By Grace Hatchell
Is it worth pedalling from Sunderland to Newcastle to see Legally Blonde at Theatre Royal Newcastle? Here’s my playful Theatre Village take on the hit musical’s arrival, with all the pink, personality and practical details you need before booking.
Oh my god, okay, let’s just say this straight away: if a show arrives in Newcastle wearing this much pink confidence, sparkle and unapologetic main-character energy, I am obviously going to pay attention. Legally Blonde is heading to Theatre Royal Newcastle from Tue 12 May to Sun 17 May, and honestly, that alone feels like the sort of news that should be delivered with a hair flick, a perfect handbag and at least one very enthusiastic squeal.
Because this isn’t just any old musical dropping into town and hoping for the best. This is Legally Blonde. She’s bright, she’s bold, she’s funny, she’s got tunes that bounce along like they’ve had three iced coffees and a motivational podcast, and she somehow manages to be gloriously glamorous while also having a real heart tucked underneath all the pink. Very impressive, really. A bit like arriving at a seminar in heels and still being the cleverest person in the room.
And if you’re wondering whether it’s worth making the trip, whether by Metro, train, car or, apparently, a heroic bicycle from Sunderland ( why did I get the short straw?), I’d say this: if you like your musicals big on fun, quick on charm and packed with personality, this is exactly the sort of show that can turn a regular night out into something far more fabulous.
Now then, before this turns into a full-on pink campaign speech, let me swing my satchel in here for a minute. Because while Elle might be gliding in with perfect posture and a polished smile, I’m looking at this like a practical Yorkshire woman with calves of steel and a healthy suspicion of hills. Is it worth pedalling into Newcastle for? That depends on one very serious matter: will the show give you enough sparkle, laughs and musical lift to justify your legs falling off somewhere near the Tyne Bridge?
And I’ll tell you what, it just might.
Legally Blonde has the advantage of being one of those titles people already know, but not in a tired way. It still feels fresh because audiences don’t go to this one just for the plot. They go for the whole mood of it. They go for the confidence. They go because Elle Woods is one of those characters people underestimate at their own peril, and there’s something deeply satisfying about watching her swan into a world that thinks it knows exactly who she is, only to prove it hasn’t got a clue.
That’s part of the reason this show works so well on stage. It isn’t just pink fluff, even if the fluff is extremely well dressed. Underneath it all, there’s a proper story about being dismissed, judged on appearances, pushed to one side and then deciding, actually no, I’m not shrinking for anyone. That gives the whole thing a bit more backbone than people sometimes expect. So yes, you get the comedy, the style, the catchiness and the camp delight of it all, but you also get a show with a proper point to make.
At Theatre Royal Newcastle, the role of Elle Woods will be played by Hannah Lowther on Thu 14 May at 2.30pm, which is worth noting if you are booking specifically for that performance. Across the run, Amber Davies is starring as Elle Woods, with George Crawford as Emmett, Karen Mavundukure as Paulette, Adam Cooper as Callahan, Jamie Chatterton as Warner, Annabelle Terry as Vivienne, Jocasta Almgill as Brooke and Rosanna Harris as Serena. So there’s a strong company behind all the pink persuasion, and the cast and creative line-up suggest a production that knows exactly what sort of stylish, high-energy world it wants to create.
And let’s be honest, that matters with a show like this. Legally Blonde cannot afford to shuffle on stage looking half-bothered. It needs fizz. It needs timing. It needs confidence. It needs that lovely feeling that everyone involved knows the audience has come for a good time and intends to send them out grinning.
From a Newcastle point of view, it also makes sense as a big night out musical. Theatre Royal is one of those venues that already gives an evening a bit of occasion. You’re not just slipping into a random building and hoping for the best. There’s atmosphere there. There’s that little sense of, ooh, here we are then. Add in a title like Legally Blonde and you’ve got something that feels especially suited to groups of friends, mums and daughters, musical fans, hen-style nights without the chaos, or frankly anyone who wants an evening that doesn’t ask them to sit in emotional darkness for three hours while contemplating the collapse of civilisation.
Not that there’s anything wrong with a bit of theatrical doom and despair, you understand. But sometimes you want joy in a nice outfit.
And that is where this show could be worth the effort of travelling in for. If you’re coming from Sunderland, Durham, South Shields or beyond, you’re not just asking whether the musical is good. You’re asking whether it feels worth the time, the money, the planning, the transport and the inevitable snack decision. For a lot of people, especially at current ticket prices, that’s the real question. Not “is it famous?” Not “did I like the film?” But “is this actually worth a proper outing?”
I’ll put it this way: Legally Blonde has got enough about it to make a proper night of it. It’s a title people know, it’s full of life, and it doesn’t sit there expecting audiences to do all the heavy lifting while it stares moodily into the middle distance. It welcomes you in, gives you a wink, throws a bit of sparkle about and gets on with entertaining you. And if you’ve got somebody in your life who says they’re “not really a musical person,” this is exactly the sort of show I’d be tempted to steer them towards. It’s bright, funny, easy to get swept up in and polished enough that it still feels like a proper treat rather than a bit of pink fluff held together with wishful thinking.
Would I pedal a bicycle from Sunderland to Newcastle for it? Well. Let’s not get carried away. That depends on the wind, my mood, and whether Newcastle decides to greet me with one of those smug uphill stretches that make you question every life choice you’ve ever made. But as a figure of speech? Aye, I can see the appeal. This is exactly the kind of show that makes a city trip feel like an event rather than just another item in the diary.
If I’ve gone to the trouble of wobbling across into Newcastle, dodging traffic, preserving what little dignity I’ve got left and arriving with my hair looking like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, the show had better be worth it. Legally Blonde, mind, at least understands the assignment. It knows it has to charm you. It knows it has to win you over. It knows nobody’s paying good money to sit there feeling beige.
So yes, if you fancy something glamorous, witty and full of musical pep, this looks like a promising contender for your May diary. Not every show needs to be heavy to be worthwhile. Sometimes a bright, buoyant, sharply dressed musical with a heroine who refuses to be underestimated is exactly the thing.
And if nowt else, it’s certainly a more appealing reason to cross into Newcastle than me standing at the side of the road in Lycra muttering about gradients.
Legally Blonde plays Theatre Royal Newcastle from Tue 12 May to Sun 17 May. Hannah Lowther will play Elle Woods on Thu 14 May at 2.30pm. And if you do see a determined woman pedalling in from Sunderland with a satchel over her shoulder and a slightly dramatic expression on her face, do give us a wave. It might just be me, heading for the pinkest legal briefing Newcastle’s seen in a while.
Legally Blonde The Musical | Newcastle Theatre Royal
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