Legally Blonde The Musical
Q&A with Amber Davies, playing Elle Woods
How long has the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde The Musical been on your wishlist?
For a long time. I’ve actually been singing the material since college. These are songs that I’ve always loved to sing and it’s always been a dream role. In terms of the trajectory of my career it’s one of the biggest female roles in musical theatre when it comes to time on stage and the responsibility of playing her, because the whole show is about her. I feel like the role has come into my life at a good time. You need stamina and you need life knowledge for a part like this, so now is the perfect time for me to play her. If it had come any earlier I would have been too young. Then there’s the story itself. It’s such a powerful story and I feel so lucky that I get to tell it in my own way.
What’s your take on Elle as a character?
She’s a force to be reckoned with. She is a woman who is everything. Yes, she’s beautiful but she’s also intelligent, and women can be both things at the same time. She’s so underestimated, and I love her story arc within the show. She’s got fire and she’s so determined. She’s salt of the earth. First and foremost, she is a very loyal, kind friend and I really want to hone in on that. She’s a firecracker.
Can you relate to her in any way?
When it comes to being underestimated, I can definitely relate to her in that way, as well as how she’s judged in other ways. People think, ‘Oh, she’s blonde, so she’s not intelligent enough.’ I’ve had to contend with similar stuff. When I first got given a leading role in the West End it was like, ‘She’s from a reality show, she can’t be good enough for the stage.’ Although my story is different to hers, I feel like I can actually draw on my own life experiences for this show.
And in what ways are you and Elle different?
She is born into wealth. She is born into a world where probably she would never have to work a day in her life if she didn’t want to. I’m from a working class family and I have to work to pay my taxes.
Is it daunting following in the footsteps of Reese in the movie and the likes of Sheridan Smith and Courtney Bowman in the musical?
I’m honoured that I’m playing a role that so many incredible women have played before and it’s inspiring to follow in their footsteps, but while I have seen so many different versions of Elle and I’ve loved every single one I’m thinking, ‘What can I do differently to put my own stamp on it?’
So, I am just going the extra mile to completely humanise her. With the comedy, the script is so well-written and so funny that I don’t have to add an extra comedy aspect to it, because I think Elle as a character and as she’s written is naturally funny. For me it’s about stripping her back and making her as 3D as I possibly can.
Can you recall when you first saw the film and the impact it had on you?
I actually can’t remember watching it for the first time; I would have been so young. But it’s one of those films that you can watch repeatedly, and it never gets old. I love everything about the movie, from Reese Witherspoon’s performance to the fashion aspect of it. With the musical, we’re setting it in the modern day and it’s like a collaboration of theatre and fashion, which is a dream for me.
It’s such a feel-good show, but is there a serious message in there amidst all the fun?
Yes. That’s why I love Legally Blonde, because it’s funny but it’s got heart too. I really want audiences to feel for Elle when they come to see the show. I want them to care for her and I feel like there’s such a strong, powerful message in there. It’s as simple as ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, which happens every single day in life.
Legally Blonde The Musical is playing at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton from 24th to 28th February. Tickets are available now from www.mayflower.org.uk
