Review: Legally Blonde – The Musical ***

With barely a male face to be seen, Legally Blonde – The Musical feels like one huge hen night.

But for all its froth and far-fetched, plot this is a fun and energy-filled show, with some curiously catchy songs and stand-out performances.

Former X Factor and Brookside star Ray Quinn excels as smug ex-boyfriend Warner, while Niki Evans – another X Factor runner-up, is a delight as downtrodden hairdresser Paulette.

The show, however, rests on the shoulders of protagonist Elle Woods, a spoiled blonde soriority girl. When Warner ends their relationship to study law at Harvard, telling Elle she’s not serious enough, she decides to follow him there – a neat cheerleading routine and a few nights’ reading seeing her safely through the admissions process. Over the course of the show, Elle realises there’s more important things to be gained at Harvard than the love of her ex-boyfriend.

Standing in for Faye Brookes, understudy Amy Ross is more than competent, although Les Dennis as Professor Callahan is overshadowed by the much better singers and dancers around him. It’s good fun, but some numbers fall flat and at times the action drags.

To February 25. The show returns to Yorkshire from July 3 to 14 at Bradford Alhambra.