Reviews

Reviews of the 2022 Regents Park Open Air Theatre production

WhatsOnStage – 5 Stars

“The ensemble is wonderfully witty. There are even two people pretending to be dogs. And dancing. The easy, good-hearted inclusivity of the production, its sheer pleasure in its own sense of fun, means it gets away with numbers such as the hilarious “Gay or European” without a hint of being patronising or dismissive…On its own terms, the whole thing succeeds with magnificent, all-embracing confidence. I had the best of times.“

The Metro – 5 Stars

“Omigod guys! Like, literally, omigod! An uproarious new production of the musical Legally Blonde blasts into town with all the energy of a spring break party. But there’s something surprising too. Rather like the seemingly ditzy heroine Elle herself, it proves to be a staging with very real smarts…Director Lucy Moss (co-creator of the musical SIX) brings it all together with sackfuls of delightful silliness, unflagging energy, and a riot of pink costumes.”

The Guardian – 4 Stars

“The gender politics feel entirely overhauled, as does its central blond bombshell – previously played in London by Sheridan Smith. Where both she and Witherspoon were classic white blonds, Bowman’s blond-braided Elle is entirely different. There are few cookie-cutter blonds here in fact, and in a show that seems squarely aimed at teenagers, Elle captures a Gen-Z spirit of girl power.”

Reviews of the original West End production

The Independent – 4 Stars

“Sheridan Smith achieves stage stardom like some jaw-dropping hole-in-one in golf. I loved her as the young son’s girlfriend in The Royle Family (she’s better known for Gavin & Stacey), and I’m already queuing in my mind for the knock-out Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls that it is surely one day her destiny to perform. This girl can twirl on a dime and take you from elating silliness to genuine sadness in less time than it takes to say Delta Nu.”

The Telegraph – 4 stars

“Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell keeps it all light, fast, fun and frothy, and there are some terrific dance routines, not least when Elle presents herself to the Harvard professors with a full supporting company of cheer-leaders. Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s score is efficient rather than inspired, with no one number that brings the house down and lingers in the memory, though there are some enjoyable shafts of wit in the lyrics.”

The Express – 4 Stars

“The real joys here lie in the winning performances and the sophisticated lyrics and throwaway jokes that come hurling off the stage like pink lipstick bullets.

Any musical that can rhyme Thomas Hobbes with Spineless Snobs has something special going for it.

With a wit sharp enough to file your nails on, this is the feelgood hit of the winter.

What do you think of Legally Blonde the Musical?

We would love to see your review of Legally Blonde. Share your own thoughts by posting a review below. Be sure to mention which production you saw and give it a star-rating out of 5.