Legally Blonde as presented by St. Mels Musical Society

Legally Blonde as performed by St. Mel’s, Longford: 

Date of Adjudication: Wednesday 3rd April 2024. 

It’s just as well that Legally Blonde has become one of my favourite musicals, for it has had plenty of outings during my years of adjudicating. The ‘snaps’ and oft repeated ‘Oh my God, you guys’ in the opening scene which initially irritated me, now serve to perk me up and prepare for a night of great comedy and high energy. St. Mel’s of Longford used the show to showcase many tried and tested performers, but also to give several young performers an opportunity to step into the spotlight. While the night threw up some technical issues, on a performance level, it scored highly for energy and talent. The production was very well paced, and the audience certainly appreciated the songs, the dancing and the strong comedy. 

Musical Director, Vince Tully, led a very secure band of musicians who produced quality and tone from the pit, along with secure tempi and good rhythms. There was also much evidence of good work on harmonies from the chorus. There were a couple of small incidents when singers and musicians got slightly out of sync, particularly during the introductions of the Harvard students, but these seemed to be quickly remedied. There were also occasions when the overly high pitch of the Delta Nus led to a lack of clarity of diction, both in the singing and the spoken word. Ironically, the same Delta Nus provided the best moments of the show, due to brilliantly choreographed dance routines.

Choreographer, Niamh O’Brien, did superb work throughout, with precisely executed synchronized routines, high energy and great variety in her steps. The skipping routine for Whipped Into Shape was excellent, and there was also good balance in her choreography, knowing when to flood the stage with movement, and when to keep the routines tight, precise and reflective of the lyrics being sung. This was top-notch presentation. 

Director, Alan Greaney. Gave a good shape to the production, using the available stage space very well, with good, ever-changing pictures, and by and large, the pace of the show was very good. His pitching of the comedy was very good, with some lovely innovative touches. Using Kyle, the delivery man, to deliver the house notices at the start of the show was very clever and funny. Perhaps a bit more time needed to be spent on encouraging Elle and Emmet to play their romantic scenes a little less self-consciously, and the issue of high-pitched voices needed to be addressed, for the sake of rescuing some very funny punch lines. Setting aside some technical problems, this was still a very enjoyable and well-thought-out production. 

The visual quality of the show, with a well-selected wardrobe, good hairstyles and make-up, and good soft furnishings for the interior scenes, was very good. In great costumes, Elle always looked radiant, and the Delta Nu had good individuality in their day outfits, and good uniformity in their routine outfits. Emmet went from scruffy casual to well-dressed lawyer very successfully, and there were good and appropriate outfits from the many diverse characters who appear throughout the story. 

Unfortunately, the lighting of the show was very far from satisfactory. There were shadows everywhere, dark spots, poor focus and sudden on/off of lights throughout the performance that were distracting. I suspect there must have been a breakdown in communication, with set design, lighting design and director not always working off the same page. It didn’t ruin the show, but it certainly didn’t enhance it.

The set for the show was satisfactory, but with a lot of moving pieces, I felt a tad sorry for stage manager, Eddie Kiernan and his team, who worked hard to keep everything moving. There were a few thuds of furniture falling off stage, which I suspect may have been the result of darkness in the wings. Sound quality, with the early exception of a couple of late cues, was pretty good throughout the show. I appreciate that the lack of clarity of some high-pitched voices was not the fault of the sound engineer. 

What I enjoyed most about the show was the performances, some of them polished and experienced and others energetic and full of promise. 

Aisling Farrell gave a great look, plenty of energy and a good voice to the role of Elle Woods, comfortable in her character and comedy, if perhaps a little tentative in her romantic exchanges. Initially, she spoke too fast and with her exchanges with the Delta Nu, she was a tad high-pitched. She was at her best singing and dancing along with the Delta Nu, and in her sequences with Paulette. This is a young lady full of potential, who will doubtless play many more roles in the future. This was a most impressive debut with St. Mel’s.

Iarlaith O’Rourke got the character of Emmet just about right, nerdy and insecure in the early scenes, but maturing as his relationship with Elle developed. The romance between them was a little awkward but played with sincerity. His vocals and sense of pathos and comedy were good. 

Kevin Gormley was an arrogant, self-centred Warner, as he should have been, seemingly full of swagger and charm, but underneath it all, a bit obnoxious. Of course, it was all played with good comedic effect, and Kevin also had a pleasing vocal quality. 

Natasha Brady was suitably nasty and condescending as Vivienne in the early scenes of the show, and warmed nicely when she realized that Elle was actually a good person. Played with plenty of confidence and showing her vocal ability in the Legally Blonde Remix. Paul Hennessy made a strong impact as the unethical Professor Callahan, with very good delivery of Blood in the Water. He showed good authority and austerity in his early scenes, and a creepy nastiness when he revealed his lust. Nicely played. 

Gráinne Fox had a lot of fun with the character of Paulette, particularly playing her scenes with Kyle and being freaked by the Delta Nu. Her comedy was well-delivered, and her rendition of Ireland was most amusing. 

Perhaps the most confident performance of the evening came from Niamh O’Brien, putting great energy and flexibility into her routines as Brooke Wyndham. She also had a good comedic grasp of her character, delivering her lines with authority. 

The Delta Nu, Aoibhinn Macken as Margot, Dearbhaile Madden as Pilar and Niamh Dempsey as Kate, all seemed to be suffering slightly from Helium-addiction in their early scenes, so high-pitched were their voices that I lost quite a bit of their dialogue. They were, however, highly energetic, delightfully girly, and superb in their dancing and singing. The exception was Leia Victory as Serena, who not only sounded great, but she completely commanded attention throughout the show with strong character and powerful presentation. Jim Maher got the show off to a great start delivering the house announcements, in the character of Kyle. He played the hunk believably, making the most of his comedy with Paulette, and then having great fun with his Irish dancing. 

Joanne Sexton impressed greatly as an angry and animated Enid Hoopes. Gerard Rafferty was a convincing slob as Dewey and tidied up nicely as Winthrop. Sarah Hanley made an impression as Erin Schultz and Caoimhe Hennessy played the spoilt brat, Chutney, very capably. There was good camp humour from Jason Kenny as Nicos and Conor White as Carlos, adding much fun to the Gay or European courtroom sequence.

Other performance of note came from Paul O’Brien and Sabina Ryan as Elle’s Dad and Mum, Lyndsay Considine as Whitney, Andrew Reynolds as Pforzheimer, Louise Walsh as the flirtatious Judge, Avril Kelly as D.A. Joyce Reilly, Crystal O’Doherty as Kiki the colourist, Maria Dunne as the flippant saleswoman, Leo Docherty and Noah Shannon as Guards, Oonagh O’Ferrall as Gaelan and Ava Hopkins as Leilani. 

A well-animated chorus did a very good job of reacting to the business around them and performed all their dance and movement with good energy. For the most part, they were also vocally secure, although diction was a bit of a problem in the early high-pitched numbers. But there was evidence of good work on vocal harmonies. They made a very good contribution to the overall production. 

As I headed home after the show, it was the slick choreography of the Delta Nus, and the great promise and energy of the very capable young Elle that stayed in my head as the most impressive aspects of a show that was engaging and thoroughly entertaining. Thank you to all concerned for your talent and commitment. 

Peter Kennedy

Gilbert Adjudicator 23/24

Photography by Frank McGrath and Shelly Corcoran.