SALOS, Legally Blonde, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon Legally Blonde, an exuberant, feel-good show brimming with songs, dance and romance won acclaim from a large first-night audience at the Wyvern theatre on Wednesday.

Swindon Light Operatic Society, founded in 1952 at the old Empire, maintains an enviable reputation for its high standards of musical theatre. The company, which continues to attract highly talented performers from a wide area, is on stage again until Sunday (October 22) with a show that won success on Broadway and in the West End as well on screen.

Frankie Le Bon stars as Elle Woods, a girl who adores pink and loves to be pampered. Elle is shocked when her boyfriend Warner Huntingdon (Christopher King), drops her in favour of a more serious girlfriend.

This prompts Elle to change her ways dramatically. Clearly she has brains as well as beauty, and she gains a place to study law at Harvard, one of America's top universities, where she discovers new friends, an amazing new image, and success in a courtroom.

The fantastic cast maintain a frenetic pace which does not seem to faze Elle's beloved chihuahua, Bruiser and Rufus, a bulldog owned by the manicurist Vivienne (Sue Ling Whiteley).

The large, vivacious cast, brilliantly directed by Russell Langdown and his associate Sandra Gilbert, do full justice to the show. There are fine individual performances and a first-rate chorus. Superb choreography by Gemma Short, slick scene changes and an excellent orchestra with musical director Malcolm Webb ensure vibrant entertainment.

Next year's SALOS choice, Oklahoma! will be staged in October 2018.

Stella Taylor