THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Black Cat Cabaret, Leicester Square, London

    ★★★★★ | The Black Cat Cabaret, Leicester Square, London

    The Black Cat team are riding high with their unique brand of impish entertainment. They’ve got regular shows at Live at Zedel at Piccadilly and now they’ve invaded the cheesy Christmas market in Leicester Square and landed in the glamorous, mirrored 1920s Paradiso Spiegeltent. Move over wooden huts, mulled wine in a plastic cup and greasy sausages. The Black Cat has infiltrated and is throwing all tackiness aside in favour of subversive fun.

    The line-up is ever changing but you can expect circus, cabaret and burlesque. There’s also bound to be some testosterone pumped male torsos to liven up a chilly winter evening. Regular host Dusty Limits is a deadpan joy as he oozes cynicism and wit. It’s a well-curated blend of acts and one with an eye on intelligent parody rather than cheap thrills. Naturally and thankfully, there are also cheap thrills.

    The problem with cabaret and burlesque is that after a few visits it can feel like you’ve seen it all and you can be left thinking: Oh, another fire-eater. Oh, another hula hooper. Oh, another semi-naked man in a giant wheel type thing. The Black Cat is careful to only chose acts that have a bit more to add, acts that play with the form and respectfully make fun of it, as well as themselves. I was lucky enough to see the hilarious drag star Meth strutting her stuff as well as an array of dark circus acts, a bizarre string quartet and the most comically disaffected hula hoop act that I’ve ever seen.

    Brighten up a winter night and stroke the pussy if you dare. The Black Cat can bite but he also entertains. Oh, wear a warm coat and knock a few Egg Nogs back too. It’s bloody freezing in that wooden tent.

    The Black Cat runs on Thu 30th Nov 7.30 PM, Sat 9th Dec 7.30pm, Sat 16th Dec 7.30 PM, Thu 28th Dec 7.30 PM, Sun 31st Dec 6.30 PM – 2 AM at Leicester Square

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Tailor-Made Man, White Bear Theatre, London

    ★★★ | The Tailor-Made Man, White Bear Theatre, London

    Listen up! There’s a Hollywood film star who’s riding high with a string of hits. He’s handsome, suave and funny, bagging awards and melting hearts as he stares into the eyes of and kisses the faces off the hottest female stars around. The gossip is, though, he’s secretly gay: lacking in boundaries and groping handsome younger men on set, loitering in cruising grounds and having dalliances with fit sailors. The word is that he also has a sweet interior designer boyfriend waiting patiently at home. Oh, my is this about to come crashing down! You know this story from the internet gossip sites?

    Maybe you do, maybe you don’t but no, it’s not 2017 but the 1920s and the story of Billy Haines who’s films were consigned to the vaults after he refused to marry a ‘beard’ and was caught with his pants down once too often. It’s an interesting and prescient story and one that this play presents in technicolour glory.

    Handsome Mitchell Hunt (Mister Selfridge) heads up this universally strong cast and director Bryan Hodgson has tightened the occasionally clumsy script into something pacy (that’s pacy. Not Spacey). It’s not exactly deep and there’s minimal characterisation with it often feeling like a dramatised Wikipedia entry being put on show. The humour is the best aspect and hits more than it misses. None of that matters though with actors like these and the parade of stunning vintage costumes and props by set and costumes designer Mike Lees. There’s a mind boggling array of costume changes and some beautiful set pieces. It’s a joy to watch and an interesting story to witness unfold.

    The White Bear is a comfortable theatre space within a rather stylish and recently renovated pub and is only a short tube ride from Leicester Square. Head down to Kennington for a slice of gay history that has particular relevance today. Oh, those costumes too. You’ll be hard pressed not to want to sneak backstage and grab a few pairs of slacks and a jacket to take home.

