Legally Blonde by Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre (SCMYT) 23-27th May 2023
Review written by Alex Nash, Tudor MCS Promotional/Publicity Secretary
On Wednesday I had the privilege of seeing Sutton Coldfield
Musical Youth Theatre (SCMYT) in their performance of Legally Blonde.
When booking tickets to see this production you may be mistaken
in thinking that as this is a ‘youth’ production that you will be seeing a musical
wherein the standard might be lower than that of a traditional ‘adult’ cast,
but let me tell you with the level of talent and love that has gone into this
production, this is a cast that you could pluck from the town hall and place straight
on Broadway and I think audiences would be none the wiser.
To be quite truthful writing a review of this nature has
been quite difficult for me, how can you pick individuals to gush over out when
each and every one of them was so talented and all had the chance to shine in
their own unique way!?
Off the back of that, when talking about this sensational
cast it would be negligible to start with anyone other than Ellie Summerfield who
plays the titular role of Elle Woods.
When Ellie first steps foot on the stage it is clear than SCMYT couldn’t have
cast an individual more suited the role. Her stage presence and sheer talent
shone through with each and every moment. It is difficult being able to balance
such a comical role with such serious sincere moments throughout the production,
all while staying in character and excelling at the same time. With absolutely exquisite
vocals that quite literally had the audience cheering when those high notes
were reached so effortlessly, Ellie is exactly ‘what you want’ to see as a lead
when booking to see a show. I see very bright things in her future and hope
that she goes on to do great things, after seeing her thriving on stage, I do
genuinely believe this sensational individual will go on to be a name that
audience members all over remember. This was role that was clearly made for
Ellie and she truly has made her mark on it.
It's hard to talk about Ellie’s performance without talking
about her sorority sisters: the three leading Delta Nus and Elle’s Greek chorus
Becky Hanratty as Pilar, Freya Hancox as Margot and Freya Sutton as Serena.
It is impossible to single out any of them individually, they each did such a
stellar job of creating entertaining and loveable characters. Its clear that
they all put a lot of work into their vocals and choreography. The vocals weren’t
so much a Greek chorus as they were an angelic masterpiece at times. The chemistry
and the way in which each of them complimented one another was quite honestly just
lovely to watch.
The same above also applies to rest of Elle’s sorority sisters, although playing
smaller parts, the ensemble playing the other Delta Nus gave wonderful
performances, all their vocal and chorography were just so tight, not one
individual seemed unsure of what they were doing. Each had their own characterisation,
and each seemed confident and sure of themselves. They all did a fantastic job.
Playing opposite Ellie’s Elle, as love interests were Sunny
Joshi as Elle’s stuck-up ex-boyfriend, Warner Huntington III and Ethan Bowley as
Emmett Forrest a law intern who eventually helps Elle see her worth and goes on
to steal her heart.
Sunny perfectly embodied the smarmy, up himself character of Warner, he song ‘Serious’
is something he should be seriously proud of. His comical timing with his lines
and lyrics always emitted a giggle from audience members. It’s also of note
that the evening prior, Sunny showed such professionalism when the fire alarm
halted the production and he continued to perform until the evacuation was
confirmed and then picked it straight back up again when the show was able to
resume, unfazed.
When it comes to Ethan, it was clear that he had a lot of fans in the night I
was lucky enough to see this production. When hitting his higher notes, the
audience erupted into cheers and roars of admiration. Playing opposite Ellie as
her on stage love interest it was clear from their first scene that, that all
so important chemistry was present between the two of them which made watching
scenes and numbers that they were in together all the more special as you were
rooting for them the whole way through. The culmination of the show wherein Ellie’s,
Elle Wood releasing that she is good enough and does not need to be anything but
herself which later leads to a kiss between our on-stage Elle and Emmett was
made even more meaningful due to the chemistry between them both. It’s clear
that the crowd agreed with that sentiment judging by the absolutely deafening
screams and applaud that erupted from the audience when the kiss did eventually
happen!
