REVIEW: Legally Blonde The Musical, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, until November 18.

Based on the Reese Witherspoon film, Legally Blonde The Musical offers Lucie Jones as the lead, at times looking uncannily-Witherspoon like as she steps into Elle Woods’ extraordinary pink fluffy world.

But this is pink fluffiness with substance. Dismiss Elle at your peril. She’s got the sharpest instincts based on the warmest of hearts – and it’s this she brings to Harvard and the courtroom where she follows the shallow rat of a boyfriend who dumped her.

Jones, our UK representative in the Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year, most definitely gets dix points here for a spirited performance, high on skill and energy as she navigates herself through all the prejudices her good looks and sheer pinkness throw in her way – not least, catching the mood of the moment, a ghastly stab at sexual harassment from someone in a position of power.

But it’s Elle who has the last laugh in a feel-good show which just keeps on coming, strong in the first half and outstanding in the second.

Maybe at times, it’s just a touch difficult to make out the words to some of the songs – a shame because we lose some of the wit.

But as a plea not to judge pink books by their cover and an encouragement to find our hidden depths, it’s a cracking night at the theatre.

Phil Hewitt