    The Tailor-Made Man plays at the White Bear Theatre until 25th November 2017

  • CAR REVIEW | Dacia Duster Lauréate

    ★★★★ | Dacia Duster Lauréate

    Sometimes the annoying happens. For some time now I’d wanted to try a Duster and when l managed to get hold of one I was told that it was due for replacement in 2018 but would l still like one anyway?

    This got me thinking and with the Duster already being good value for money if you just take its list price as a guide only, I wondered if it would make even better sense to buy one as a run out model or just buy one now?

    If you are looking for an SUV type vehicle but feel you need to steer clear of Dacia’s offerings because it seems ridiculously cheap and looks a bit gawky then more fool you. In the days where cheap cars from the Eastern Bloc really were dreadful except for the price and a warranty, then I’d understand your viewpoint. What you need to do is not only take my word for it but also judge for yourself by the number of awards, praise and accolades the Duster has achieved since its UK launch in 2012.

    The advertising campaign used for the Duster is a good one too. All multitude of people from all walks of life singing “another one buys a Duster” ending with “hay, why don’t we get one too” and you should.

    What you can disregard from the previous models are the engines. The £14,990 Duster Lauréate sitting on my drive came with the 1.2 TCe 125hp engine and not once did l complain. The 205Nm of torque available from 2000rpm was enough if you didn’t mind the occasional cog swap when you wanted to overtake. The little engine was incredibly sweet. Smooth and quiet. It wasn’t what l was expecting if l am honest.

    The range starts from £9500 for the basic 2wd Access model that comes with no radio, through a 5 model range topping at a heady £18,400. We were given the midrange Lauréate model in 2wd. You can’t help but notice where the savings have come from and why these are such good value.

    It’s pretty much a 2010 Renault Clio inside. No such bad thing to be honest. It’s tried and tested and works. You also notice a massive dial to the right on the dashboard for altering the headlight angles. Something very French and I’ve not seen in a car since the 1980s. Crude, sort of, but immensely effective. And that is the key to the Duster’s success. It’s an immensely effective vehicle.

    Renault switchgear aside, the ergonomics are not. The inbuilt satnav and infotainment screen was awkwardly placed and visual information from the screen during a navigated journey would have resulted in eyes coming off the road, adjusting and then back to the road again. The talking part of the satnav works far better in practice and the commands were clear and concise. The 6-speed gearbox was a welcome standard feature if only because in 5th gear, the stick fouled against my lanky resting leg.

    That is annoying for one reason, the Duster gets into its stride quite easily and on the fast roads, it is easy to relax and let the satisfactory engine performance do the rest. Fifth is a gear that isn’t needed often except for the most arduous inclines. This then makes the cruise control easier to use.

    Load space is plentiful. In a car this cheap you wouldn’t be too picky about throwing everything at it. And good job too. I like to see the odd token of body colour here and there except in the boot where the load edge is uncovered and the inner of the tailgate painted. It wouldn’t take long for this to get scratched. It would infuriate me because l like the car and I’d want to look after it. Speaking of looking after it, it is ok in the put together department too. At this price, it isn’t outstanding but there was nothing I’d be too miffed about. It’s another thing the Duster does to you, you start to appreciate its no-nonsense approach to human transport.

    Ride and handling are an odd balance. It’s quite French in its ways. In actuality, it’s quite old-school French. It rides with such a lovely subtle ride that pretty much caresses the irregularities of the road. This also endows it with is a lot of bump steer and corner lurching when you get busy in the S bends. Being slightly jacked up in its SUV format, this exaggerates the motion. For this alone, I would remove the ‘sports’ tag from the SUV. It will carry you great distances in comfort. Used as a load lugger or commuter car is where it is best. A sports car it is not.

    It is a pretty sizeable car inside. I put it to good use in collecting some bits for a project. The rear section swallowed a whole camper van door and there was still space for other items. Folding the rear seat was simple and there are some neat locators in the trim to get the seat belts out of the way. With the seats folded they do not give a flat floor area.

