Everything you need to know about 'Legally Blonde' in the West End

Omigod, you guys! The effervescent musical comedy plays at the London Coliseum in spring 2027, starring Amber Davies as Elle Woods.

Summary

• Legally Blonde was first performed on Broadway in 2007 and in the West End in 2010
• The London production was the Olivier Award for Best New Musical
• Nikolai Foster's new production stars Amber Davies as Elle Woods
• The show plays at the London Coliseum from 22 March to 22 May 2027

Get studying and prepare to head to Harvard Law School next spring! Legally Blonde is back in London. Based on the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, the musical version debuted on Broadway in 2007 and in the West End in 2010, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

Arriving in the West End following a UK tour, Nikolai Foster’s production stars Amber Davies (Strictly Come Dancing, The Great Gatsby) as bubbly blonde aspiring lawyer Elle Woods. Bend and snap for tickets to this hot pink extravaganza with plenty of legal know-how and an even bigger heart!

Book Legally Blonde tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.

What is Legally Blonde about?

Legally Blonde is about Elle Woods, a Malibu girl who has it all. She’s president of her sorority and she’s expecting her boyfriend Warner Huntington III to propose – but Warner has other ideas. He’s about to start Harvard Law School and needs a partner who's more "serious". Not to be dissuaded, Elle decides that she’ll show Warner that she’s more than a “dumb blonde” by enrolling alongside him at Harvard... what, like it’s hard?!

Who wrote Legally Blonde?

Legally Blonde features music and lyrics by husband-and-wife team Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe. Benjamin also contributed the lyrics to Mean Girls and O’Keefe provided music, lyrics, and book for Bat Boy and he also collaborated with Kevin Murphy on Heathers. The book is by Heather Hach, who wrote the screenplay for the 2003 film Freaky Friday.

Is there a movie version of Legally Blonde?

The musical version of Legally Blonde is based on the hit 2001 film of the same name, which provided Reese Witherspoon with what's arguably her signature role. The cast also included Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette, Luke Wilson as Emmett, Selma Blair as Vivienne, and Victor Garber as Professor Callahan. With its effervescent central performance and endlessly quotable script, it’s a true classic of the “chick flick” genre.

The sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde appeared in 2008, and a prequel series titled Elle, charting Elle’s high school experiences, was released on Amazon Prime earlier this year.

When did Legally Blonde premiere?

Legally Blonde was first performed at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre in January 2007 and transferred to Broadway’s Palace Theatre that April. The production was directed by Jerry Mitchell and was led by Laura Bell Bundy as Elle, Orfeh as Paulette, and Christian Borle as Emmett. The show played for 30 previews and 595 performances.

The West End production debuted at the Savoy Theatre in January 2010 starring Sheridan Smith and Jill Halfpenny. It ran for significantly longer than the Broadway production, with 974 performances. The show has toured the UK numerous times and received a non-traditional revival at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre directed by Lucy Moss in 2022.

What awards has Legally Blonde won?

The Broadway production of Legally Blonde was nominated for seven Tony Awards. The West End production was nominated for five Olivier Awards and won three: Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Sheridan Smith), and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Jill Halfpenny).

Where is Legally Blonde playing?

Legally Blonde is playing at the London Coliseum, located on St Martin’s Lane. The Coliseum is one of London’s most beautiful and ornate venues, designed by the renowned Edwardian theatre architect Frank Matcham. With 2,389 seats, it is also the largest venue in the West End. It is the London home of English National Opera and English National Ballet, and the venue frequently hosts musicals, including Kinky Boots earlier this year. Following Legally Blonde’s run, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Michael Ball will play in summer 2027.

When is Legally Blonde playing?

Legally Blonde is playing from 22 March to 22 May 2027. Performances take place from Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2:30pm.

How long is Legally Blonde?

Legally Blonde runs at 2 hours 20 minutes, including one interval.

Who is in the Legally Blonde cast?

Legally Blonde is led by Amber Davies as Elle Woods. Like Elle, Davies knows a thing or two about trying new things, having competed on Love Island in 2017 (which she won); Dancing on Ice in 2024, and Strictly Come Dancing in 2025 (in which she was a finalist). Her musical theatre credits include 9 to 5: The Musical, Back to the Future, Pretty Woman: The Musical, and The Great Gatsby.

