The opening night of Legally Blonde the Musical at Watford Palace Theatre did not, unfortunately, go off without a hitch. There were forgotten lines, hats falling off in the middle of speeches, and microphone issues.

Fortunately, the players of Cassio Productions did an admirable job of continuing on with the show with barely a flicker of fear crossing their faces.

The show’s protagonist is Elle Woods, who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School with the intention of winning him back, only to discover that doing so may be more difficult than she anticipated.

Played by Joanne Goddard, Elle is a fun, loveable, larger-than-life character. Goddard steals the show with her quirky high-pitched speaking voice and dazzling smile, not to mention her incredible vocals. Her American accent was faultless (not something that can be said for every member of the cast) and her pepped-up energy kept the show going even through the slower moments.

Elle’s three best friends Serena, Margot and Pilar, played by Daisy Ausden, Hannah Chapman and Debbie Day, opened the show with a fantastic rendition of Omigod You Guys, their dynamic performances immediately pulling the audience into the high-energy world of the show. I confess I felt disappointed when Elle left them behind to go to Harvard, only to be delighted to find that they follow her there as a kind of Greek chorus for when our heroine has tough decisions to make.

Alongside Goddard, Kerry Lee as Paulette has the best voice in the show. A particular highlight was her hilarious song, Ireland, about her longing for a dependable Irish boyfriend, and whoever styled her costumes should be given a round of applause.

Matthew Bund as Warner Huntington III started off a little shaky but clearly grew in confidence as the show went on, delivering some great comic lines.

Matthew Collyer as Emmett Forest was a great foil to Goddard’s Elle. The two had real chemistry together and the ups and downs of their developing relationship were utterly believable to watch unfold.

Iain Doughty as shrewd law professor Callahan played a convincing villain, and rallied his wits quickly when he forgot one verse of his song, Blood in the Water.

The character of Brooke Wyndham, played by Hannah Farrer, felt a little underdeveloped but she shone in the time she did spend on stage, belting out her songs with a huge voice that filled the theatre. Huge credit for her for managing to sing without sounding breathless – while skipping.

Fans of the film will know, of course, about Elle’s dependable pet, Bruiser the Chihuahua. In this show, Bruiser is played by a miniature dachshund, and Paulette’s bulldog makes an appearance too, much to the delight of the crowd.

There were a few issues. Set changes were clunky and the set itself was ill-lit, meaning characters were often half in if not completely in shadow. The ending also felt rushed, but the last number had enough energy to cover a multitude of sins.

The songs were catchy and will definitely have you tapping your toes. The choreography was simple but effective and carried out with aplomb by the cast, who managed to make it look effortless. The skipping rope routine in Brooke’s song, Whipped Into Shape, however, was very messy and seemed as if it could have used more rehearsal time.

This is a joyful show, full of hilarious moments that had the whole theatre rocking with laughter. Perhaps not always intentionally, but the cast never allowed that to faze them.

Be prepared to leave the theatre with these songs stuck in your head for days to come.

Star rating: ****

Watford Palace Theatre, Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1JZ, until Saturday, November 12. Details: 01923 235455