This production had dual casts in major roles. In the interest of fairness to all, we reviewed both casts. Allison Thomas reviewed the Rufus cast and Tegan Gully-Crispe reviewed the Bruiser cast.
Rufus Cast
“Love gets you what you want” and “Be true to yourself”, are the themes of “Legally Blonde the musical, Jr”, performed this month by Adelaide Youth Theatre in Adelaide, based on the novel by Heather Hach, and the 2007 MGM movie.
The romantic story of blonde Elle, who loves wearing pink and carrying her dog in her handbag. Elle was jilted by her love Warner, because she wasn’t “serious” enough to deserve him. So she follows him to Harvard Law School to win him back. There she meets Warner’s snobby girlfriend, Vivienne; classmate Emmett, who supports and coaches her to improve her score to win recognition from the lecturer, Professor Callahan, who turns out to have other agendas. She also meets, befriends and inspires Paulette the hairdresser to find her true love. Elle and her three colleagues, Warner, Vivienne and Emmett, become interns and need to solve a legal case – exercise diva Brooke Wyndham, who has innocently been accused of murder. Elle cunningly defends and wins the case, much to the surprise of her professor and ex-boyfriend. Ultimately, she rejects Warner and graduates happily with Emmett, her integrity intact.
All songs were cheered and clapped by the excited, responsive audience, who seemed to be enthusiastic peers and parents, all highly reactive and supportive.
In the Rufus cast, which I saw on opening night. Olivia Emmett (!) is a dynamo as Elle Woods – her singing, dancing and acting was wonderfully spirited.
Kyle Mobbs excels as her strong, supportive colleague, Emmett Forrest. His voice soars in all his songs.
Hairdresser Paulette, played by Maddison Fox, adds sass to Elle’s friendship, and light humour to the show, especially with her “Bend and Snap” song and dance in the hairdressing salon. Maddison is a great singer, dancer and mover. Elle helps her romance with Irish Kyle (!) danced by Oliver Cresswell.
Maree Fong, who bounced and sang with great verve and high spirits, energetically characterised Brooke Wyndham, the exercise guru.
Elliot Purdue played Warner Huntington III, Elle’s love interest with aplumb.
Vivienne Kensington, Warner’s snobby girlfriend, was cunningly pouted and performed by Alyssa Faranda, who showed both sides of her nature, from Elle’s antagonist to friend in need.
Riley Mobbs was strong and gruff Professor Callahan in his authoritarian role.
Too many other characters to name individually, were all part of a great performance.
Director Jemma Allen and her production team created a fast_paced show, full of dazzling song dance and action.
Choreography by Amelia Tyler was obviously enhanced by lots of practice in all routines by all the dancers, included some acrobatics. Especially we loved “Whip It”, the skipping song by Brooke and her prison exercise girls.
At the beginning the music was louder than the singers. However, the balance was restored quickly and Reo Gerhardy, Musical Director and Sound Operator.
Set design by Jemma Allen and Felix Folland was basic, and scene changes were swiftly carried out by the huge cast of about 35 performers.
Kylie Mobbs and her wardrobe team’s costumes were basic, not always the hot pink, however there were some creative on-stage costume changes.
One amazing thing to note was that at least six performers in this show were very busy. Elliot, Purdue, Kyle Mobbs, Riley Mobbs, Maree Fong, Maisie Lewis, and Alejandro Ingram-Jimenez were also involved on production team or performing in Madagascar, which was rehearsed, practised and performed in the daytime while Legally Blonde was rehearsed and performed in the evenings.
The whole cast is to be congratulated for their great show. Unfortunately, the show is only on for a limited season.
Bruiser Cast
Brooklyn Buet shone as Elle Woods with an amazing singing voice and strong acting throughout the show. Her portrayal was heartfelt and engaging, perfectly capturing Elle’s charm and determination.
Thomas White was convincing as Emmett Forrest, delivering his role with sincerity and warmth that brought authenticity to their onstage relationship. His natural presence complemented Elle’s energy well.
Joel Howis gave a confident and self-assured performance as Warner Huntington III. His portrayal showed great versatility, especially considering his current role as the neurotic and lovable Melman in Madagascar Jr., demonstrating his ability to inhabit very different characters with ease.
Keira Wubbolts, as Paulette, stole scenes with her excellent comic timing and stage presence. She brought humour and heart to the role in equal measure, elevating the spirit of the production whenever she appeared on stage.
Kate Wooding was spot on as Vivienne Kensington, delivering a sharply defined characterization paired with strong, clear vocals. She captured the character’s polished yet competitive nature perfectly.
Maddi Eames impressed greatly as Brooke Wyndham, showcasing remarkable stamina and energy as she sang and skipped through her demanding number “Whipped Into Shape.” Her physicality and vocal strength combined effortlessly to make the performance memorable.
Hudson Kerr as Professor Callahan provided a stable and grounded presence, anchoring his scenes with calm authority.
The featured roles added wonderful depth to the production, with Elle’s Sorority Sisters and Chutney, played by Reese Holt, Zazie Newall, Gracie Cheung, and Annie Munjal, all delivering memorable moments filled with energy and charm.
