Pretty Woman The Musical
Heading back to the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham for a second tour stop due to audience demand, Pretty Woman really is an evening of humour, incredible performances and a must for any fan of the classic 1990 film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
If you’re not familiar with the story, Pretty Woman tells of sex worker Vivian (Amber Davies) who meets Billionaire businessman Edward (Oliver Savile) on Hollywood Boulevard. Edward hires Vivian for the evening, which turns into a week and over the course of that week, Vivian undergoes a transformation, learning the ways of the high life, while Edward starts to see the value in enjoying life beyond his business pursuits.
The casting for this tour is perfect. Amber Davies truly embodies the character made famous by Julia Roberts, with her infectious nature and sweet side. There were many vocally outstanding moments provided by Davies, matched by Natalie Paris who plays Vivian’s best friend Kit De Luca. Paris' rendition of Rodeo Drive was a full powerhouse performance that blew the roof off! Oliver Savile as Edward equally impressed with some magical musical moments and he gelled extremely well with Davies throughout with believable chemistry.
The standout of the evening for me was Ore Oduba who plays ‘Happy Man’ and hotel manager Mr Thompson. From the opening number ‘Welcome To Hollywood’, Oduba fully commits to each role he portrays with warmth, humour, outstanding talent and massive stage presence, the words 'triple threat' spring to mind. Particular highlights included his moments with hotel worker Giulio (Noah Harrison) who was equally enigmatic and supplied some wonderfully comical facial expressions and moments of joy. I also must mention Lila Falce-Bass who provided some of the most beautiful operatic tones I’ve ever heard during the famous Opera scene.
There are many crowd-pleasing moments for any fan of the film, with much of the dialogue being the same. Such classic lines as “work it baby, work it”, and “big mistake, big, huge” are a welcome sound for many of the audience members who revelled in delight upon hearing those infamous words.
Choreography during the big ensemble numbers by Jerry Mitchell was vibrant, high energy and slick. Music and lyrics are written by Bryan Adams, and his rock style was certainly apparent during ‘Rodeo Drive’ and ‘Welcome To Hollywood’, however more softer numbers such as ‘Something About Her’ and ‘You and I’ really show a versatility and although some of the songs may not stay with you, they are very pleasant interludes to the dialogue.
This show can be cheesy in parts, however it’s humour ensures that a good night is had by all, with the added bonus of a sing-a-long version of ‘Pretty Woman’ during the curtain call where everyone is encouraged to join in.
This show was reviewed on the 20th August 2024 at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham where it runs until the 24th August 2024. Tickets available here: Pretty Woman The Musical Tickets | The Alexandra, Birmingham in Birmingham | ATG Tickets
Review written by Emma Rowley
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You can watch our interview with Natalie Paris all about playing Kit De Luca in Pretty Woman The Musical here:
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