Ethan absolutely excelled as Emmet Forrest, his tone, diction, vocals etc fit
perfectly with the role he was portraying, he was a pleasure to watch from
start to finish and really fit well with the good guy aesthetic of the
character he brought to life. He was a joy to watch.
Moving on to other characters, it would be an absolute travesty
to not talk about Ellie Johnstone’s Paulette Buonufonte, the fun, quite honestly
loveable, eccentric weirdo of the production.
From the moment audiences first set eyes on her, it was clear that she was
going to be a show stealer. When I say I have never seen such an individual
with such perfect comedic timing without ever so much as going on the top with
it I cannot clearly describe how much Ellie personified that trait. Her whimsical
song ‘Ireland’ was quite frankly hysterical from start to finish. Having been
in this production myself previously, I already had a preconceived notion of
this character as the individual who played ‘my’ Paulette so-to-speak, was so
sensation. Yet somehow Ellie always seemed to keep my own my toes, taking the
inflection of her voice in different ways that I expected, and it kept the show
feeling new and fresh for me. When I say (paraphrasing of course) ‘a girl sweet
as you has a future’ in the arts, I sincerely hope this is something you strive
for, as like Ellie Summerfield I see only bright things ahead for you.
Other characters who also left me awestruck were Sienna
Renshaw’s Vivienne Kensington; the no-nonsense law student who was Warner's new
girlfriend. James Lannigan’s Professor Callahan; Elle’s cruel, cut-throat, intense
law professor. And Gracie Drain’s Brooke Wyndham; an exercise queen on trial
for the murder of her husband who the second act essentially revolves around.
When it comes to Sienna’s Vivienne, she perfectly displayed
the up herself, holier than thou, better than everyone else persona, quite honestly,
she was flawlessly the stereotypical villain character, which made it oh so
more validation when she warmed to Ellie’s Elle, eventually going on to
befriend her and admire/accept her as a peer and equal. She was a pleasure to
watch and did a wonderful job of playing the role of Vivienne so understated
without the need to go over the top, she left me absolutely star stuck in ‘Legally
Blonde Remix’ when she belted out the high notes so effortlessly also.
James Lannigan’s Professor Callahan, the real villain in this production was another
character who it was hard to take your eyes off. He really did a wonderful job
of playing such a corrupt individual.
I found myself on occasion having to hold back boo’s because of the stellar job
he was doing in making the audience dislike him.
He also has a lovely singing voice, during his number ‘Blood in the water’ I could
hear a flurry of whispers around he commenting on what a beautiful voice and
tone he has, and I think that draws back perfectly to my point at the beginning
of this; this is YOUTH production. These individuals are belting out incredible
harmonies and incredibly high notes that really show off each and every one of
their ranges. This cast is giving performances worthy of a west end production
and yet here they are putting on an incredible production for us without
knowing how good they all truly are.
When it comes to Gracie Drain’s Brooke Wyndham there is really only one thought
that comes to my mind… How on earth she was also to sing her number ‘Whipped
into Shape’ whilst quite literally skipping from the moment the number began to
the moment it ended (and by skipping I don’t mean the traditional skipping you would
see on playgrounds, I mean SKIPPING! it was like watching a cirque du soleil
acrobatic performance) without missing a step or note is absolutely beyond me.
Having been in this number myself previously, I am fully aware of how taxing it
can be and the difficultly of keeping the number and vocals tight, but when I
say Gracie did this flawlessly I cannot accurately portal how incredible she
was. This is clearly a number she had put an awful lot of work and training into
to finesse. Her singing, her dancing, her performance, her characterisation
(the list goes on) was sensational, she deserved every cheer she got for not
only surviving that number but for excelling at it.
Although appearing in a slightly smaller capacity than the
roles listed above. Amelia Waldron played the strong-minded feminist Enid
Hoopes, Nate Wallace played Aaron Shultz/Carlos and Euan Barnby played the UPS
guy, (Kyle)/Elle’s Dad.