    Look through the options for the Duster and you’ll be surprised at how well you can spec it up. As it is, the model tested would have done me proud. For little over £2000, you can have all the individual extras available. Some of them are available in packages too. Probably the best package is the extended warranty. For £850 you get 7 years or 100,000 miles of peace of mind motoring as long as you adhere to the terms.

    I’d take the Duster as it is, right now, even before the new model arrives. I don’t know about ‘another one buys a Duster’ but I’ve got brass in my pocket and I’m going to use it.

    Love
    Price
    Comfort
    Ease of access to service items including lights

    Loathe
    Exposed paint in the boot area
    Infotainment screen position
    Ergonomics

    The Lowdown
    Car – Dacia Duster Lauréate TCe 125 4×2
    Price – £14,990 (as tested)
    MPG – 46.3 mpg (combined)
    Power – 0-62mph – 10.4 seconds
    Top Speed – 109 mph
    Co2 – 138 (g/km)

  • TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII: M-Corp

    TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII: M-Corp

    Last week we heaped praise on the excellent “Mechocracy” and if you enjoyed that as much as we have, be prepared to enjoy this week’s instalment even more.
 Called “M-Corp”, this episode is a Lister centred Black Mirror-esque adventure that seamlessly combines humour with emotion and nostalgia.

    Poor Lister’s (Craig Charles) birthday doesn’t start well and it is set to get even worse as the ship receives the upgrade from hell from M-Corp. It all seems so perfect at the start when the fabulous Helen George (Trixy from Call the Midwife) tells them about all the wonderful things the company’s products can bring to their ship. Unfortunately, things soon turn sour as Lister finds himself cut off from his friends and at M-Corp’s mercy.
 Craig Charles displays both great comedy as well as dramatic timing acting Lister’s despair and confusion at being all alone in strange surroundings.

    While Helen George is deliciously creepy as the faux kind robotic face M-Corp.
 the rest of the cast is relegated more to a “supportive” characters role this week, but use what they are given brilliantly.

    A special mention should be given to the wonderful end scene that should melt the heart of every true Dwarfer.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Retreat, Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London

    ★★★★ | The Retreat, Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Retreat, Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London

    Buddha, Cocaine and a Porn Mag are surprising bedfellows in this funny, warm and thoughtful debut play by Peep-Show co-creator Sam Bain.

    Luke (Samuel Anderson) is in a Buddhist retreat – his every day a blissful mix of meditation, mindfulness and isolation in the Scottish Highlands. That is until his brother Tony (Adam Deacon) arrives. With him come memories of a troubled childhood, and reminders for Luke of the life he left behind in London. Is Tony everything that was wrong with Luke’s life, or the only one that can see into his soul? And is Luke’s fellow Buddhist Tara (Yasmine Akram) – beautiful, spiritual Tara, only keen to help Luke achieve karma, or does she hold ulterior motives?

    The Retreat is a play by Sam Bain – co-writer and co-creator of Peep Show, Fresh Meat and Four Lions. Bain spent an earlier period of his life living in a Buddhist retreat, and regularly practised meditation and mindfulness, so my initial fear was that this play could go one of two ways – either be packed full of pro-Buddhist PR, or full of jokes making fun of Buddhism and those who practice it. A misplaced fear, it turns out, as The Retreat treads a far more interesting path – exploring the collision between the Buddhist themes of calm, isolation and peace with the more western rush of drink, drugs, and money.

    Characters Luke and Tony serve as cleverly portrayed devices through which Bain explores his themes, and it works very well indeed – the script raises interesting questions to the audience but never veers into preaching or sneering at any particular life choice. With Bain’s resumé you may assume that The Retreat is packed full of jokes, and you’d be correct – they come thick and fast throughout but are set up naturally by the cast – Adam Deacon’s Tony delivering the vast majority of the punchlines with effortless calm, and a real highlight being a monologue about meditation, Will Smith and Harry Hill that had me, and the audience, in absolute stitches.

