember the one who owns the adorable bulldog! who plays a hairdresser that Elle befriends.

A fantastic show and it deserves to stick around for a bit. Boyfriends, husbands and partners be warned though – there is a LOT of pink in this show!