Presented by: The Murray Bridge Players & Singers Inc
Reviewed: 12 May, 2023
An enthusiastic and very pink audience enjoyed a fun opening night of Legally Blonde on Friday night at The Murray Bridge Town Hall. Produced by the Murray Bridge Players & Singers Inc, this production boasts some excellent talent, an entertaining story, and some genuine laugh out loud moments.
Still considered one of the most unusual choices of films to be converted into a musical, Legally Blonde actually transfers extremely well to the stage. Its humour and storyline makeup for some weaker song inclusions, and the characters allow for the actors to really shine and show off their comedic ability.
The orchestra was so tight that I initially thought it was a pre-recorded backing track. There wasn’t much set to speak of, highlighting the cast’s ability to effectively utilise props and costumes. Directors Trent Baker and Robyn Bates should be proud of the performances they got out of their cast, and Abby McIntosh’s choreography is fresh and creative.
There’s some excellent talent amongst the cast, but they seemed too reliant on their microphones. Hopefully that’s just opening night jitters. I’d like to think the singers are really opening up their lungs and using their own volume more than the speakers by the end of the season. Speaking of speakers, Murray Bridge Town Hall could use some investment in a better sound system, as the speakers let down the cast and orchestra a little.
Katie Kneebone is perfectly cast as Elle Woods, and the same can be said of Lorelle Baron, Kurt Miegel, and Hamish Plummer in their respective roles. The crowd favourites, however, were Pablo and Maggie, who stole the show, even if their performances were a little skittish.
Legally Blonde is not Shakespeare, or Phantom of the Opera. But. It doesn’t try to be. It’s silly and fun, with a reasonable moral message. It keeps things light (even the drama is amusing) and is just a good, joyful night out. Make sure you get to see this production before its end date of Saturday 27th of May.
Reviewed by Doug Phillips
Venue: Murray Bridge Town Hall
Season: Until Sat 27th May
Duration: 2 hours
Tickets: $40 – $45
Bookings:
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