Sheridan Sniggers In Muck-Up On Last Day As Elle – Review By Rob
Review by Rob
Thanks so much to Rob for sending in this review. You can follow him on Twitter under the username @ilovegrayshaw (don’t we all!!!).
Name of Show: Legally Blonde the Musical
Date: Saturday 8th January Matinee
Starring: Sheridan Smith (Elle Woods), Alex Gaumond (Emmett), Simon Thomas (Warner), Peter Davison (Callahan), Sorelle Marsh (u/s Paulette), Tamara Wall (Brooke), Siobhain Dillon (Vivienne), Chris Ellis Station (Kyle/Dewey/Grandmaster Chad)
Words and Music: Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin
Opened: 15th January 2010
Theatre: Savoy Theatre, London
Seat: Upper Circle Row D Seat 8
Seat Review: Upper Circle Row D Seat 8. A great view only impeded slightly on the right-hand side because of a tall man sat in the seat. You see everything and feel close to the action, although at times the cast plays to the front stalls so you can lose that feeling of connection.
Price: £36
Visit number: 2
Rating out of 10: 7
Recommend: Definitely. Such a fun show. Will make you roll in the aisles. So many big entrances and amazing songs. A feel-good show.
Describe it in 5 words: Heart-stopping, fun, pink, comedy, camp
Robert’s review: Decided to review by character. This was Sheridan’s last day as Elle Woods, so I have mentioned all the muck-ups that happened.
Sheridan Smith as Elle Woods: Fighting tears, Miss Smith still delivered a great performance. She really is great at comedy and sadness. She knows instantly how to improvise with the muck-up props to make the show even funnier than even the cast intended. For example, during Serious she came on stage to find Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps instead of champagne. She threw the lager into the ice bucket and kept eating the crisps, using the bag – instead of her handbag – to cover Warner when she says “just shut up.” She even took them off with her. And… as only Sheridan would, she did her own pranks on the cast. She wore a modified blue tracksuit with a bunny tail instead of her usual pink dress. She also kissed the actress playing Enid when they first appear onstage together.
Alex Gaumond as Emmett: A great Emmett, he is so likable which is the key to this part.
Simon Thomas as Warner: Instantly my favourite Warner. He was so composed during all the scenes where the muck-ups happened. His singing voice is amazing and his acting perfect. We were also graced with cameo appearances from former Warners Duncan James and Richard Fleeshman. Richard as a student at Harvard and Duncan as the pilot who jumps out from behind a sign after Sheridan.
Chris Ellis-Stanton as Kyle: He is perfect as Kyle really. His portrayel is very masculine and very advert like. He is very funny. One of his muck-ups include asking Sheridan to print her name. So she had to get up for a second time.
Sorelle Marsh as Paulette: Fabulous actress. Gave a heartbreaking rendition of Ireland that would break any heart. Also mentioned Benidorm during one of her scenes which set Sheridan off. Sorelle has the most amazing singing voice that blew the roof off the theatre. It was stunning. Sadly Denise van Outen had already arranged her first family holiday so couldn’t perform.
Siobhain Dillon as Vivienne: So fantastic! What a voice she has. Riffing and singing like mad. Thought she was great even if she wasn’t quite as bitchy as Caroline Keiff used to be.
The Delta Nus: A special mention here for Susan who never fails to impress me. I think her talent is incredible. They were all having a lot of fun, wearing “Goodbye” not “Elle Woods” at the end of the act, not stopping dancing when Sheridan shouts before What You Want, all grabbing her breasts – not just Susan – in Positive and many more wonderful additions.
Tamara Wall as Brooke: A great Brooke, she gives it her all and was so funny when she said she needed liposuction because she’d had 2 Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
Peter Davison as Callahan: Very rigid and serious in the show – really perfect for his character – many wondered if Peter would get involved in the muck-ups and he did. He started trying to kiss Sheridan, with tongue, during his seduction scene.
Did you go to either of Sheridan’s final day shows?? What did you think?
Remember to like the MiniHobo FaceBook Page for details of the 1st Birthday Giveaway coming in February!
MH x
Susan McFadden takes over as Elle from Monday. Click here to buy tickets to see her in Legally Blonde.
This excellent review says it all really!
I was in Stalls Row J for the matinee, and it was my first time seeing the show, but even I could tell from Sheridan’s reactions when the pranks were being played. Sheridan joked around with the lager she was given, showing the audience that it was stuck to the bottom of the glass and couldn’t be poured out, before eating the crisps. She was genuinely surprised when Duncan from Blue popped through the poster he was carrying, and each time she reacted to the pranks, she conveyed her shock to the audience in that i’m-sharing-this-with-you exaggerated eye-popping shoulder-shrugging endearing way that ensured the pranks got huge laughs. And this show was really all about Sheridan as she performed all her scenes holding back goodbye tears yet getting laughs anyway. I don’t think she saw the word “goodbye” on the sorority girls’ backs as she was facing the audience but she reacted to the audience’s reaction as if she had eyes in the back of her head.
Apart from Sheridan, who was luminous, and a true star, it was the UPS guy who made the biggest impression on the exciteable screaming audience (including me, though I felt everyone else must have seen the show before, as reactions frequently preceded his actions on stage). He really did prance around in the campest, yet ironically most masculine, way that you could imagine. I loved it when he demanded Sheridan come back to him, after she thought he was done with her, to sign the package again. He felt like a real star too, and I hope he flourishes.
It was a special afternoon and I was happy to be a tiny part of it. :)