Holy Chihuahua!
How will Elle’s handbag dog cope with bulldog Mugzy? He’s just won a starring role in Legally Blonde on Dublin stage
WHEN Shelli Garland moved lock, stock and barrel to Ireland from the US two years ago the one prized possession she could not leave behind was her beloved bulldog, Mugzy.
Now, her three-year-old pooch is set to tread the boards at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in a forthcoming stage production of the hit Hollywood movie Legally Blonde.
Mugzy, toting a natty Batman bowtie, won the role of Rufus this week after one of the theatre world’s most unusual casting calls.
Almost 20 bulldogs from across Ireland were put through their paces on the pink carpet as Mugzy faced stiff competition for the role of Rufus.
As fans of the 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie will be aware the main character Elle Woods is the proud owner of a petite chihuahua, Bruiser. Meanwhile, Elle’s friend, beauty therapist Paulette (played by Jennifer Coolidge) owns a burly bulldog, Rufus. Both dogs feature in the musical of Legally Blonde, with producers retaining a chihuahua which tours with the production. However, every time the musical moves to a new city, producers must cast for a new Rufus.
After landing the role, Mugzy will appear on stage every night between March 5 and 10 at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
If Mugzy was feeling the pressure as he auditioned this week he wasn’t showing it. ‘I was nervous for him when I saw the line-up,’ said owner Shelli. ‘He was completely mellow and chilled and I was the one who was nervous.’ Shelli was right to be nervous. It turns out that Ireland has more than its fair share of cute, biddable dogs. Sarah McWilliams from Sandyford introduced her one-year-old bulldog Cooper to the judges, who were immediately charmed by his biker-style denim jacket and propensity to lick their faces. Pugsy, who belongs to ten-year-old Chloe Glynn from Kildare town, looked happy as he was put through his paces. ‘He just loves attention and lying in front of the fire snoring,’ said Chloe’s mother Lisa.
Meanwhile, Walter Mitty, a oneyear-old British bulldog, not only has an outgoing personality off stage but helps his owner’s young son. ‘My son has cerebral palsy and Walter helps bring him to school,’ said Eileen Dunne from the Hill of Allen, Co. Kildare. ‘Walter is an aul pet.’
Perhaps the greatest threat came from Mutley, who belongs to dog trainer Sinéad Hughes. With regular TV gigs, Mutley has even appeared in a commercial for a budget supermarket.
In the end, it was Mugzy’s unfazed demeanour that won out. And while Mugzy won’t have to endure weeks of rehearsals, he will have to submit to a certain amount of pampering. Luckily, online pet grooming store Urban Pup is providing ‘All Natural’ shampoo, spritzers and even doggy outfits to ensure Mugzy puts his best paw forward.
Shelli, a PhD student who lives in Phibsborough, said she was ‘chuffed’ at the news. ‘I’m totally overwhelmed,’ she said. ‘I’ve had him since he was a baby. He’s a dote; such a great companion. He’s such a good boy, very well behaved and eager to please so I knew he would do a good job.’
So, with the two-hour audition out of the way, how were Shelli and Mugzy going to mark the occasion? ‘I’ll definitely give him some mackerel for his dinner,’ she said, with a laugh. ‘That’s his favourite.’
‘I was nervous for him when I saw the line-up’