MUSIC THEATRE actress Elaina O`Connor`s blonde hair and bubbly personality aren`t the only similarities she has with her legal blonde character Elle Woods, she also has an interest in law school, though it`s not part of a plan to win back a former boyfriend. Based on the popular film of the same name, this life-affirming musical follows the transformation of fashion and style Elle Woods after her life was turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner Huntington III left her before leaving California to attend the prestigious Harvard Law School. Determined to bring him back, she followed Warner to Massachusetts and ingeniously went to Harvard. But from that point on, things don`t go quite as planned. HAMA Productions brings the hit film Chick, which has become a musical, right here in Perth. Legal Blonde the Musical focuses on “It Girl,” Elle Woods, who emerges from a breakup with her Warner boyfriend in the halls of Harvard Law School to win him back. Legal Blonde The Musical has shown that the future of performance in Western Australia is bright as local theatre companies continue to prove they have far more potential than it seems. With the return of other original actors, including Lloyd Hopkins playing assistant Emmett Forrest, the season also has other familiar faces from the musical theatre world, including Vincent Hooper and John O`Hara, who returned to Perth due to the pandemic. “I`d love to do this (musical theater) for a while, but I kind of consider myself a real Elle Woods because before I found musical theater, I actually wanted to study law in high school,” O`Connor of Darch said. This production is filled with laughter and wellness songs that will make you say “OMIGOD!” Legally Blonde has won numerous awards, including Best New Musical at the 2011 Olivier Awards and received 7 nominations at the 2007 Tony Awards. The production also includes songs written by Laurence O`Keefe and Nell Benjamin with the book by Heather Hatch.

In addition, the musical will feature local talent from Perth, with Elaina O`Connor in the charming role of Elle and Lloyd Hopkins, who will star alongside her as Emmett Forrest. Based on the popular film of the same name, starring Reese Witherspoon, the upbeat and energetic musical is a pink “bend and slam” extravaganza that fits the plot of the film of an underrated ambitious blonde who excels at Harvard Law School while looking fabulous. After surprising herself at the amount of script she remembered, O`Connor said her biggest challenge was less to learn lines and focus more on perseverance, as can be found in every song and dance number, including the surprising nine-minute What You Want. The orchestra pit was filled with world-class musicians under the direction of Marty Pervan as conductor. Jake Goodsell, the façade operator, was also particularly noteworthy. Opening nights can sometimes be fraught with technical pitfalls, but there were very few lost clues and the band sounded fantastic, suggesting that more gigs will only sound better! Legal Blonde is full of high-quality rising stars, a large number of strong dancers, singers and performers who fill the stage with relentless dynamism. Annie Aitken delivered an outstanding performance as Paulette Bonafonte, a New England beautician who clings to a hilarious fantasy of meeting an Irish lover one day. Aitken dominated the stage at every performance with his killer vocal belt and brilliant comic timing. His Irish dream turns out to be Kyle, “the UPS guy”, played by Vincent Hooper, who clearly had a ball that interfered with the role, which was reciprocated by a grateful audience. It can be hard to see past layers of pink glitter, high-pitched voices, and stereotypes, but this performance is based on hard work. HAMA Productions` creative directors and producers, Marina Del Basso and Hamish McSporran, assembled a high-quality production team and cast to ensure a satisfying audience experience.

Refresh your legalese and put on your best pink, because Legal Blonde the Musical will take the crown in April! One wonders if you could find a greater love of dogs than Western Australians! Or maybe it was the young female audience that let out a collective sigh when the two canine artists were seen on stage. Admittedly, Elle`s (Bentley) fur baby and big-eyed French bulldog cross pug Rufus (Phoebe) were a damn cute addition. “The choreographer sent me videos of the choreography, so I did the movements at home and then everything she hadn`t given me, I jumped on the spot singing, so I get used to moving and singing at the same time,” she said. Action-packed and exploding with unforgettable songs and dynamic dances, Legally Blonde is so much fun it should be illegal! We feature Elaina O`Connor as Elle, Annie Aitkin as her beautician Paulette and Lloyd Hopkins as law professor Emmett Forrest. Greg Jarema as Warner and Charlotte Louise as her new lover Vivienne are also on stage.