Preview- Legally Blonde, the Musical- Face Productions
31-5-15
.jpg)
By: Rachel Barton
After winning “Best Musical” two years in a row at the Hecklers, Face Productions triumphantly returns with the hilarious and fun-filled Broadway musical, Legally Blonde.
“Meet bombshell Elle Woods in the hallowed halls of Harvard, where she proves that hard work, self-belief, and the power of friendship can help you reach heights you never believed possible. With catchy songs, sharp dialogue, and side-splitting moments galore, Legally Blonde is a massively entertaining show with a powerful message.”
You might know the movie with Reese Witherspoon but have you heard of the musical? Legally Blonde, the Musical was a smash hit on Broadway in 2007; selling more than one million dollars worth of tickets in a single week on several occasions. It put star, Laura Bell Bundy, on the map and was nominated for seven Tony awards and ten Drama Desk awards; it also won several awards for its West End version. The Face Productions team is happy to bringing this award-winning and entertaining play to the people of Hong Kong. I had a chance to chat with the director of the production, Candice Caalsen and get some of her thoughts on giving this musical its Hong Kong debut.
“With Legally Blonde, my goal is to share with you the story of Elle Woods through a spectacular visual and musical experience. It is an inspiring and surprising story, one which challenges stereotypes and the status quo… We also aim to constantly build upon Face Productions’ previous success and take our company to the next level,” says Candice.
Audiences can look forward to seeing familiar faces from their past production of Hairspray and Footloose along with new talent. Samantha van den Esschert is playing the tenacious Miss Woods. Although she is taking inspiration from the well-known performances of the character, she is working to put her unique stamp on Elle.
One person that is healming the choreography side of things again, is Claire Johnson. On top of giving the cast its moves she is also the director’s choice for best Bend & Snap in the cast. “ She invented a new Bend & Snap to suit our artistic needs.” Everyone who loves the movie knows that this moment was one of the best parts, who doesn’t love a Bend & Snap? But is this production just fluff or can more be achieved with the musical genre?
“Musicals can deliver a powerful message as well as be entertaining. We think carefully about the material that we choose and we most certainly did this with Legally Blonde. The story of Elle Woods promotes individuality and strength of character. Elle believes in herself and will not let anybody stand in her way to achieve her goals. Elle is continuously supported and encouraged by her friends through troubled times and periods of giving up. Our cast will deliver this message through their individual portrayal of the characters.”
And in case you were wondering… Yes, there will be a real dog playing Bruiser. In fact, two of them! “We don’t want to put too much pressure on them as performers. They are brilliant actors. We are lucky to have them on board,” says Candice.
Face Productions version of Legally Blonde, the Musical is playing from June 4th to 7th at the Shouson Theatre in Wanchai. Evening showtimes are at 8pm and they have a 3:30pm matinee on weekends. There is also a junior version of the show starring youngsters from the Hong Kong art scene, this plays on Saturday and Sunday at 11am. Ticket prices can be bought on URBTIX and range from 220-395; there are discounts for students, seniors and persons with disabilities.
Final words from the wonderful director:
“It’s eye-catching and entertaining, with a wide range of musical genres ranging from hip hop and rap to beautiful ballads. The songs are catchy and deliver powerful narration throughout…. There is something for everyone in Legally Blonde the musical, which is another great thing about this show.”
So what are you waiting for? Dress in pink and hop down to the Shouson next week!
Comments
No comment at the moment.