1st Night Photos: Blonde Has More Opening Fun

Sheridan Smith got both of her guys, Duncan James and Alex Gaumond, at the after-party for last night’s opening gala of Legally Blonde, in which Smith stars in the title role of Elle Woods.

Producers of the Broadway screen-to-stage import, which has been previewing at the Savoy Theatre since 5 December 2009, have broken with West End convention by inviting critics attend staggered performances prior to the official opening, as is the norm in New York (See Michael Coveney's blog).

A boon for photographers and autograph hunters, the absence of the critical coterie at last night’s gala left room for even more stellar guests. Amongst those attending the theatre and celebrations at the Waldorf Hilton afterwards were: Neil Pearson, Zoe Tyler, Verity Rushworth, Angela Rippon, Douglas Hodge, John Partridge, Caprice Bourret, Maria Friedman, Sian Phillips, Graham Norton, Siobhan Dillon, Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, Stephen Mangan, Summer Strallen, Britt Ekland, Kathryn Drysdale, Brenda Edwards, Kim Medcalf, Jason Isaacs, Claire Sweeney, Bob Geldof, Brenda Blethyn, Matthew Warchus and David Tennant.

TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF LEGALLY BLONDE’s 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE "NEXT >" LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.

The musical comedy, which premiered on Broadway in April 2007, is based on the 2001 Hollywood film in which Reese Witherspoon played California sorority girl Elle Woods who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School in an attempt to win him back.

Sheridan Smith stars as Elle, with ex-Blue pop star Duncan James as Elle’s heartbreaker college sweetheart Warner and Alex Gaumond as her new love interest Emmett (See News, 21 Jul 2009). Peter Davison is Harvard professor Callahan and Jill Halfpenny is Paulette, the hairdresser who Elle befriends. The cast also features Aoife Mulholland and Susan McFadden.

Legally Blonde marks the Broadway and West End directorial debut for Jerry Mitchell, a previous Whatsonstage.com Best Choreographer Award winner for Hairspray and The Full Monty. The musical has a book by Heather Hach and music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe. Songs include “Ohmigod You Guys”, “Serious”, “The Harvard Variations”, “Whipped into Shape”, “Find My Way” and the title number.

The London production is designed by David Rockwell, with costumes by Gregg Barnes, lighting by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller, sound by ACME Sound Partners and orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke. It's produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Robert G Bartner, Ambassador Theatre Group, Jamie Hendry Productions and Act Productions and is currently booking to 23 May 2010.

- by Terri Paddock

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
	Legally Blonde Listing Page

Internal Links
	Photo: First peek at Sunshine Boys Danny DeVito & Richard Griffiths - 19th Mar 2012 photos
	Legally Blonde's Carley Stenson goes green as Shrek's Princess Fiona - 8th Mar 2012 news
	Danny DeVito makes West End debut with Richard Griffiths in Sunshine Boys - 30th Jan 2012 news
	Legally Blonde posts West End closing notices, 7 April - 25th Jan 2012 news
	Cast: Ashfield & Thomas Go Blonde, Blackman is Gertie - 31st Aug 2011 news
	WOS TV: Up Close With ... Legally Blonde's Lee Mead - 1st Aug 2011 tv
	Top Ten: Awe-inspiring Stage Special Effects - 18th Jul 2011 features
	Photos: Carley Stenson Takes Over as Legally Elle - 11th Jul 2011 photos
	Photos: Lee Mead Plays Emmett in Legally Blonde - 20th Jun 2011 photos
	Brinkley Models Roxie, Carley Stenson Plays Elle - 9th Jun 2011 news
	WOS Winners Smith & Karimloo Join Gaumond - 6th May 2011 news
	Blonde Natalie Casey, Seymour-Marsh Joins MDQ - 22nd Mar 2011 news
	Natalie Casey Next for Legally Blonde??? - 21st Mar 2011 gossip
	Lee Mead Plays Legally Blonde Emmett from Jun - 17th Mar 2011 news
	Legally Blonde Starts Tour in Liverpool, Grease - 15th Mar 2011 news
	Jo Caird: Hands Up Who Likes Musical Theatre? - 15th Mar 2011 blog
	Blog: Sheridan Smith's Last Day on Legally Blonde - 8th Jan 2011 blog
	Susan McFadden Is Legally Blonde Elle from Jan - 17th Dec 2010 news
	Photos: Van Outen Joins New Legally Blonde Cast - 10th Nov 2010 photos
	Denise Van Outen Goes Legally Blonde, New Cast - 27th Aug 2010 news
	Extensions: Sheridan Smith's Elle, Boheme & Mis - 26th Aug 2010 news
	Van Outen Goes Blonde, Bundy Stays Stateside??? - 11th Aug 2010 gossip
	OMG! Who Will Star in Legally Blonde from 23 Oct??? - 23rd Jul 2010 gossip
	Jennifer Ellison Not Legally Bound for West End??? - 2nd Jul 2010 gossip
	Photos: Richard Fleeshman Bows in Blonde - 29th Jun 2010 photos
	Musicals Extend: Blonde, Dirty, Thriller & WWRY - 9th Jun 2010 news
	Cast: Fleeshman Goes Legally, Hoods, Wolfboy - 11th May 2010 news
	Musicals Extend: Legally Blonde, Priscilla, Stomp - 27th Jan 2010 news
	1st Night TV: Legally Blonde’s Pretty in Pink Gala - 14th Jan 2010 tv
	Review Round-up: What's the Verdict on Legally? - 14th Jan 2010 roundup
	Legally Blonde - 14th Jan 2010 reviews
	WOS Radio: Legally Blonde Team Face Questions - 7th Jan 2010 radio
	Legally Blonde Reports 'Unprecedented' Sales - 22nd Dec 2009 news
	Photos: Smith & Cast Launch West End Legally - 30th Sep 2009 photos
	Sheridan Smith & Duncan James Lead Legally - 21st Apr 2009 news
	Legally Blonde Sets UK Premiere for Savoy, 5 Dec - 1st Apr 2009 news