Review- Legally Blonde, the Musical- Face Productions
5-6-15
By: Lisa Middleton
Face Productions brings us another fun-filled musical from Broadway to allow our local talent to show their skills and entertain. I was part of the audience for last year’s Footloose and loved the energy of the cast. This year’s production was no less energetic and they were clearly dedicated to delivering a great show.
What carries this production is the actors and their energy – serious energy, as there was Red Bull on stage and I’m sure off stage too. (There was so much Red Bull…)
The play tells the story of Elle Woods (Samantha van Den Eschert) who follows ‘love’ to Harvard Law School and proves to herself and many others that hard work, self-belief and the power of friendship can help you reach your goals. Samantha, as the main character, was in almost every scene and she delivered the energy and emotions of her character with ease. Sadly, her singing was drowned out for a majority of the performance by either a sound issue or microphone problem. It was a shame that I couldn’t hear her during the pivotal moments in the story. Not being able to hear the lead seriously affected my enjoyment of the show.
The script makes entertaining use of a Greek chorus of sorority sisters, (Miles Sible, Angeline Elizabeth Hair and Karen Man Yee Sui) who comment Supremes-style on Elle’s plights and inner thoughts. The likable and talented supporting cast includes the beautiful singing voice of Joms Ortega as Elle’s narcissistic ex-boyfriend; the charmingly nerdy Nathan Koval (the stand out performer in my opinion) who plays the man who sees her true worth; and Moe Moss, whose powerhouse voice seems a bit at odds with her ditzy character. Hargow (genius name for a dog) and Roxy, who played Bruiser Woods, have undeniable stage presence.
Aaron Kahn is very good as a smarmy, stuffed-silk-shirt professor who sings of the law. Melvin James is a hilarious, walking sight gag as a hunky delivery man in tight shorts. He demonstrates that women, too, have the right to be wolf whistlers. Hannah Lochhead, who plays Brooke Wyndham, has my utmost admiration for her simultaneous singing and skipping abilities.
What let this production down were the technical aspects. Scene changes were clumsy and at times the flies were dangerous to the performers on the stage. Music was far too loud and drowned out most of the main cast making it difficult to follow the storyline. Continuity of sets and costumes were disjointed and there was a constant stream of dry ice from the stage-right. At one point it made me think something was on fire off stage. It was smoky inside bedrooms, hallways, classrooms, courtrooms and even in the hairdressing salon, which made very little sense from a design perspective. Costumes, although generally good, were let down by simple details like someone wearing pajama bottoms to look like golfing trousers. Some of the stage business with the actors in relation to the props was clumsy. Moments of realism were lost, like when a character purchased a suit from a department store and then crumpled the suit up and threw it into a bag haphazardly.
There is a lovely surprise waiting for the audience in Act 2 but I don’t want to ruin it for people. Let’s just say it is a brave move and an applauded one from many in the audience.
It was a shame to see a lot of hard work from the cast and crew be hampered by the technical side of things but I am hoping that now opening night is over these issues will be ironed out in the performances to come.
Legally Blonde, the Musical is playing through June 7th. For more information, click here.
Comments
Gina
I saw this show on Friday night and I have to report that the technical problems had not improved. I thought it was a good effort from the acting side of things but I would not see this show again and do not think it was worth the 300hkd I paid. Sound of music is much better value- only 100hkd more for the cheap seats and you get a show that is 100 times better.
08 June 2015
This was bad community theatre at professional prices.rowena
I was there on saturday night and it was amazingly good! It was a full house and ended up with standing ovations from people! Tech issues were fixed on the night i watched it. Really good show! Kudos to the amazing hilarious actors and actresses too!!!
08 June 2015Phoebe
Saw this on Saturday night! Completely blew me away for an amateur production! All technical issues were fixed and the cast was amazing. Such a hilarious show! Had me on my feet at the very end!
08 June 2015Tomas Kwan
I watched saturday night too - some sounds issues but not as bad as in review above - wobbly set, but probably not dangerous. some staging issues - the popular dogs at one point hidden from one side of the audience. a few singing pitch issues. fun overall and very good dancing and choreo.
08 June 2015
i may add, maybe not a $400 ticket quality show though... but enjoyable.