Legally Blonde Star Amber Davies Denies Feud Rumours Amid Illness and Show Controversy
West End musical star Amber Davies has taken to social media to firmly address persistent rumours of a backstage feud with her understudy, Hannah Lowther. The actress, currently absent from her role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical due to a chest infection, emphasised that there is no rivalry between the two performers. Davies confirmed she will return to the show once recovered, stating she is diligently finishing a course of antibiotics for an infection that has lingered for over a month.
Health Struggles and Recovery Efforts
In a detailed post, Amber Davies explained the physical toll of her career, noting that performers are "very much not invincible." She revealed she has been using an oxygen chamber for an hour daily over three days to accelerate her recovery process. "Looks like I'll be needing to extend my time on the antibiotics as it's taking longer to budge than I anticipated," she wrote, adding her disappointment at narratives pitting women against each other in the industry.
Davies expressed gratitude for her supportive team, specifically mentioning Hannah Lowther, and assured fans, "I will be back on stage as soon as I possibly can." This comes after she previously cited burnout from consecutive roles in The Great Gatsby, a last-minute Strictly call-up, and her immediate start in Legally Blonde, which she said had severely impacted her health.
Scaled-Back Show Sparks Fan Fury
Meanwhile, the production faced significant turmoil during a recent performance in Milton Keynes, where widespread illness among the cast led to a drastically scaled-back "concert version" of the show. Footage shared on TikTok revealed bosses informing the audience that due to last-minute substitutions, the performance would consist of cast members seated on stage, delivering lines and musical numbers from scripts, with all scene changes, costumes, and props eliminated.
While some theatregoers praised the effort to avoid cancellation, many expressed outrage, demanding refunds for tickets costing up to £70 each. Complaints highlighted the lack of staging, choreography, and production elements, with one fan describing it as resembling "a GCSE drama rehearsal." Critics argued the show should have been postponed or refunds offered, rather than presenting a diminished version without prior warning.
- Fans criticised the management for holding onto money instead of cancelling, noting the performance was not what they paid for.
- Some defended the cast's talent and the improvisational spirit, calling it a testament to theatre's resilience.
- Concerns were raised about the absence of refund options, with attendees forced to accept the concert version or nothing.
Feud Rumours Firmly Denied
Both Amber Davies and Hannah Lowther have repeatedly denied allegations of a "brewing feud" behind the scenes. Earlier, Hannah took to Instagram to advocate for women supporting each other, writing, "One day I hope that we will be able to live in a world where women aren't pit against each other and compared ALL the time..." Amber quickly showed solidarity, commenting, "We've got each other always," with a heart emoji.
The rumours intensified last month when Amber missed performances due to illness, and Hannah stepped in, receiving widespread praise online. Some social media users compared their performances, with comments like "Hannah gives us everything" contrasting with critiques of Amber. Additionally, a viral clip showed Amber briefly losing choreography during a preview, looking to Hannah for cues, which she later described as "embarrassing" in a TikTok video.
Despite the drama, fans have lauded Hannah's professionalism, especially when she switched from playing Margot to Elle mid-show after Amber fell ill. An audience member shared a clip hailing her as a "superhero," underscoring the understudy's critical role in keeping the production running amidst health crises.
As Amber Davies focuses on recovery and the show navigates fan discontent, the emphasis remains on the challenges of live theatre and the importance of supporting performers through illness and unfounded rumours.
