Theatre Royal, December 4
6/10
I wracked my remaining brains on the way home, wondering what other musical made the songs its dull parts. Usually, of course, they’re the main event. Not in Pretty Woman: The Musical. Here, the show’s humming along rather enjoyably, and then when they start to sing, it feels like you’ve just driven into one of those expensive carparks that Transurban entertainingly calls a motorway, and everything grinds to a halt.
The plan was that the songs, by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, would provide insights into the characters that the 1990 film (starring Julia Roberts as Vivian and Richard Gere as Edward) somehow didn’t. But the sentiments are too bald and the characters too knowing, even when they’re supposed to be confused about their feelings. The songs, themselves, are either stodgy, plodding rockers of the trademark Adams variety, or they’re big ballads that are so overwrought that the characters should be embarrassed to sing them. Vivian and Edward are smarter than this.
Samantha Jade plays Vivian, the prostitute who’s picked up by billionaire Edward (Ben Hall), firstly for an hour, then a night, then a week, and then a lifetime. Jade does it well. She gets that mix of being sassy and kittenish; ignorant and quick to learn. Hall is not quite the perfect foil in the way Gere was for Roberts, but he’s close enough for the chemistry to be credible, and they can both sing. It’s just a shame what they sing.
Tim Omaji is superb as Mr Thompson, the suave, wise manager of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where much of the story is set. He also doubles as a new character, Happy Man: an ersatz guide for anyone who gets lost in the one-way plot. Those people should get more sleep, or see a brain surgeon.
Michelle Brasier is also good as Vivian’s friend, the amusing Kit, and her R&B-style voice works well on the songs where she features, notably Rodeo Drive. Kit also shares easily the show’s best song with Happy Man: Never Give up on a Dream. What musical gives the best song to secondary characters?!
Jordan Tomljenovic shines with his dancing and facial reactions as Giulio, the bellhop, and Rebecca Gulinello is luminous with her vocal starburst as Violetta, when Edward takes Vivian to see La traviata. Yes, all the beloved scenes are here, from Vivian’s revenge on the snobbish fashion shop to Mr Thompson offering his sage advice to both lovers.
The book is by Garry Marshall (who directed the film) and JF Lawton (who wrote the screenplay), and the show is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with a rather charmingly old-fashioned set design by David Rockwell.
Most of the audience was more enthusiastic than I, but then they might love Bryan Adam’s music. Unfathomably, millions apparently do. Or perhaps they just love slightly tweaked Cinderella stories.
Until March 1.
https://www.theatreroyalsydney.com/events/season-2025/pretty-woman/