As New Idea’s Entertainment Writer, I was born a musical theatre lover.
I had been looking forward to seeing Pretty Woman: The Musical, but to be honest, the show isn’t one that I had heard much about before.
I was curious – and excited.
Pretty Woman: The Musical is based on the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere 1990 film, Pretty Woman.
The production premiered in Chicago in 2018.
Since then, the production has gained global popularity.
Walking into a Wednesday matinee show, it was full of a buzzing audience waiting to get inside.
Inside a packed Theatre Royal Sydney, there were fun photo opportunities for guests in the main area (of course, we couldn’t say no to jumping behind the fake bath set for a great photo opp!).
The bells rang and we followed the crowds into the theatre, sat down, ready to go.
I was hooked (pun intended)!
No word of a lie – as soon as the show started, I was hooked.
With music by Bryan Adams (‘you know it’s true, everything I do, I do it for you…’) and Jim Vallance, I went in with high hopes that the musical would be full of fun bops.
And boy, was I right.
It’s always a good sign when you’re thinking, ‘I can’t wait to immediately re-listen to the soundtrack’ mid-song.
Kicking off with what I call a banger, ‘Welcome to Hollywood’ captured my attention immediately.
While the song was great, the energy that the cast gave off was even better.
With the big smiles and even bigger dance moves – I knew I was in for a treat.
Cheers filled the theatre as lead actress Samantha Jade – playing the charming sex worker Vivian – took the stage.
And for good reason – Samantha is absolutely brilliant in the role.
Without any surprises here, her vocals were on point (for those who don’t know, Samantha won X Factor Australia in 2012 – the first ever woman to win the Aussie series!).
She nailed Vivian’s comedic timing and made me fall in love with her character, just as I did with Sandra Bullock in the film.
Her romantic interest, Ben Hall, was an excellent Edward Lewis (you may recognise him from Neighbours, where he played Ned Willis).
He played the role with a good mix of seriousness and charm – and I also loved his voice.
I was particularly impressed with ‘Something About Her’.
And you know what, I would have loved to hear him sing a country song! I could listen to his voice on repeat (Ben, if you’re reading this, please feel free to record an album!!).
I want to highlight the brilliant Michelle Brasier, who plays Vivian’s roommate Kit De Luca. She had a killer voice, and I loved her in the role.
Another standout is Jordan Tomljenovic, who plays bellhop Giulio – his comedic facial expressions had the audience in stitches.
All in all, the entire ensemble was fantastic and full of energy (one lady in the lines for the toilet during intermission even said the energy from the dancing made her feel ‘alive’).
So – was it like the movie?
One thing they did well was making it feel stand-alone.
While I was watching the production, I did my best not to compare it to the film.
It didn’t feel like I was watching something based on a movie, if that makes sense.
Of course, it had a lot of similarities, including some of the lines in the show being word-for-word (big fans of the movie will notice straight away).
Plus, some of the costumes are the same – hello, iconic red dress!
The musical features a narrator, who isn’t in the movie, who helps guide the story. A fun addition, although I’m not sure if the character is absolutely necessary for the storytelling.
That’s not to say that Tim Omaji, who played the dual role of Happy Man and Mr Thompson, wasn’t amazing – I loved his cheekiness.
Should you go to Pretty Woman: The Musical?
If you’re looking for a fun show that’ll make you feel like you’re on a happy buzz for hours – if not days – after, this is the show for you.
I’d especially recommend it if you’re a big fan of the movie.
Pretty Woman: The Musical is on now at the Theatre Royal Sydney, until April 4th – and in Perth from April 18th.