Amelia Waldron’s, Enid Hoopes was a joy to watch from inception, playing such a
strong minded, no-nonsense character is something that can be hard to do, especially
whilst trying to remain light-hearted and humorous at the same time. But this
is something Amelia was able to do with ease, from her great moments eliciting
laughs from the audience with just her strong facial expressions to her
rendition of her very wordy verses in ‘The Harvard Variations’ Amelia really
brought her own version of Enid to life and it was lovely to watch.
Nate Wallace wore two hats in this production. Not only did he play the slightly
spoilt character of Aaron Shultz but he also played the show stealing character
of Carlos.
Nate really shone in this production, not only for playing two different
characters, but also for bring both to life in very different ways given how
different the characters are.
His Aaron Shultz was the classic spoilt, chip on his shoulder feeling like the
world owes him something character which he played incredibly well with his
little mannerisms and gestures.
But for me personally, where he shone the brightest was his rendition of ‘There!
Right There!’ more widely known as ‘Gay or European’ which has the potential to
completely steal the show. Having previously performed this number myself, playing
the same role, for a different production of Legally Blonde, it holds quite a
soft spot in my heart. Quite honestly, I was a little anxious on the lead up to
this number, but I must say that Nate put all of those thoughts to the back of
my mind the moment he stood up to sing his first line. His characterisation for
this was just spot on, his singing, accent and performance on a whole really
made me feel not only nostalgic but also proud of him for taking the number and
really making it his own in such a unique way. And the costume he was donning
also left me laughing the whole way through the number, much like the rest of
the audience given the nature of the song.
When it comes to Euan Barnby as UPS guy, Kyle/Elle’s Dad, there really is only
one word that comes to mind… And that is ‘wow’.
Considering his sheer lack of lines and stage time on a whole, he was a
character that audiences will remember most. He is truly the epitome of the classic
you don’t to have the biggest part to steal the show. His Kyle was absolutely hilarious
to watch and I found myself quite literally laughing out loud on multiple
occasion with his actions and even the way in which he was holding a prop, but
I will leave that to the imagination. His costume also resulted in many wolf whistles
being heard throughout the town hall. It really was a show stealing role that
Euan really excelled at.
Following on from the above there were a few other show
stealers who go to show that the smaller parts can really be the ones who
audiences remember.
Max Adderley played the roles of Grandmaster Chad/Nikos Argitakos
(the Pool Boy).
It can be very easy with a role like Nikos to go completely over the top, and
it can be very easy to also fall into the realm of the polar opposite. But Max
was able to absolutely steal with beginning of ‘There! Right There!’ by
essentially just walking around the stage and gesturing. The audience were in
fits of giggles and laughter the entire time by his performance, he really
added that what was already an incredible production and just pushed it over
the edge into hilarity, especially when he began his dancing with Nate, they
made a great double act.
Two other show stealers were that of Elsa as Bruiser Woods
and Rosa as Rufus. Given how little time they spend on stage they really were
adored by all. I have never actually heard an audience say ‘aww’ out loud in
unison when watching a production of any kind prior to this which I think is
testament to how adorable these pups really are and they both did an amazing
job.
Following on from what seems like an essay entry when it
comes to characters and cast breakdown. I am unable to move on without discussing
the ensemble on a whole.
Although I may not have commented on each and every
character I will touch upon named characters as they genuinely all delivered a
memorable performance for different reasons and they all deserve to be
recognised for now amazing they did; Ella Clarke as Gaelen, Lilia Bainbridge as
Leilani, Rat Clancy as Sales Manager/Anna Wozniak/Judge, Paige as Howen
Winthrop, Elliot Winhall as Lowell/Dewey, Fraser Jones as Pforzheimer, Ben
Creswell as Kiki, Libby Buick as Elle's Mom, Scarlett Brennan as Chutney, Emmy
Saveker as DA Joyce Riley, Mia O'Brien as TV Reporter/Bookish Client and Peyton
Lockley, Amelia Cartledge and Sophia Powers as Delta Nus. Regardless of how
much time you may have been on stage in your named character, you were all show
stealers in your own right and you should all be proud of what you have
delivered.
