General
Information
On an undisclosed date, I watched the
online production of Legally Blonde. This professional recording by the
broadcasting service MTV is available for free on YouTube, and has a duration
of 02:03:25.
Style
and Synopsis
Legally Blonde is an iconic example of
Musical Theatre embodying the comedy genre; it plays on the sparse levels of
genuine tragedy very well, despite most of the emotional scenes falling under a
more melodramatic presentation. This musical is built off archetypal characters
- similarly to Brechtian theatre – and none of these quite shine through like
our protagonist that we follow: Elle Woods, former Delta Nu Sorority President.
Blonde and bubbly in bucketloads, Elle
follows her recently-ex boyfriend Warner Huntington III all the way from California
to Harvard Law School in order to win him back after a breakup that she
believed originally to be a proposal. Warner’s necessity to ‘get serious’ and
become a senator before age 30 overpowers any care he may display towards the
less-than-professional Elle. On her journey, she meets many more
larger-than-life characters that both support her endeavours and provide
ample obstacles that she – surprising everyone including herself – overleaps
and rises to the top of the class!
Highlight
This musical is jam-packed with energy,
charm and wit, it is immensely difficult to say which moment was the best!
However, I believe that the most powerful element to this show in particular,
is the use of more serious (pun not intended) undertones, that are only
properly realised when the main characters are faced with them as more relevant
problems to their current lives. In particular, the dilemma of the archetypal
character, which is a feature used heavily within Legally Blonde.
Elle begins to discover critique issues
regarding her character and treatment at the start f the show, when Warner
splits off with her in favour of someone more conventionally proper and
eloquent: someone ‘’serious’’. However, she seems to play further into that
stereotype in her decision to pursue Warner and study to enter Harvard Law
School, despite this being an obvious display of her true intelligence in
hindsight. At the time, it is used as a key comedic ploy to emphasise the focus
on Elle’s idealistic nature and portray her exactly as Warner described, even
though her determination and skills are not dependent on any other characters
as one would expect from the usual characters of this archetype.
Indeed, it is not until she enters the
unfamiliar world of the other side of America that she comes to the realisation
of how she stands out from those considered by society as more fit for roles in
academia and higher responsibility. Even then, regardless of mounting
pressures, she stays true to her usual demeanour. Although she must be
encouraged slightly by Emmet and given some perspective as to why she should
truly be taking the experience to study at such a prestigious establishment,
this does not detract from the fact that she climbs the leaderboard in the
class and gains a place in Callahan’s internship of her own accord and
intelligence. Having help with your studies does not make you any more or
less of a talented pupil!
When she finally comes face to face
with a setback that she cannot recover from independently, it is because she
has been subject to an intense breaking of trust between colleagues (which, for
purposes of spoilers, I will not disclose here!) Elle succumbs to the feeling
of depravity of conforming to an obviously (to us) untrue stereotype because
she has been abused and taken advantage of, not because of her own
character being weak. The person that had given her the most prestigious
opportunity has revealed their malicious intentions, and is belittling her in a
way that she cannot escape from; she is backed into a metaphorical corner because
of the lack of control she now has because of this character. They have essentially
consigned her to a seemingly unescapable life of mediocrity in the legal field,
rendering her work for the past months utterly useless. Therefore, she is
not at fault – it is not down to her being written as an unworthy character!
This destruction of stereotypes
branches out to other characters in the show, and in very heavy doses, but this
particular case encompasses the message of the entire show beautifully, and I
can only hope that audiences will see this powerful message for what it is!
Character
Highlight
I’ve already talked about our
protagonist in bucketfuls, there is no doubt that she is a powerful character,
bursting with life! However, to say she is my favourite would be a
slight misconception… that trophy goes to Emmett Forrest!
As much as my heart is always thigh-deep
in musical theatre and its many methods of enlightenment, a recurring peeve of
mine has always been forced romances. Where characters seem to be romantically
paired just because ‘they’re the leads and that’s what always happens…’
This (often heteronormative) tactic may
sometimes make sense in context of desperation of despair. Take Scaramouche and
Galileo in We Will Rock You as an example – they form a connection over being
seemingly the only people alive who understand how flawed their society is and decide
to experience new things when faced with the knowledge that they will most
likely be killed the following day… And yet, even this dynamic feels
unnecessary after they have succeeded; they obviously disagree on many fronts
and the chemistry between them often feels like just jibing rather than
affectionate banter.