    My only real issue with the jokes is that the frequent nature of them meant a fair few were lost by the audience entirely – a shame, given just how high quality the calibre of comedic writing in the script is, and the switch between humour and philosophy can feel rather forced at times. Whether this is due to the script or the performances, I’m unsure – but there’s a good chance it’ll improve as the run goes on. In terms of cast, it’s Samuel Anderson’s Luke and Adam Deacon’s Tony who take the leading roles. Both have impressive CV’s with Anderson having starred in The History Boys, Emmerdale and Doctor Who, and Deacon starring in Brit films such as Kidulthood and Adulthood, as well as directing spoof film Anuvahood. Playing brothers in The Retreat they have an easy chemistry together – instantly believable as siblings who’ve been separated by years of differences and disagreements, and their interactions together are both hilarious and moving. Anderson does his best to make the often-patronising Luke a sympathetic character, and Deacon is a real stand out as Tony – his constant jokes a thin cover for the vulnerable and damaged soul at the heart of the man.

    Yasmine Akram’s Tara is a more supporting role to the two brothers, so lacks in terms of character a little compared to the two leads, but Akram delivers a strong performance with Tara a warm, funny, yet ultimately rather complicated character. Akram’s unforgettable entrance as Tara, covered head to toe in green body paint, is unforgettable– and whilst the real story at the heart of The Retreat is the relationship between the two brothers, Akram is an integral and beautifully delivered part of the evening’s entertainment.

    Fans of Peep Show may not be expecting quite as much warmth and emotion as is on display in The Retreat, but it’s there constantly throughout – with the humour making way for moments of genuine feeling repeatedly throughout the show. That may be, in part, due to the direction by Kathy Burke – an actor and director who, in my opinion, can bring warmth and humanity to any role she comes across.

    There’s no distancing here – the staging, light and sound welcome the audience into this small hut in the Scottish Highlands, with the relatively small size of the theatre allowing the characters to be exposed to the audience – removing some of the distancing that is provided in a regular theatre and making the experience all the more immediate.

    The Retreat is a clever and thoughtful contemporary play that explores modern day issues with warmth and fantastic humour. Strong performances enabled by superb direction allow this intelligent and entertaining script to shine. Go for the laughs and stay for the compelling commentary on life in the 21st Century – it’s not perfect but it’s an enjoyable watch and an impressive debut play by writer Sam Bain

    The Retreat runs at Park Theatre until 2nd December 2017

     

     

     

     

  • FILM REVIEW | Body Electric

    ★★★★ | Body Electric

    Life is one big party for the characters in the new film Body Electric.

    Elias (a sexy Keiner Macedo) is the assistant manager in a factory somewhere in Brazil. He’s only 23 and quite young to hold such a responsible job, but his female boss, who is always jet-setting from here to there on business, trusts Elias completely to run the factory while she’s gone. It’s a factory that makes clothes, and Elias sees his fellow employees not just as co-workers but as friends, and they all spend lots of time hanging out with each other after work and on weekends.

    They’re all friends, very close friends. And when a new employee starts work at the factory, a West African man called Fernando (Welket Bungue), Elias welcomes him into the fold and nothing much changes for these happy-go-lucky group of people who work hard and play much much harder.

    And play is just what Elias likes to do. He’s openly gay at work and in his personal life, and there appears to be no issue with his colleagues when he takes up with fellow young co-worker Wellington (Lucas Andrade). Wellington introduces Elias to a gaggle of drag queens with a queen bee who wonders out loud where all the fabric Wellington and Elias brought to them comes from. But it doesn’t matter for these folks, life is one big party, and with that comes alcohol and sex.

    In Body Electric, director Marcelo Caetano relies on lots of lingering shots to portray his cast in ways that make them look and feel so real, it, at times makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping on their lives, and loves. But Body Electric is all about Elias and how happy he is, and how happy his co-workers are who toil away at the factory day in and day out, and we are very happy for all of them.

