THE all-singing all-dancing, feelgood show, Legally Blonde The Musical, is at The Theatre Royal in Bath this week performed by Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society.

Legally Blonde The Musical is based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the smash hit 2001 movie. It follows the transformation of California Girl, Elle Woods, as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal when she applies to Harvard Law School in pursuit of love.

The show was energetic from the start with the lead actress Serena Dunlop, playing main character Elle Woods, a charming and angelic star, in her all-pink attire. Her bubbly naiveness is what makes the show so naturally enjoyable and her catchy, recognisable phrase ‘Oh Mi God You Guys’ is an iconic reference to book and film alike.

Elle’s group of girlfriends, the Greek chorus, who cheered her on throughout were very entertaining. Their presence on stage added to the delight. The group of girls participated in a comedy scene involving a workout routine with skipping ropes, which had a few hiccups but was even more funny because of it.

There were lots of set changes which flowed effortlessly, even though at times the cast involved large numbers. The outfits were very quirky and the ensemble had to make lots of costume changes within a few minutes, which was impressive.

At one point Elle took Emmett Forrest, played by Pip Knowles, to a department store to get a suit and he did an outfit change on stage. The pair's stage chemistry that develops was nice to watch.

Alana Turnbull plays Paulette Bonafonté, a beautician who befriends Elle. Paulette provides her with support and is a great friend when Elle is struggling with the workload and gives her love advice. They scene where she learns the classic moment from the film, ‘the bend and snap’, is set in the hair salon.

Bringing a funny element to the performance was Elle’s dog Bruiser, a key player in the film who made a brief appearances during Elle’s time at Harvard. The little Pomeranian actor appeared unfazed by her moment in the spotlight, as did her doggy pal who played Rufus, Paulette’s dog. He equally embraced his role, and made the audience laugh when his leg momentarily got caught in his lead.

Being a musical, the story was told with a little dialogue and lots of singing, accompanied by a live orchestra. The show was of high standard, and you would not have thought it was an amateur cast. The performance wasn't perfect but it had great humour with the audience laughing throughout. Everyone left the theatre in high spirits.

ERIN WRIGHT