Pretty Woman The Musical Review at New Wimbledon Theatre
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Pretty Woman The Musical Review
I attended the press night of Pretty Woman The Musical at London’s New Wimbledon Theatre, bringing Hollywood’s beloved romantic story to stage. Based on the iconic 1990 film starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, this dazzling production combines love, glamour and a rocking soundtrack. The show is touring the UK and Ireland until September 2024. So here is my ‘Pretty Woman The Musical Review’ at New Wimbledon Theatre:
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Everything you need to know about Pretty Woman The Musical UK Tour – A review.
Pretty Woman The Musical takes audiences on a nostalgic journey with a score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, offering pleasant enough songs that, while enjoyable, may not leave a lasting imprint. While the incorporation of more music from the original film, I think could have enhanced audience connection, the title track’s ‘Pretty Woman’ triumphant performance at the end of the show certainly left an impact, earning a well-deserved standing ovation.
The Story
Pretty Woman is a beloved classic. Set in the late ’80s, Vivian, a street worker meets Edward a successful businessman and her life changes forever. This is an iconic love story brought to life on stage.
Vivian is asked to accompany Edward for the evening, which turns out being for the week, as his companion at social events and business functions. Initially, their relationship is purely transactional, with Vivian agreeing to the arrangement in exchange for money, however as the week progresses, Edward and Vivian’s connection deepens, despite their differences in social status and background. They find common ground and begin to understand and appreciate each other’s perspectives.
The Characters
Among the highlights of the show was Kit De Luca played by Natalie Paris, a powerhouse on stage whose captivating performances lifted the entire production. Her rendition of the songs were consistently impressive, leaving a lasting impression with every appearance. She was nothing short of amazing.
Comedy found its place through the hotel manager and bellboy, with the dance scene particularly standing out as a favourite moment for me. Ore Oduba bought charm to his multiple roles, as did Noah Harrison who played Guilio, the Bell boy, adding a real warmth to the show. However, the opera scene stole the spotlight as the show’s pinnacle, delivering a spine-tingling experience, especially as this is Lila Falce-Bass’ professional debut. Singing alongside Josh Damer-Jennings, they made a real impact together and were incredible.
While the stand-in for Vivian played by Sydnie Hocknell had an amazing voice and is clearly talented in her role, I feel the relationship between her and Edward lacked any real chemistry, however their musical numbers together were still noteworthy. I felt like the character of Vivian veered into being overplayed territory, losing some of the coolness portrayed by Julia Roberts in the original film. I believe this is how its been written for the stage show rather than it being the fault of the actress. There were still many moments of endearing charm delivered throughout.
My thoughts on the show
Pretty Woman is certainly entertaining and will appeal to many, with some amazing musical performances and many of the much loved lines from the film sprinkled throughout the production. There is plenty of humour, great dance numbers, dazzling costumes, and of course its a brilliant story line. However, like the music itself, I feel that it is a ‘good show’ but sadly not a ‘great one’.
In the end, Pretty Woman: The Musical offers an enjoyable and entertaining experience, though it falls short of capturing the magic of the original film. While some may find themselves enamoured, others may feel that it lacks the charm expected from its cinematic counterpart. It received an standing ovation, so it does go to show, that this musical is enjoyed by many!
Cast List:
- Amber Davies – Vivian Ward
- Oliver Savile – Edward Lewis
- Natalie Paris – Kit De Luca
- Ore Oduba – Happy Man/Mr Thompson
- Ben Darcy – Philip Stuckey
- Chomba Taulo – David Morse
- Josh Damer-Jennings – Alfredo
- Noah Harrison – Giulio
- Curtis Patrick – Ensemble
- Sydnie Hocknell – Ensemble
- Lila Falce-Bass – Violetta/Bag Lady
- Rachael Kendall Brown – Ensemble
- Rebekah Bryant – Swing
- Eleanor Morrison-Halliday – Ensemble
- Elly Jay – Ensemble/ Scarlett
- Joshua Lear – Swing/Dance Captain
- Andrew Davison – Ensemble/Naked Cowboy
- Michael Kholwadia – Ensemble
- Becky Anderson – Swing/ Resident Choreographer
- Stuart Maciver – Swing
- Annell Odartey – Ensemble
- Victoria Rachael McCabe – Swing
- LJ Neilson – Ensemble
- Elliot David Parkes – Ensemble
- Toby Shellard – Ensemble
Pretty Woman UK Tour dates:
- Wimbledon – New Wimbledon Theatre, Mon 12 – Sat 17 Feb 2024 – Book Tickets
- York – Grand Opera House York, Tue 20 Feb – Sat 24 Feb 2024 – Book Tickets
- Manchester – Palace Theatre Manchester, Tue 27 Feb – Sat 16 Mar 2024 – Book Tickets
- Milton Keynes – Milton Keynes Theatre, Tue 19 Mar – Sat 30 Mar 2024 – Book Tickets
- Edinburgh – Edinburgh Playhouse, Tue 2 Apr – Sat 13 Apr 2024 – Book Tickets
- Plymouth – Theatre Royal Plymouth, Mon 15 Apr – Sat 20 Apr 2024 – Book Tickets
- Cardiff – Donald Gordon Theatre, 29 Apr – 4 May 2024 – Book Tickets
- Bromley – Churchill Theatre, Mon 6 May – Sat 11 May 2024 – Book Tickets
- Leeds – Leeds Grand Theatre, 14 May – 25 May 2024 – Book Tickets
- Sunderland – Sunderland Empire, Tue 28 May – Sat 8 Jun 2024 – Book Tickets
- Belfast – Grand Opera House, Mon 10 Jun – Sat 15 Jun 2024 – Book Tickets
- Cork – Cork Opera House, Mon 24 Jun – Sat 29 Jun 2024 – Book Tickets
- Dublin – 2 Jul – 13 Jul 2024
- Stoke – Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 15 Jul – Sat 20 Jul 2024 – Book Tickets
- Southampton – Mayflower Theatre, 22 Jul – 27 Jul 2024 – Book Tickets
- Canterbury – The Marlowe Theatre, Tue 20 Jul – Sat 3 Aug 2024 – Book Tickets
- Southend – Cliffs Pavilion, Tue 6 Aug – 17 Aug 2024 – Book Tickets
- Birmingham – The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tue 20 Aug – Sat 24 Aug 2024 – Book Tickets
- Dartford – 26 Aug – 31 Aug 2024
- Nottingham – Theatre Royal, Mon 2 Sep – Sat 7 Sep 2024 – Book Tickets
- Northampton -Royal & Derngate – Mon Sep – Sat 7 Sep 2024 – Book Tickets
- Leicester – Curve Theatre, Mon 16 Sep – 21 Sep 2024 – Book Tickets
- Sheffield – 23 Sep – 28 Sep 2024
Running time:
2 hours 30 minutes, including interval.
Warnings:
Please note content for a mature audience, with Vivian being a street worker.
Price:
£13.00 – £119.00.
For more information or to book tickets please visit atg tickets.
You may be interested in some of my other reviews: I should be So Lucky, Shrek The Musical or Calendar Girls.
We were invited for press night but all comments and opinions are strictly my own. Thank you for reading Pretty Woman The Musical Review.