Further casting is to be announced.

Who is in the Legally Blonde creative team?

Legally Blonde is directed by Nikolai Foster, artistic director of the Leicester Curve. Foster’s production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will play at the London Coliseum following Legally Blonde in summer 2027. His other West End productions include Kinky Boots, A Chorus Line, and The Wizard of Oz.

The production also features choreography by Leah Hill, musical supervision and additional arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design by Colin Richmond, costume design by Tom Rogers, wigs, hair and make-up design by Sam Cox, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, and sound design by Adam Fisher.

Who are the characters in Legally Blonde?

Legally Blonde features the following cast of characters:

Elle Woods: a kind-hearted sorority girl from California who enrols at Harvard Law School in an attempt to win her ex-boyfriend back. Emmett Forrest: a conscientious young lawyer and teaching assistant who recognises Elle’s potential. Paulette Buonufonte: a hopelessly romantic but underconfident beautician who becomes friends with Elle. Warner Huntington III: Elle’s ex-boyfriend, whose family have big ambitions for him. Vivienne Kensington: Warner’s uptight new fiancée. Professor Callahan: a high-powered attorney and law instructor. Brooke Wyndham: a fitness guru on trial for the murder of her husband. Enid: a radical feminist lesbian law student. Kyle: a handsome UPS courier.
Margot, Serena, and Pilar: Elle’s sorority sisters who form a buoyant “Greek chorus”.

What are the songs in Legally Blonde?

Legally Blonde features the following fun and bubbly numbers:

Act I

“Overture”
"Omigod You Guys" – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Salesgirls, and Delta Nus "Serious" – Warner and Elle "Daughter of Delta Nu" – Serena, Margot, Pilar and Delta Nus
"What You Want" – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Kate, Elle's Parents, Grandmaster Chad and Company "The Harvard Variations" – Emmett, Aaron, Enid, Padamadan, Warner and Harvard Students "Blood in the Water" – Callahan, Aaron, Enid, Elle, Vivienne and Harvard Students "Positive" – Elle, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Greek Chorus "Ireland" – Paulette "Ireland" (Reprise) – Paulette "Serious" (Reprise) – Elle and Warner "Chip On My Shoulder" – Emmett, Elle, Greek Chorus "Run Rufus Run/Elle Reflects"- Elle
"So Much Better" – Elle, Greek Chorus and Company

__Act II __

“Entr’acte”
"Whipped into Shape" – Brooke, Callahan and Company "Delta Nu Nu Nu" – Elle and Brooke
"Take It Like a Man" – Elle, Emmett and Salespeople "Bend and Snap" – Elle, Paulette, Serena, Margot, Pilar, Hairdressers, Kyle, and Company "There! Right There!" – Elle, Callahan, Emmett, Brooke, Vivienne, Warner, Enid, Judge, Nikos, Carlos and Company "Legally Blonde" – Elle and Emmett "Legally Blonde Remix" – Vivienne, Elle, Paulette, Kyle, Enid, Elle's Parents, Margot, Serena, Pilar, Brooke and Company "Scene of the Crime" – Elle, Judge, Serena, Margot, Pilar and Company
"Omigod You Guys (Reprise)" – Elle, Brooke, Margot, Serena, Pilar, Judge, and Company
"Find My Way/Finale" – Elle, Paulette, Emmett and Company

What are some fun facts about Legally Blonde?

• Legally Blonde is based on a novel by Amanda Brown, which was inspired her own experiences at Stanford Law School. Brown wrote the original manuscript with a fluffy pen on pink paper, which is apparently how it got noticed in the slush pile.

• The iconic “Bend and Snap” sequence, in which Elle shows Paulette a attention-grabbing move to attract her crush’s notice (it has an 83% return on a dinner invitation), was invented spontaneously when tipsy in a bar by the movie’s co-writer Kirsten Smith, who was struggling to develop a storyline for Paulette in the second half of the movie. Works every time!

• Elle Woods has inspired a generation of female lawyers who salute Elle’s energy, hard work, and dedication to staying true to herself. Among other things, it’s possible to be professional and wear pink!

• In 2007, Legally Blonde was broadcast on MTV, making it the first musical to be aired in full on TV while playing on Broadway.

Book Legally Blonde tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.