Pretty Woman – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and Touring

Noah Harrison, Oliver Savile and Amber Davies in Pretty Woman at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and Touring. Picture: Marc Brenner

Pretty Woman was reviewed at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham. The tour continues until 28 September 2024.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

It seems no film from the ’80s and ’90s is safe from the now-commonplace practice of being turned into a stage musical, with theatres worldwide being filled with endless adaptations. Pretty Woman is yet another of these, having had a well-received tryout in Chicago, followed by a successful Broadway run (both helmed by our very own West End favourite Samantha Barks), and a stint at the Savoy Theatre in London. We all know what a mixed bag this process can be, with many asking why these films need to be turned into musicals, and questioning if the industry is suffering from a shortage of new ideas. Of course, it makes good business sense, as using an established title guarantees a ready-made audience, and titles don’t come much more recognisable than Pretty Woman, the 1990 film that made Julia Roberts a household name and which often features highly in lists of audiences’ favourite rom-com. But does the modern-day ‘Cinderella’-story still hold any magic?

Businessman Edward Lewis (played by Oliver Savile) finds himself lost in LA and meets down-on-her-luck ‘working girl’ Vivian (Amber Davies). Following an initial attraction, Edward offers Vivian $3,000 to stay with him for the week, so that he can fulfil his work and personal needs without the worries of romantic drama. Desperate for cash, Vivian agrees to be his “beck-and-call-girl”, accompanying him to various business events while he tries to finalise a billion-dollar deal alongside his lawyer Philip Stuckey (Ben Darcy). Over the week, Vivian finds herself a world away from the streets she knows and her best friend Kit (Natalie Paris) and begins to discover a sense of self-worth that she didn’t know she had.

Some titles are undeniably stronger following their adaptation to the stage (Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots), but while Pretty Woman is nicely enjoyable fluff, turning it into a musical adds nothing to the experience, mostly down to a derivative and mediocre score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance that sits squarely in the middle of the road and leaves little lasting impression. Lyrics (also Adams and Vallance) are banal and flat, occasionally clunky, and unwisely follow the “tell rather than show” tactic of two-dimensional writing.

The show was originally directed and choreographed by Broadway heavyweight Jerry Mitchell, and again it’s delivered in an adequate but uninspired way that feels like a facsimile reproduction of the film’s narrative with little sense of ‘theatre’ behind it. The book scenes are faithful retreads of Garry Marshall’s original script (with a few additions by JF Lawton), and moments that felt genuine in the film (largely due to Roberts’ tangible chemistry with co-star Richard Gere) feel more forced here. All the key one-liners from the film are included, but none of them land with the same spark.

Visually the production does at least fare somewhat better than the over-reliance on scaffolding and screens that other recent touring productions have given us, with some nice set detail, backdrops and transitions, and key moments (such as the night at the opera) delivered well. Choreography is also sharp and engaging, particularly involving Ore Oduba’s hotel manager and his staff of porters, using the Strictly champion’s ballroom skills to charming effect, alongside ensemble-standout Noah Harrison as loveable bellboy Giulio.

Davies has the impossible task of stepping into Roberts’ footsteps as Vivian, and while she inevitably takes second place, she gives a fine performance, somewhat goofier than Roberts’ take and confidently delivered. Davies is still tagged as the Love Island winner which does her a massive disservice, having trained at Urdang before that show and having had a string of West End roles since. A capable actress with a fine belting voice, she is hugely likeable and shows no signs of fatigue ten months into this tour.

Savile is also suitably charming as Edward, it’s a thankless role with little chance to show off (the weak songs for the character don’t help), but he remains as watchable as ever. Paris has really evolved in the role of Kit as the tour has progressed, having more edge to the character now while riffing to the rafters with apparent ease. Oduba puts in a great dual turn as Happy Man and hotel manager Mr Thompson, having some fun moments, along with a lovely chemistry with Davies. Special mention also has to go to Lila Falce-Bass and her stunning soprano vocals which are used to powerful effect, and also Harrison who makes the minor role of bellboy Giulio completely memorable and steals the show every time he appears.

Pretty Woman knows its audience, and they already know they’re going to enjoy the show and will overlook its theatrical shortcomings as long as they can relive the story they love with nostalgia in their eyes. The show is unchallenging escapism, a nice way to kill a couple of hours that you’ll forget by the time you leave the theatre, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Rob Bartley