Pretty Woman opened at Mayflower Theatre last night in front of a packed auditorium, eager to relive the iconic movie – released in 1990.
The musical – set in the ‘80s – follows Edward, a rich entrepreneur, and Vivian, a prostitute who Edward hires for a week to accompany him to social events.
The show opens on a neon-lit Hollywood Boulevard, and we soon meet Vivian, played by understudy Rebekah Bryant, wearing thigh-high boots, a blonde wig, and the red coat that is tantamount to the image of Julia Roberts in the opening scenes of the film.
With the audience fully on her side, Bryant has great timing and a presence that ensures she is centre stage in a role that usually belongs to Amber Davies, who was poorly. And, with Oliver Saville playing Edward, the chemistry between the pair makes it seem like they have been playing alongside each other forever.
The star of the show is likely to be Strictly Come Dancing Winner, Ore Oduba, who plays multiple characters, including Happy Man and hotel manager, Mr Thompson. He is magnetic to watch and brings humour and charm, along with some dazzling dance moves to the stage.
Special mention has to go to my personal favourite of the evening, Noah Harrison, who plays bell boy Guilio. Providing plenty of laughs, Noah is charismatic and connects with the audience with ease – he has a big future ahead of him!
Pretty Woman the Musical is not trying to be something it’s not.
It features a talented cast, catchy songs, and the audience were on their feet as soon as the opportunity arose to join in with the closing rendition of Pretty Woman.
If you loved the film, you’ll love Pretty Woman the Musical. It is a fun, feel-good, fairytale that stays true to the original plot.
It very much deserved its standing ovation!
Tickets for Pretty Woman: The Musical (Monday 22 – Saturday 27 July 2024) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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