I do sincerely apologise if I have missed any other ‘minor’ roles, but in
truth, to me there were no minor roles as each performance was delivered with
such enthusiasm that each and every member that stepped foot on that stage was
absolutely brilliant. From the entire cast to the ensemble there was no missteps,
no flat notes and no general mistakes. All members of the show knew what they
were doing and did so with confidence and ease. There was truly no weak link. I
have never in my life met such a talented cast of individuals. Each and everyone
on that staged seems to me that they could lead a musical and do so incredibly well.
They all seemed to have such a camaraderie and most of all the energy just
seemed so high – like every one of them was just having a good time and making
the most of each moment, and that is something that audience members what to
see as it really does instil a feel-good mindset into audience members and it
makes it all the more enjoyable to watch.
Following on from that, none of the above could have been
possible without such a incredible production team.
Standing in the role of Director was Georgia Young.
This is Georgia’s directorial debut, and I must say with such a strong start I
cannot fathom where she might take future productions.
It was clear from the outset that Georgia (who has previously stared in a
different production of Legally Blonde) took all the knowledge she had of the show
and implemented it in such a thought-out and methodical manner. I have worked
with Georgia previously and know that she will put her hand to anything and
will offer support in any way she can to all.
Its clear that the cast all adore her also with how they have nothing but the
upmost respect for her and her craft. Its extremely clear that she gave her all
to this production. I hope she is proud for all she was able to achieve. I was
awestruck from start to finish, there were so many little gems that it is
impossible to mention them all, but the ambitious revolving stage that was utilised
to an inch of its life really did put a fresh spin (pun fully intended) on this
production and was in truth quite a spectacle to watch. Another thing of note
was how well the comedy was executed, its very easy to gloss over little lines
here and there and for certain lines to lose their effect if not excused
correctly, but the way in which Georgia had directed her version of Legally
Blonde meant that I was literally laughing out loud on lines that I didn’t even
realise could be funny.
On a personal note, I am so proud of Georgia and what she was able to achieve as
director, she is such a talented individual and to see her excel in a directorial
role is genuinely a pleasure to see.
The Chorographer for this production was Charlotte Jervis, I
have had the opportunity to work in Charlotte in the past, ironically in a
production of Legally Blonde. When I had this chance previously it was very
clear to me how good Charlotte was at dancing and how strong her abilities
were, so you can imagine, walking into this I had very high expectations.
Charlotte not only met my exceptions, but exceeded them in such a way that I did
not know was possible. In my humble opinion, the chorography looked difficult,
it looked complex, it looked taxing, and it looked absolutely incredible. No
individual seemed to struggle which was the most shocking part to me, I have
literally walked away from this and am still 3 days later talking about how
amazing her choreography was. For the sheer fact of how many group dancing
numbers there were and how many people were dancing on stage at any given time,
it really is testament to Charlottes abilities as choreographer because never
in my life have I seen such tight steps and dance moves. It truly looked
effortless, and to me that is a sign of an incredibly talented choreographer who
can teach complex dance steps to individuals with all differing abilities of
movement and dance and have them all coming out at the end looking brilliant, confident
and polished. I am genuinely speechless with what she was able to pull-off
here.
Although I may not have personally met the Musical Directors
Emily Beaman/Tony Orbell I can truly say that their work speaks for itself. I
have no idea how they were able to execute such tight and almost borderline angelic
vocals out of the cast but to do so in such a way that left most audience
members mouth wide open in shock is beyond me. It really does show their abilities
as MD’s that they were able to pull all the harmonies so tight and clean, I
think this is really where people need to remember that this is a Youth
production and an amateur one at that. What Emily and Tony were able to achieve
is no less that excellent, there was nothing amateur about the vocals we all got
the pleasure to experience, and nothing sounded juvenile or muddy. Emily and
Tony did an absolutely stellar job and I genuinely cannot convey how incredible
the cast and orchestra sounded due to all that they were both able to achieve.