    Available to buy from Amazon

  • FILM REVIEW | Thor Ragnarok

    THOR RAGNAROK – The Third official Thor film stays largely in outer space this time and is all the better for it and this time he has the Hulk for company too.

    Nutshell – Our hero loses a battle against his evil Sister Hela and is imprisoned across the galaxy with evil brother Loki (What a family!) on a gladiatorial planet where his next opponent is a truly p*ssed off Incredible Hulk his former Avenger mate. He has to escape the inescapable planet, travel 100,000 miles and defeat the uber b*tch to save his home planet of Asgard but he is way too late and whose side is Loki actually on?

    Running Time – 130 minutes; Certificate – 12A.

    Tagline – ‘No Hammer, No Problem’ yes the big hunk of spunk loses his massive weapon for the whole of this movie.

    THEGAYUK Factor – Chris Hemsworth taking his shirt off over and over again here and his body is better than ever. This Aussie studfukka is top of most guys wank bank list just ahead of his equally hot younger brother (see below) and you get Idris Elba too here in a very very tight top.

    Cast – Chris ‘Come to bed eyes’ Hemsworth aided and abetted by a bunch of superstars including Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Goldblum, Benedict Cumberbatch now that is one serious cast and a huge load of hot talent.

    Key Player – The whole cast of Guardians Of The Galaxy‘s 1 & 2 who have added humour to the Marvel Universe without getting cheesy. The massive success of those 2 movies since the last muddled Thor film are present in the ingredients here; this film is so funny and comes out like Guardians 3 and that is a very good thing indeed…now if we can only get the Guardian’s Chris Pine and Hemsworth in the same film we will never watch gay porn again.

    Budget – $180 Million as there is no such thing as a cheap Marvel or DC Comic film these days as they all make huge amounts of cash (Unless they are called The Fantastic Four). This will make as much as any of them and set up next May’s Avengers Civil War which could easily be the biggest film of all time.

    Best Bit – 0.49 mins; The big gladiatorial battle been Thor and Hulk finally kicks off and boy is it good and with real threat as Hulk is a real bad boy here. The battle looks really nasty and Thor seems like a real gonna. Don’t be late as the pre-credits action scene in Ragnaroks hell-like dungeon is just as good.

    Worst Bit – 0.14 mins; The pointless and overly stylised appearance of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is just unnecessary and comes over like showboating by Marvel studios which sometimes seem a bit cameo happy.

    Little Secret – On the subject of cameos in one scene where we get Matt Damon, Sam Neill and Chris Hemsworth’s hot sexy little brother Liam Hemsworth all appear. Thor’s hammer is smashed here and he doesn’t get it back and won’t it is gone for good. The original Hammer destruction scene was meant to be in New York with Brisbane standing in and can be seen in the trailers but the director changed it to a random field at a later date in re-shoots which is what makes it into the film.

    Further Viewing – Guardians 1 & 2 and anything else from the Marvel universe to start with but as this is the comic book film set entirely in space it also reeks of the Star Wars prequels too which is definitely no bad thing so try The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith also.

    Any Good – This is a very good Marvel film and a step up from Wonder Woman and Doctor Strange and it is also the best Thor chapter yet. You get Thor with sexy long hair and even sexier short hair all for your £8 ticket price. Yet It is the humour that makes it special of course there is a tonne of action and visual effects but Thor sure owes those Guardians a drink or two.

    Rating – 80% out of 100.

     

    Pre-Order from Amazon | iTunes

  • FILM REVIEW | Call Me By Your Name

    ★★★ | Call Me By Your Name

    FILM REVIEW | Call Me By Your Name

    There is a gay-themed film that has just been released that is getting rave and five-star reviews. And while it is very good,  it’s also not your typical gay relationship film.

