LEGALLY Blonde the Musical has been a great success in Broadway as well as London's West End and has gone on to win Best New Musical in the Olivier Awards 2011.

Now the show is currently on tour across the UK and recently arrived at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.

Playing the lead role of Elle Woods is a very talented singer and actress called Faye Brookes.

She looks very much like Reese Witherspoon (who played the part in the 2001 Hollywood film of the same name) and has a great voice to belt out more than a dozen of the 20 numbers in the show.

The show tells the story of Elle Woods whose boyfriend, Warner, dumps her a more serious girl who fits better into his lifestyle as a Harvard Law student.

Elle then decides to follow him to Harvard in the hope she will win him back and surprises everyone with her determination to succeed as a law student herself.

With some help from new-found friends Paulette, Emmett and her Chihuahua Bruiser, she learns that it's so much better to be smart – better than her usual blonde bimbo who spends too much money on all things pink!

Faye as Elle with her "oh so cute" Chihuahua Bruiser had the audience cooing and laughing!

Paulette, played by Claire Sweeney, brought an excellent comic edge to the show, which is full of high energy songs and is very pink!

There were great performances from the 24 strong cast – 26 if you include the two very talented dogs!

It was a great feel good show.

by Tony Swift