“Whoever said orange is the new pink was seriously disturbed.” – DAODS presents Legally Blonde, Orchard West Theatre, Dartford. 10.10.24

It was great to be back at the Orchard (West) Theatre this evening for a display of local talent, with Dartford Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society (DAODS)’s presentation of Legally Blonde.

Legally Blonde the Musical is adapted from the 2001 film (which in turn was based on the novel by Amanda Brown). For those unfamiliar with the film (and I doubt it’s anyone my age), the story goes as follows:

Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, (and her dog by her side!), Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.

I believe this was my first experience of a DAODS production, so I was excited to see what our local theatre society had to offer.

We got off to a slightly shaky start with some microphone issues, which unfortunately continued in varying degrees throughout the show. It meant we got a slightly muted rendition of ‘Blood in the Water’, sung by David Ball as Professor Callahan, which was a real shame because from what I did hear he had one of the best voices of the entire cast. However, like true professionals the cast continued as though there were no issues.

I will absolutely have ‘Omigod You Guys’ – the opening number that was reprised at several points – stuck in my head for days. For me, one of the stand-out performances during this number and throughout the show, came from Rebecca Coker Harrison as Serena. She was sassy and stylish, giving strong vocals and dance routines. She is definitely one to watch.

In the leading roles, Lily Turner as Elle Woods and Mark Fromings as Emmett Forrest went from strength to strength. Their confidence grew with each number they delivered, and it was great to see them coming into their own and making the characters their own.

One of my favourite characters from the film is Paulette Buonofonte, and I was pleased to see Michelle Wright do her justice. The iconic ‘Bend and Snap’ routine was beautifully delivered, and ‘Ireland’ gave her a chance to showcase her vocal skill.

But the dog lover in me has to admit that my true favourites were Albus as Bruiser and Skipper as Rufus, who in my mind somewhat stole the show. I was thrilled to meet Skipper in the interval – the best ‘meet the star’ opp I’ve ever had to date, and it will be a hard one to beat!

There are some really great comedy moments in this one. I haven’t seen Legally Blonde the Musical before, so ‘Gay or European?’ was new to me and laugh out loud funny. Jake Blackaby’s swagger as Kyle (Paulette’s love interest) and the development of their relationship, with an Irish twist, also had the audience in stitches.

Given that they aren’t working with West End budgets, the sets and costumes had been carefully curated to get the most out of them, providing a strong backdrop for the DAODS cast to work from.

This was a high energy production from start to finish, and the whole cast clearly gave it their all. I was amazed to see them skipping and singing through ‘Whipped Into Shape’, seemingly without breaking a sweat. DAODS should be proud that they’ve whipped their cast into such good shape.

DAODS presents Legally Blonde is running at Orchard West Theatre until Saturday 12 October 2024. Tickets can be purchased here, so go have a fun night out and support our local talent!