    Call Me By Your Name tells the story about an adult who has an affair with a younger man. The adult in question is the actor Armie Hammer (who in real life happens to be 31, but looks older, and in this film he is playing a 24-year old) who is playing is Oliver. The young man in question is Elio, played by Timothée Chalamet (who happens to 21 in real life but plays a 17-year old in the film but looks a lot younger). The story, based on the 2007 book of the same name by André Aciman, is about a sexual relationship between Oliver and Elio.

    Oliver, you see, has been hired by Elio’s parents, wealthy couple the Perlmans (Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar), to help Mr. Perlman with his archeological work. But what happens is that the closeted Elio (who is wooed by the local girls who vie for his attention) becomes enamoured with, and by, Oliver. Oliver, who is a man’s man, with a chest full of hair, is a very confident man who can practically have anyone he wants. He, however, enters into a relationship with Elio. It’s really hard to believe that a man of the world like Oliver could be sexually attracted to Elio. And while Elio is a good-looking young man, he’s still quite young for someone whom Oliver could fancy.  So it’s a bit inappropriate for a man like Oliver to be sexually attracted, and to sexually satisfy Elio, in various locations, including having interludes in the Perlman family home where they conveniently have adjoining rooms which allow for lots of loving glances across their rooms. Elio’s parents do realise what’s happening and turn a blind eye to the relationship and let nature take it’s course.

    Call Me By Your Name is a beautiful and lush film, directed with care by Italian director Luca Guadagnino. It lovingly highlights the Italian countryside and the small cityscapes of Lombardy; the film has beautiful camerawork and the acting by all involved is top notch. Chalamet is a real find – his Elio commands the screen. Chalamet looks very very comfortable in front of the camera, clothes on or off (there is absolutely no full frontal nudity in this film, though some of the sex scenes look all too real). Hammer is also very good in this role – a role that is not a typical role for him to play. And there is scene, which you must have heard about by now, that involves a peach. Yes, a peach, which Elio uses, and which involves Oliver, that was a bit too much for me. But it’s the scene where the credits roll up at the end of the film where you can’t leave your seat or avert your eyes – it’s these few minutes where Chamalet as Elio will mesmerize, and seduce you. So it’s at this point that you think that perhaps you can’t blame Oliver for falling for him because it’s at this point you will do the same as well.

    In selected Cinemas now

    Pre-order from Amazon | iTunes

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Exorcist, Phoenix Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | The Exorcist

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Exorcist, Phoenix Theatre, London

    Breaking news: There is a young girl who is possessed by the devil in the West End.

    Her name is Regan, and she is 12 years old. She once used to be a playful little girl, happy, singing, always with a smile on her face. Then one day she started mentioning to her mom that she had an imaginary friend in her room. This friend, which went by the name Captain Howdy, would talk to her, and tell her to do things. But eventually Captain Howdy started to take over her life, and her body, while mysterious and strange goings-on take place in the house (windows opening, doors not closing, strange writing on the wall). But the worst was yet to come. Regan started to harm herself, and harm others, and the sight of blood didn’t phase her. But she was becoming extremely dangerous, not just to herself, but to the people in her household, which includes her actress mother’s best friend and film director, Burke Dennings. At some point, Regan needs to be tied to her bed, and it’s then, and only then, that we realize that Regan is possessed by the devil. She spews vomit, turns her head at a 360-degree angle, and levitates over her bed – actions that only can be performed by something that is very very evil – not of this world. Regan’s mother by this time has lost her wits – she doesn’t understand and can’t cope with all this, so she brings in Father Damien Karras whose job it is to determine if Regan is actually possessed, and soon enough he realises this is the case. So it’s time for the Exorcism and it will take the work, and expertise, of one Father Merrin to free Regan of the evil inside of her, an evil that could kill Regan if it’s not exorcised out of her in time.