However, Emmett and Elle’s dynamic,
like the show as a whole does many times, completely subverts the convention!
Although the two do eventually end up in a relationship (and are even engaged
by Elle’s graduation), their bond is built from the ground up, acknowledging
the short time they’ve actually known each other as most shows based in a short
period of time fail to do.
They begin as an older and younger
student, one guiding the other as they find their feet in unfamiliar territory.
This only morphs into them voluntarily spending time with each other outside of
class when Emmett takes a genuine interest in her wellbeing, and encourages her
to work for herself, rather than chasing after a man who has moved on from her.
Mind you, he does this for no personal benefit, simply because he cares
about her as they slowly form a friendship based on time and mutual respect. It
is purely based on their actions and interactions – as opposed to forced
writing – that they end up falling for each other.
Outside of this relationship, Emmett is
generally an incredibly supportive and endearing character, showing his own
differentiation in himself by seemingly not being as physically ‘put-together’
as some other male cast members. From his opening scene, he displays a genuine
interest in the new students, encouraging them to form connections with one
another while not involving himself overly in the conversation. He is
incredibly modest, and only wants the best for his peers. Even when he realises
that he is being the slightest bit self-oriented (Elle’s minor criticism of the
way he was addressing Brooke Wyndham’s case) – he acknowledges it without a
complaint, taking it n board and using it to improve himself later!
Design
Every aspect of the design of this show
clearly had a lot of thought put into it – any detail you could identify has a
deep array of connotations behind it that evoke strong feelings within any
audience member!
Every Costume perfectly reflects
the time period effortlessly, and believe me, there are a LOT of costumes in
this show! The attention to detail is impeccable; anyone who comes on stage
wears as close to an everyday outfit as can be on stage, complete with many
layers and changing jewellery. The time and dedication required to have so many
preset outfits in one show - to the
point that even the background Harvard students are wearing something different
in different scenes to show the change in time – is outstanding. Not to
mention, the extensive use of colour symbolism in this show depending on
character or circumstance is excellent in providing an additional layer of
social context to every moment. Characters will adjust their costume over time
depending on how individualist or conformist to the collective they are,
whether it be colour, style or formality. All of this is before you even get me
started on some of the insanely fast quick changes within the show, some of
them even on stage!
The use of Lighting is also particularly
clever here. While the primary use is of neutral spotlights, washes and
diegetic lights (e.g. lamps, mirror lights etc.), there are subtle undertones
of colour throughout that indicate mood and atmosphere. This ensures that the
realism aspect of the story is maintained, whilst the charge of the scene is
still accented by the surroundings! Notable examples of this include the subtle
pink hues in the opening that reflect the energetic, stereotypical femininity
of the Delta Nus, and the deep blues during ‘Legally Blonde’ that emulate the
sudden painful revelations that are washing over like water, abruptly shifting
the focus onto the more serious matters of the show.
Alterations
This is an incredible show in so many
ways, it is very difficult to point out standouts, but also its faults. As
mentioned previously, it is intensely ahead of its time in the ways it diverts
from decades-old tropes that have plagues both the industry and the wider world
on the whole. Not only this, it manages to cram in such a detailed storyline in
such a short run time, without confusion or overcomplication!
Although I understand that dialogue is
difficult to structure at the best of times, and that the plot is already
rammed full of interaction as it is, I do feel like it would have been lovely
to see more f certain characters and their dynamics. After all, the story takes
place over a large enough expanse of time for a student to apply for, attend
and graduate law school, which means at least three years, if not more! Certain
students who are introduced early on are not featured particularly frequently
later on, such as Aaron Schultz, Sundeep Padamadan (although this actor doubles
as Nikos later on, so it is understandable), and Vivienne’s friend, Whitney.
Summary
- Overall Impact
What else is there to say? Probably a
lot actually, but you get my point… This show is revolutionary in so many ways,
and it’s no wonder that it captivates audiences worldwide, myself very much
included! It is a testament to the achievements of women - and anyone else who
has faced adversity in their life – and has come out the other side tenfold
stronger!
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