Dumb Blonde

Reese Witherspoon in 2001’s Legally Blonde (the movie) proved that raw star power can sometimes trump barefaced marketing. You wanted to hate the high-concept affair – you really, really wanted to – but in the end, Witherspoon’s winning portrayal of poor little rich girl Elle Woods made it impossible to...

By Clay McNear

September 17, 2009

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Reese Witherspoon in 2001’s Legally Blonde (the movie) proved that raw star power can sometimes trump barefaced marketing. You wanted to hate the high-concept affair – you really, really wanted to – but in the end, Witherspoon’s winning portrayal of poor little rich girl Elle Woods made it impossible to work up much more than a bland disgruntlement.

Legally Blonde: The Musical, alas for it, has 1) no Witherspoon and 2) a whole lot of by-rote production numbers with titles such as “Omigod You Guys,” “Daughter of Delta Nu,” and “Bend and Snap.” Though we haven’t seen the touring show, we feel that 1) it’s our duty to let you know it’s coming to town beginning Tuesday, September 22, and 2) you might be more than blandly disgruntled after laying down $19.75 to $68 for a ticket.

The reviews we’ve read are almost universally . . . blandly disgruntled. (Our fave, from Backstage.com: “‘Lethally bland’ is perhaps too harsh a description for this derivative but harmlessly giddy musical marshmallow.”)

Sept. 22-27, 2009

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