“Oh my god, oh my god you guys!”
The music from this poppy night out will be stuck in your head for days, leaving you bopping around town like a sorority sister. This light-hearted, frothy adaptation of Reese Witherspoon’s Hollywood hit is well worth a visit for those living in the Wynnum area.
Performed by community theatre group the Savoyards, ‘Legally Blonde’ has some stand-out performances. Stacie Hobbs as the pink-clad, bubbly lead is perfect. She is convincing as Elle Woods, and has the strong, clear voice to headline the musical.
Natalie Ridoutt is another highlight as Elle’s beautician side-kick Paulette, stealing every scene she’s in. Paulette is obsessed with Ireland, the most romantic place on earth, and Ridoutt hams up this plot line, as well as a working-class Boston/ New Jersey accent to a tee. Reindert Toia as Paulette’s love interest and UPS delivery man Kyle makes the most out of his (potentially padded?) posterior to bring some physical slapstick comedy to the stage, which had the audience laughing out loud.
Some minor technical difficulties and sound issues with the band were likely due to first night jitters. There were also a few cringe-worthy scenes, like a rap song with unfortunate accompanying costumes. American accents from some characters were inconsistent (it’s not clear why the actors needed to force the accent in the first place – nothing would be lost from the Harvard story line if performed with local accents.) However, none of this distracted from enjoying the play. The adorable dogs on stage also makes up for minor hiccups.
Like the movie, this performance may not be suitable for the whole family. There is strong language, promiscuity shaming and homosexual jokes. The Savoyards production of 'Legally Blonde' is ridiculously fun, and a great way to support community theatre.
'Legally Blonde: The Musical' plays Iona Performing Arts Centre until 19 March.
