Legally
Blonde Has So Many Outstanding Performances
Legally
Blonde Has So Many Outstanding Performances
The
musical Legally Blonde, as presented by the Clarkson Music Theatre
opened on Friday November 17th and once again Canada’s longest
continuing operating music theatre company put on an outstanding performance
with Emilie Westbrook in the lead role as Elle Woods. The musical is produced by
Rita Ferguson, Christine McMahon and Nick Forrow, with musical direction by
Jenny Pearce and the artistic director and choreographer is Renee Beiforte.
Legally Blonde, which is being staged at Meadowvale Theatre in Mississauga,
Canada was presented for three nights on the opening weekend and will also run
November 21,22,23,24.
As with any production of this size it is simply
impossible to give individual credit to all of the cast members, so we shall
focus on just a few of the actors and say that there is not one weak member of
this cast. Renee Beiforte did an excellent job with the dance numbers and the
cast members were up to the task. The live orchestra did a good job, as they
always do. We do not want to serve up any spoilers for those who are not
familiar with Legally Blonde, but we will say this the highlight of the show
comes in Act Two during a court room scene when the cast sings “Gay or
European.” This was a spectacular performance that would rival any major
production, in any city and on any stage. The singing was good, the actors were
tremendous and the energy level was high.
Legally Blonde centers about Elle Woods whose
boyfriend Warner Huntington III breaks up with her on the eve of his departure
to attend Harvard University, because in his mind and the mind of his family,
she simply is not good enough for him. Elle decides she is going to get her man
back by attending Harvard as well, and she gains admission through a rather
unorthodox fashion. Upon her arrival at
Harvard Elle encounters two individuals who will have a profound effect upon her
life, the snooty Vivienne Kensington who now has her perfectly manicured nails
deeply embedded into Warner’s heart and Emmett Forrest, Professor Callahan’s aid
and he also becomes Elle’s tutor. One of Canada’s best young actresses Alana
Bostock is cast in the role of Vivienne and the evolution in Bostock’s acting in
recent years is evident in this production, as she simply owns the stage when
she is acting. Casting directors ought to have Bostock on speed dial on their
cell phones. There are not enough superlatives in the English language to
describe the performance of Neil Salinas as Emmett Forrest. This is the best
stage performance we have witnessed by a man in a very long time. His feelings
of frustration with Elle are never overstated and he authentically portrays the
gradual transformation from she’s attractive to feelings of genuine love. Emilie
Westbrook also serves up a commanding performance and she leaves absolutely no
doubt as to who the central character is in Legally Blonde. We
particularly liked Westbrook's singing of “So Much Better,” the closing song for
Act One.
Although, Nick Petroff was fine in the role of Warner
Huntington III his character is really a combination of a wimp and a bastard and
does not lend itself to commanding performances. On the other hand Professor
Callahan is a slime bucket, womanizing jerk and we hope you take this as a
compliment Derek Faulconer, but by the time night was over everybody in the
theatre hated you.
Honorable mentions go to Ray Chaaya as Kyle the UPS
Guy, what a performance! In a limited role, Chaaya had the audience eagerly
anticipating his next appearance on stage. This man knows how to communicate
comedy with both his body language and his diction. Heidi Cykfo, as Paulette
Bonafonte, the salon owner, is hilarious. She eventually becomes the heartthrob
for Kyle, whom we are sure had more than a few women in the audience thinking
gee I wish the UPS guy who comes to our office looked like him. We would like to
see what these two actors can do in even more prominent roles in future comedic
productions.
Oh and let’s not forget the performances of Princess as
Bruiser and Zoey as Rufus the two dog characters in the play. You too were very
well behaved.
Take a bow all of the members of the Clarkson Music
Theater for another fabulous performance.
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