Legally Blonde - Manchester Opera House

By Miranda Newey

IF a triumphant underdog tale amid a pink-saturated theme is not your cup of tea then the stage version of Legally Blonde won’t be for you.

But if a far fetched fairytale ending and the giddiness of a female friendship group is up your street then the musical is not to be missed.

Set at Boston’s prestigious Harvard University, character Elle Woods, played by Faye Brookes, embarks on a major life transformation where she ditches her previous pastimes of shopping and pool parties in Malibu in a bid to secure back the heart of her lost love Warner Huntington III, played by Pop Idol’s Gareth Gates.

Her new life training for a law career may seem extreme but it’s all in a bid to convince him she’s more serious – more of a Jackie Kennedy and less of a Marilyn Munro.

Faye Brookes’ interpretation of the plucky role is infectious. Faye is a dead ringer for the film’s Reese Witherspoon but with even more talent.

Gates managed to shake off his squeaky clean image off stage to become the show’s heartbreaker.

Jennifer Ellison made a return to the stage to star as Paulette, the hairdressing friend of Elle, who is looking for love.

She was a favourite with the audience but one criticism would be that her American accent occasionally dropped into her Liverpudlian twang.

Nevertheless, this show ended with the standing ovation it deserved.