Even the finality of the election hasn’t abated this year’s almost unprecedented interest in politics, as the only thing Washingtonians seem to talk about these days is the upcoming inauguration.
Those looking for something a little more trifling - dare we say trivial - could do worse than visit the Kennedy Center for the national touring production of “Legally Blonde the Musical.”
A confectionary celebration of spunk, heart and, above all, the color pink, “Legally Blonde” should satisfy lovers of the hit film, fans of contemporary musicals and admirers of comely blondes.
The plot hews closely - rather too closely - to the 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon. The gorgeous but flighty sorority girl Elle Woods (Becky Gulsvig) is set to graduate from UCLA with her MRS - or so she thinks. A dinner at which she imagines her boyfriend, Warner (Jeff McLean) will propose turns out to be the one at which he dumps her. He wants a serious, classy wife to help further his political career. So the spoiled Malibu girl tackles the LSAT and follows Warren to Harvard Law School in the hopes of turning into, as she says, “Someone serious. Someone lawyerly. Someone who wears black when nobody’s dead.”
Girlish hijinks ensue - complete with a Greek chorus straight from Delta Nu.
The laughs begin from the very first number, “Omigod You Guys.”
The creators of “Legally Blonde the Musical” - Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics) and Heather Hach (book) - have written a pretty amusing comedy. Of course, it’s not hard to find fun in the story of a superficial sorority sister who takes Harvard’s hallowed halls by storm.
There is a wealth of clever lines, though, as when Elle’s father says he can’t understand why she’d want to go East: “It’s cold and dark. No valet parking. All the girls have different noses.” Likewise, the number “Is He Gay or European?” - done in a late courtroom scene when Elle puts her knowledge of beauty to the test - is particularly funny.
The cast pulls it all off with aplomb. The star comes straight from last year’s Broadway production (nominated for seven Tonys, although it didn’t win any). Miss Gulsvig understudied the role of Elle there, and she shows here that she has plenty of star power of her own. Miss Witherspoon’s shoes are not easily filled, but Miss Gulsvig has an energetic charm of her own as well as the pipes to carry the show.
Most of the supporting cast is excellent, too. Two of Elle’s best friends are outstanding, Crystal Joy as the sultry Pilar and Cortney Wolfson as the cheerleader Serena. The third - Rhiannon Hansen as Margot, the third runner-up in MTV’s reality contest “Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods” - is a bit of a weak link next to these two. Jeff McLean plays the part of the handsome rake quite well, while D.B. Bonds holds his own as Emmett, the older apprentice lawyer who comes to appreciate the newly hardworking Elle. A standout is Natalie Joy Johnson as the lovelorn hairdresser Paulette. This girl can sing!
It’s a slick evening of entertainment. Unfortunately, though, you won’t find more than a couple of memorable songs throughout. “Blood in the Water,” for example, is a pretty dull song, but it does serve the plot. At times, the music is an adroit mix of genres. When Elle is tempted to forgo studying for fun, the song is done in reggae party style. Too bad the orchestra’s percussion sounds a little muffled in the pit.
Jerry Mitchell’s direction and choreography are good and perhaps nowhere better than in “Whipped Into Shape,” the big number performed by prisoner Brooke Wyndham (Coleen Sexton). She’s a fitness guru on trial for murder, and her videos are re-created hilariously. The prison background is also one of the handsomest in David Rockwell’s scene designs.
Fans of the movie will know exactly how this ends - and just about every plot point as we get there. A bit of surprise would have been nice, but in this serious season, some fun singing and a lot of sparkly pink outfits might be just what some of us need.
★ ★ ½
WHAT: “Legally Blonde the Musical”
WHERE: Kennedy Center Opera House
WHEN: Through Jan. 11.
TICKETS: $25 to $95
INFORMATION: 202/467-4600
WEB SITE: kennedy-center.org
MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS
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