The idea of female empowerment has been coursing in contemporary art for quite a while, defining specifically the development of literature, cinema, and theater. In the musical genre, the specified notion is embodied in the production of a novel titled “Legally Blonde,” though, technically, the musical refers to a movie of the same name to a significantly greater extent than to its literary source material.
Released in 2007, set in the early 2000s and centering the character of Elle Woods, a seemingly superficial young woman, with the creative minds of Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin at the helm, the musical represents a rather accurate rendition of the message of personal development and self-exploration. Therefore, the musical adds an important theme of refusing to dismiss other people’s interests.
To its credit, the musical takes full advantage of the opportunities that the format provides, embracing the specifics of the genre of a romantic comedy. Having greater flexibility than a movie in terms of acting choices, the musical represents a much livelier version of a narrative, which is particularly important for a romantic comedy. Specifically, the actors are given an opportunity to experiment with the expression of emotions and the use of body language, which the musical demonstrates uninhibitedly.
Moreover, the general presentation of the play, including the actors’ performance, represents a much more exaggerated and, therefore, significantly more engaging and fun version of the narrative. The specified approach aligns with the humorous nature of the plot and makes the characters especially memorable (“Legally Blonde. The Musical”). The musical attempts to teach the importance of respecting others and refusing to believe that people’s hobbies define their worth, with which I wholeheartedly agree. Personally, I enjoyed the play, particularly due to the court scene, as well as Elle’s compelling character, in general.
The actors are generally appealing and quite likable, which makes the musical especially enjoyable. Although the play has evidently been rehearsed thoroughly, the actors’ straightforwardness and the simplicity of the plot made the lay quite enjoyable. Overall, the actors performed exceptionally well when interacting with one another. The actress playing Elle was clearly the highlight of the play.
Additionally, the focus on the costumes in the play deserves particular attention. The creators of Legally Blonde had a particularly difficult job since the garments had to reflect the leading character’s profound knowledge of fashion while also keeping the focus on the change that Elle was undergoing throughout the play (“Legally Blonde. The Musical”). Similarly, the hair and the makeup, while being slightly exaggerated and artificial, helped to create an illusion of the audience being immersed in the play. Likewise, the props were used masterfully in the play.
As a result, the costumes, while remaining stylish and keeping the trademark pink color as an indispensable element of Elle’s look, become increasingly more practical and reflecting of Elle’s propensity toward developing professionalism. For example, in the scene where she uses her newly developed skills to return a dog to her rightful owner, Elle is wearing a denim skirt and a pink top, which are quite practical for the setting and, therefore, indicative of her change.
The sound design was one of the few problems with Legally Blonde: The Musical. Although every cue could be heard perfectly, the echo on the set reduced the believability of the play. However, the lighting was truly perfect, with major scenes and characters being placed in the limelight. Thus, the key message was reinforced successfully.
Moreover, while the actors deserve credit for their performance, it is the message of the musical that stands out the most and represents the element that makes the whole experience particularly compelling. Namely, the idea of exploring one’s potential and the concept of promoting curiosity and resourcefulness as vital aspects of successful learning can be viewed as another vital lesson of the musical.
On the surface, Legally Blonde appears to convey two messages, namely, that one of revenge against someone who has underestimated the lead character and the idea of subverting expectations regarding one’s intelligence. However, on further analysis, the musical seems to be slightly more profound by promoting the message of self-discovery, self-improvement, and the ability to use ones’ strengths, to which one might not have been privy before.
Indeed, Elle does not abandon her passion for seemingly superficial aspects of her life, such as fashion and glamour. Instead, she manages to incorporate her profound knowledge in these areas into her career path, thus, indicating that the areas typically branded as superficial could also be explored from a professional perspective. Thus, Legally Blonde: The Musical cleverly incorporates the concept of social responsibility into its narrative.
The focus on the pursuit of self-improvement and the discovery of one’s hidden potential remains one of the main themes in the musical, which is heavily supported by nearly every song. “The Chip on Her Shoulder” is, perhaps, one of the most expressive and emotional, even though a bit too straightforward, musical numbers highlighting the specified message. Namely, the concluding line, “Guess you never could tell,” reinforces the idea that one must seek to explore even the areas that might seem as unreachable and pursue the set goals (“Legally Blonde. The Musical”).
Overall, my personal response toward the musical is quite positive. Despite being a rather meticulous recreation of the film plot, Legally Blonde: The Musical manages to convey a unique message. Moreover, Elle as a character helped me change my opinion concerning the worth of activities typically considered female. However, an in-depth look will prove that the musical, in fact, provides an uplifting and empowering message. Thus, it met my expectations, making me want to play Elle and, possibly, direct a rendition of the play.
Work Cited
“Legally Blonde. The Musical.” YouTube, uploaded by Gil Estevam, 2018. Web.