Æ News – Blonde comes to town
Olivier Award-winning Legally Blonde Plays Edinburgh in Autumn
By Thom Dibdin
Legally Blonde The Musical, winner of the Best New Musical gong at the the Laurence Olivier Awards, has been booked to play the Edinburgh Playhouse straight after the end of this year’s festival.
The West End production of the musical, itself a Broadway import, was nominated for a total of five Oliviers. It won Best Actress in a Musical for Sheridan Smith in the lead role of Elle Woods and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jill Halfpenny as beautician Paulette. The regional touring production will premier at the Liverpool Empire from 8-16 July before setting off around the UK, arriving in Edinburgh from 6-17 September. Casting for the tour has yet to be announced.
Susan McFadden and company in Legally Blonde Feb 2011. Photo credit Ellie Kurttz
Tickets for the Edinburgh dates go on general sale on Thursday March 24 from 10am, although Livecard holders and Ambassadors Friends will have priority booking from Friday March 18.
Gary Roden, General Manager at the Edinburgh Playhouse is, unsurprisingly “delighted” that the tour is coming to the theatre. Adding that: “It’s one of the highlights of our season, opening immediately after the Festival and I’m sure that the people of Edinburgh will love it…they are in for a real treat!”
Based on the hit 2001 Reese Witherspoon film, the production’s creative team is led by Tony Award-winning director and Olivier Award-nominated choreographer Jerry Mitchell.
College sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods doesn’t take no for an answer. So when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her for someone serious, Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and heads for Harvard Law School accompanied by her loveable Chihuahua, Bruiser. The production whisks from the social whirl of California Campus life to Harvard’s Halls of Justice with the brightest new heroine.
After her win at the Olivier’s Sheridan Smith explained the musical’s appeal to The Stage: “With the credit crunch, and the terrible weather, all you want to do is have two and a half hours of escapism and [Legally Blonde] does what it says on the tin. It’s pink, fluffy, camp and I think British audiences really took to it”.
Legally Blonde The Musical
Edinburgh Playhouse
6-17 September 2011
Mon-Sat 7.30pm, Wed & Sat matinees 2.30pm
Tickets £22.50 – £59.50
Livecard & Ambassadors Friends / Groups priority on sale Friday 18 March
General public on sale Thursday 24 March
Tickets available in person from Edinburgh Playhouse venue box office, from the booking line on 0844 871 3014 or online at www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk
