THIS week Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre plays host to the pinktastic musical “Legally Blonde”, writes Kerry Black.

While many people will be familiar with Reece Witherpsoon’s famous 2001 movie, they may not know the musical so well. Fear not, this is a dazzling night out filled with romance, comedy and girl power!

The story sees our heroine, the ditsy blonde Elle Woods (played by the amazing Lucie Jones who recently played Maureen in Rent at the same venue), decide to enter Harvard Law School in pursuit of her posh, preppy boyfriend Warner (played to great effect by Liam Doyle).

Elle is a member of the Delta Nu sorority in Malibu, specialising in Fashion and aims to prove, with the support of her own Greek Chorus of bubblegum costumed friends, that she is more than just a fluffball Barbie as she chases her own living Ken doll!

The whole show is a visual delight, moving from one candy coloured extravaganza to another and full marks must go to Elizabeth Dennis for the costumes, especially the dazzling pink confections Elle wears and also to the entire lighting and set design team.

When she reaches Harvard, Elle is horrified to discover that Warner has paired in preppy heaven with the hideously snooty Vivienne (beautifully played by Laura Harrison). However, she is soon taken under the wing of the corduroy clad Emmett (the impressive David Barrett) and the sensibly shod Enid (Nancy Hill),who persuade Elle that she must study hard to stay the course. Meanwhile, Elle is convinced that all Emmett really needs is a makeover and carts him off to the Mall to change him to a double breasted copy of Warner!

TV favourite Bill Ward, who was last seen at The Kings earlier this year in Nor Dead Enough, shows off his fine vocal talents as Professor Callahan, the smarmy legal eagle, everyone aspires to work with in the “Blood on the Water” number.

Elle is ready to return to Malibu when she meets the blowsy, big haired, beautician Paulette, played with great humour by Rita Simon (Eastenders). I was amazed by her raunchy, rocky voice and her dancing skills as she finally meets her hunky UPS man, complete with his own big package, who turns out to be as Irish as Baileys! (Ben Harlow).

At the start of Act II, Elle claims that “navy is the new pink” as she enters the court to defend TV fitness guru Brooke Wyndham (the superfit Helen Petrovna). With dancing convicts, light up skipping ropes and the hilarious Bend and Snap routine, the dazzling choreography (by Anthony Wiliams, who also directed it), never flags for a second! The harmonies throughout were brilliant too (thanks to MD James McCullagh and his band).This show has deliciously camp moments. Who could ever forget the “Gay or European” number or Chutney’s BIG perm (a look I myself once sported!)

This musical has a very old fashioned core, by the end all the couples walk down together to take part in a big, pink, sparkly finale as fireworks and confetti fill the air! It’s truly a modern fairytale, a Pygmalion for the LOL generation, with a fabulous cast and it’s the first show I’ve seen in years, with not one but two star dogs, Bruiser and Rufus!

OMG you Guys! - give yourself a pre Christmas treat, head to The Festival Theatre this week. Legally Blonde is on at 7.30pm nightly, plus matinees, call 0131 529 6000 to book