Legally Blonde - Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Are critics maybe weary of criticising a show that is so inclusive and diverse? Would they be “cancelled” if they did?

the outfit worked perfectly. elle harnessing the powers of her personality after going through an intense crisis. felt seamless. 

WOS had people there doing Instagram stories all evening with a very excited tone, so I guess it would have then been hard to give it a mediocre review.

Doubt that could afford felt. Or seams, for that matter. The costumes are absolutely dire.

That seems a very good point. Would a black American young woman really assume that she was being judged negatively for having blonde hair? Wouldn't she be more likely to think it was due to racism? Incidentally, is Elle's line "For years I denied my highlights." included in this production? Given her hair colour clearly can't be natural.

I've always wanted to visit the open air theatre buuuut... I think I'll wait for the next production.

Not that I ever took notice of critics I’m beginning to trust them less and less. These 5 star reviews are being handed out like Primary School good behaviour stickers.

I love the Bend and Schnapps drink title and agree with Christya that Elle was supposed to be very stylish so would only wear what she looked good in.

It is more that the critics appear to have suspended their usual critical faculties and just focused on the diversity and inclusivity of the casting.

There is no denying that these things matter. But they do not mean that the production should not be held to the same standard as any other show.

I think that lies at the heart of the frustration expressed towards many of these reviews.

Perfectly put.
Ok so the casting may be ‘groundbreaking’ by usual WE standards but does it make the show any better for it? Some of the casting makes less sense when you scrutinise the text. And while ‘ground breaking’ this version should be held up to the same standards as any other show. Does it make the ‘GEN Z’ costumes any more flattering, the set any better or the sound more audible? It’s almost like the show is being given a pass because Lucy Moss is the shiny new kid on the block with ‘avant- grade ideas’ and no one dare call out the inclusive casting or weird ideas for risk of being cancelled or branded old fashioned. When really it’s the sort of ideas you’d try in a student production..
For eg in some critics view how can ‘Gay or European’ sail close to unacceptability by modern tastes but ‘gimp’ ‘camp dogs’ ‘getting it on’ be ok? In my view GOE always poked fun at the superficiality of appearance (major theme in LB) while fully grown men mincing around the stage is a stereotype I thought had been cancelled long ago with the half a sixpence photographer et al.

That might be true, but not all gay men are like that and that is very rarely represented in media and arts. The problem is musical theatre always returns to the same stereotypes of gay men, and often for a cheap laugh. Stereotyoes exist for a reason, yes, but imagine if only stereotypes of other minority demographics of society were shown.