    Based on the hit, and terrifying movie of the same name, and now cleverly adapted for the stage by John Pielmeier, The Exorcist is scaring audiences at The Phoenix Theatre, and scaring is putting it mildly. What the director, Sean Mathias, and cast have done is to have successfully brought the story to a live audience and all of its bone-chilling and terrifying moments. With the excellent performance by Clare Louise Connolly who lives and breathes Regan and the voice of the devil by Ian McKellan in tandem they practically make is a believable experience. Peter Bowles chews up his scenes as Father Merrin and Adam Garcia is a very good as Karras while Tristram Wymark as Dennings has the much needed funny lines in the show to relieve the chills. The Exorcist is downright scary, not suitable for children, but nice and scary for the adults. Perfect for this time of year.

     

    The Exorcist plays at the Phoenix Theatre until 10th March 2018

  • TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII Episode 4: Mechocracy

    So after a very divisive episode last week, we are presented with a very uniting one this week.

    Mechocracy has been hailed as one of the best episodes since series 6 and it’s easy to see why.

    This episode has Rimmer and Lister bickering, Kryten on cheeky form, the Cat in a bit of a pickle and the return of an old “friend” or rather “frennimy”.

    The Dwarfers find themselves in trouble when all the machines go on strike and demand a leader to do their bidding. Soon the boys find themselves locked in a gloves-at-dawn election battle complete with smear campaigns and Rimmer (or rather Chris Barrie) doing a pitch-perfect David Cameron impression.
    A wonderful idea with some very nostalgic moments that fit seamlessly into the episode and reminds us of the fact that this series leads us into the 30th anniversary year.

    Red Dwarf continues on Dave TV tonight at 9PM

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Legally Blonde – Sheffield Theatres and National Tour

    ★★★ | Legally Blonde – Sheffield Theatres and National Tour

    With a penchant for pink, an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion and an excitable outlook on life, sorority sister Elle thinks she is about to get engaged to her sweetheart and live out a life of pink, fashion-filled happiness. But instead of proposing, he dumps her for not being serious enough, and she decides that the best way to win him back is to follow him to Harvard and graduate in law. Despite not being the average Harvard student, she soon surpasses everyone’s expectations and earns a place on her law professor’s internship, where she helps to represent a famous fitness guru who is charged with murder. But can Elle prove her worth in the courtroom, or will she forever be perceived as being Legally Blonde.

    Based on the hit 2001 film, this show has all of the usual musical elements present and correct. From cheerleading sorority sisters to the sleazy law professor; this feel-good musical has a will they/won’t they love story, an underlying moral message about being true to yourself and plenty of fun to be had along the way.

    Lucie Jones (X-Factor) is surprisingly impressive as Elle Woods, performing the lead role with a fine voice and a natural and affable stage presence. Rita Simons (Eastenders) provides strong support as Pauline, Elle’s hairdressing friend, and plays the part with just enough of a tongue-in-cheek feeling to pull off the role; and the ensemble cast give it their all whilst constantly looking like they’re having fun

    Unlike many musicals, Legally Blonde has a stronger second act and doesn’t sag in the middle, meaning that whilst the show doesn’t endear itself to you from the outset, the writing, pace and momentum keep building until you do eventually fall for its charms. At times, the show is not too far away from a sing-through musical; with a barrage of songs which are catchy, if ultimately forgettable, and that progress the narrative nicely. The musical numbers are varied, fun, colourful and broadly energetic with musical highlights including a courtroom witness dilemma and trying to decide Is He Gay or European, an eighties style workout number in Whipped Into Shape and a cheerleader ensemble in What You Want.

    Legally Blonde is a fairly shallow piece of fluff, which has an abundance of bubble-gum pink and giggly sorority sisters, but also has with it an infectious feel; a vibrant energy, good-natured humour, plenty of colour and, most importantly, lots of fun. The production is bold, brash, camp and loud, and whilst this is not life changing theatre (and it never pretends to be), it serves its role as a rather enjoyable couple of hours of escapism.

    Legally Blonde is currently playing at Sheffield Theatres until the 4th November 2017 before continuing on its national tour through to June 2018.