Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society deliver sparkling performance of Legally Blonde

THERE are few shows as fun to watch or to perform as Legally Blonde: The Musical. 

Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society (CMDS) have proved that beyond all reasonable doubt (to borrow legal parlance) with what could well be their most fun show yet.

Legally Blonde starts at 100 miles per hour and doesn’t slow up until the second act.

Set in early 00’s-ish America, this musical adaptation of the film follows Elle Woods (Lorna Dennehy), a privileged sorority girl who goes to Harvard Law School to win back her shallow boyfriend Warren (Enda Mulchrone).

Before we say any more, let’s have a word for CMDS newcomer Lorna Dennehy, who was the star of the show.

With a performance that gleamed with girly sass, swagger and joie de vivre from her head to her toe, Dennehy was an absolute joy to behold.

Make no mistake, Elle is a difficult role to play. She is rarely off stage, has 11 costumes (including some rapid-quick changes), needs loads of energy and must come across as likeable rather than stuck up.

Quite simply, Dennehy looked like she was born to play this part and clearly loved every minute of it.

_{Lorna Dennehy as Elle Woods and Paul O'Brien as Emmet during Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society's production of Legally Blonde: The Musical}

So too did the rest of the cast, who smiled, cringed, grimaced, sang and danced their way to a pop-rock soundtrack delivered by Deirdre Lee’s superb band.

Flanking Dennehy were three CMDS veterans Emma Daly (Serena), Nicole Scott (Margot) and Ewa Cieslak (Pilar), who play friends of Elle’s in the show. Each of them were utterly superb and sported smiles that were as impressive as their singing and dancing.

The aforementioned Enda Mulchrone was appropriately stuck-up and detached as the aspiring senator, Warner, while Paul O’Brien gave a lovely, believable performance as Emmett.

Matthew Largent, another veteran of last year’s production of ‘All Shook Up’, was yet again excellent as the slimy, stern law professor Callahan.

There was not one weak link either among the small army of supporting characters, including but not limited to, Paulette (Olywn Behan), Vivienne (Katie Padden), Enid (Aoife Halligan), Brooke (Sarah Granahan) and Kyle (Andrew Hannon).

_{Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society cast members during their production of Legally Blonde: The Musical} 

Each one knew their part and embraced to perfection as the gags, songs and dances rolled along faster than Baxter’s assembly line - without ever feeling rushed. 

And how can we forget our two dogs, Molly and Charlie, the miniature Pomeranian and English bulldog who had all eyes on them any time they set their paws on stage.

From the electrifying opener ‘Omigod You Guys’, this production did not diminish or wane in tempo or energy in the slightest.

Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society have set the bar for comedy quite high with Legally Blonde, a show that can only be summed up in three words: fun, fun, fun!

Go and enjoy it while you still can.

Tickets for the remaining performances of Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical are available now.

_{Castlebar Musical & Dramatic Society cast members during their production of Legally Blonde: The Musical}