Legally Blonde marks return of musical theatre at Culford School near Bury St Edmunds
Students have been congratulated for an 'excellent' show following the first full-scale musical in three years at their school.
Pupils at Culford School, near Bury St Edmunds, produced and performed Legally Blonde the Musical to hundreds of people last week, from Wednesday, November 23, to Friday, November 25.
It was the independent school's first musical production since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Legally Blonde the Musical follows the story of smitten sorority girl Elle Woods, who follows her ex-boyfriend Warner to Harvard Law School to win him back.
As the school year evolves, Elle discovers that her knowledge of the law can transform people's lives for the better and she sets out on a journey to defy expectations.
Supported by an ensemble of iconic friends, Elle proves that staying true to yourself never goes out of style.
Representing the Elle Woods of Gen Z, the production highlights positive societal change as she arrives at a more diverse Harvard Law School than one of the past, where campuses were predominantly cisgender (where a person's sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex), heterosexual, white and male-dominated.
The running theme throughout the performance is identity, having confidence in yourself and being true to who you are.
Erin Lacey, Culford School's head of drama, said Centenary Hall was transformed to bring this modern production to life, complete with a professional set, lighting and live band.
She said: "Just like Elle, we all need to set a goal to achieve. I hope the cast feels they have accomplished a great deal by taking part in such a big project and I want to congratulate all the pupils on an excellent show.
"Everyone shone in their own way, aligning with Elle's mantra of being yourself. There has been some wonderful feedback from parents and pupils and we are already planning our next production."
The lead role of Elle Woods was double cast, with both actresses taking on the responsibilities and 'working beautifully together'.
Upper Sixth pupil Lucy and Upper Fifth pupil Phoebe impressed audiences with their interpretations of the fun and bubbly Elle Woods, blasting out numbers such as 'What You Want', 'Legally Blonde' and 'Take It Like A Man', said Erin.
She added a 'fantastic' supporting cast of Fifth Form pupils Sam and Oliver as Warner and Emmett offered brilliant support in the duets.
She said stand-out moments included: 'Whipped into Shape' with Upper Fifth pupil Louwna delivering a fantastic solo whilst skipping and dancing simultaneously; Lower Sixth pupil Lucy portrayed a funny and sensitive Paulette alongside Upper Fifth pupil Charlie, who had audiences in fits of laughter as Kyle the delivery guy; the consistent positive energy of the Delta Nu's added pace to the performance; whilst Fifth Form pupils Alex and Tess gave a balanced and convincing portrayal of Professor Callahan and Vivienne.