I would also like to touch base on Paula Lumsden as Stage
Manager and her Team.
I have previously worked with Paula backstage in the past. It can be easy to
turn a blind eye to things that quite literally happen behind the scenes, but
it is not an easy task given the sheer amount of scene changes and set pieces.
Your mind has to go ten to the dozen to ensure that everything is where it must
be at all times as to not effect the cast and performance. Its safe to safe
that Paula and her incredible team should all be so proud of themselves, I
cannot begin to imagine the stress of having to deal with a revolving stage but
the payoff is absolutely worth the work.
The staging was done flawlessly and I think it deserves to be discussed rather
than glossed over as it seems to happen a lot with thing that goes on
backstage.
Another area I would like to touch on was the lighting
provided by Going Dark Theatrical Services as I feel like this worked in perfect
conjunction with the staging to accurately distinguish differentiating locations
and scenes. As always Going Dark have done an amazing job of lighting scenes in
such a way that really emote reactions from audience members and I think
without all the hard work they put it really wouldn’t have been the same.
I’d also just like to comment on the sound also by Sam
Burkinshaw. You expect in this day and age to have the occasional mic drop or
occasions in which mic’s are not loud enough or even on. But my experience was
very different for this production. The Town Hall can be a difficult place to ensure
that the sound is heard throughout the entirety of a production. But here there
were no noticeable drop outs and sound was executed incredibly well. Sam did a
wonderful job to ensure that all mics were on when they needed to be, but also
most importantly off when they needed to be and loud enough to accurately hear.
Costumes were provided by Suzanne Harris and assisted by
Olivia Lawton.
The costumes that cast were wearing throughout perfectly matched not only
expectations of what you felt a character should be wearing at any given
moment, but also seemed to some how match the characterisations being delivered.
The most notable costumes were unsurprisingly worn by Ellie’s Elle, the trademark
pink costumes were executed incredibly well and literally looked like they were
made to measure. Any group costumes worked well too. Most importantly however,
the costumes were all flattering, no one stood out for any given reason,
everyone seemed to be costumed well for the scene they were in and it worked
very well in creating a more believable and realised production.
Well, I think I’ve about wrapped everything up there. I am
aware that this review has turned more into a book chapter at this point (being
7 pages already) but I feel it would be not only unfair but also negligent to
not comment on everything I can to the best of my ability given the incredible amount
of love and effort that has been put into this production of Legally Blonde.
There are quite literally so many parts that go into a show
that are unappreciated, the cast and crew, the production team, the backstage
crew, the lighting and sound, the chaperones, the planning of rehearsals,
schedules, meetings, props etc that make a production like this possible. And
its worth noting that all are as important as each other as without one of them
the rest couldn’t work. So although I may not have detailed each individual
aspect, no part is insignificant and each deserves high praise.
This production was absolutely incredible from start to
finish.
As previously stated I have had the privilege of staring a different production
of Legally Blonde and also of working with many cast and crew members from this
production previously. Because of this I already had preconceived notions of
what to expect and my expectations were absolutely blown out the water.
My experience was very enjoyable. The whole auditorium
erupted with cheers when the production ceased and a standing ovation was
delivered as it was the least the audience could do to accurately portray how wonderful
the production has been. You had truly earned a full standing ovation (which
isn’t that comment for a Wednesday night I will add) and I hope you have had
many since and that your final production brings the house down!
The cast and production team have created nothing less than
an absolute masterpiece. I wish SCMTC all the best in their final production
this evening of Legally Blonde and every success for the future in their
upcoming production of Les Miserables in February of 2024 (20th-24th),
I can only imagine how incredible this is going to be off the back of this
production.
You truly deserve the recognition you deserve as I have
never been so shocked to see such outstanding talent. Well done SCMTC, I hope
you are all as proud of yourselves as you should be.
