Last night I took my first steps into Hollywood and wow what an amazing experience it was, I fell in love with the vibrant LED signs and light bulb infused palm trees, but nothing prepared me for the way I would become obsessed over the pretty woman storyline all over again. The beloved romance movie of the 80’s came alive once again onstage last night; Jerry Mitchell’s take on this fan favourite was everything you hoped it would be. Take a popular rom com add a little instrumental and some catchy musical numbers and you’ve got a night full of priceless entertainment and that’s exactly what was witnessed at Leeds opening night. I was in complete awe of the attention to detail, from the colourful 80’s costumes to the Beverly Hills hotel the resemblance was fascinating but also unique.
As an audience we witnessed the transition of Hollywood from day into night, the silhouettes in well lit neon colours were mesmerising and could have told the story themselves. I genuinely felt immersed within the action, as the women took to the streets I felt as though I was on the opposite side watching the action unfold. On the walk of fame, the star of the show was most definitely Kit De Luca played by Natalie Paris, her vocal range was utterly admirable, alongside her quirky persona, sass and confidence, resembling the best friend everyone wishes they had. The decision to include Kit’s own narrative was beautiful as her future was definitely left an open question from the original movie.
For those wanting to be in the presence of love this musical is most definitely for you, Amber Davies and Oliver Savile’s chemistry on stage was enticing, they moulded their bodies together in seductive scenes teasing the audience. The pair captured the art of Vivian and Edward perfectly and as spectators we created deeper connections with these characters than ever before, watching them fall in love as they danced the night away. While there was drama, heartbreak and seduction, in those serious moments you could always count on the bellboy to make light of the situation, his quick wit and classic humour style had the audience in stitches, during the interval he was the topic of every conversation. If the presence of Happy man didn’t already give you your dose of serotonin, then his performance as Mr Thompson certainly did, the decision to have a dual character was certainly a crowd pleaser even more so when he popped up for a third time as a band orchestrator, there’s nothing Ore Oduba can’t do. Overall, this show had everything we loved from the movie itself and more, a truly enlightening twist on a Hollywood favourite, a show that will seduce you until you crack, lifting you to your feet as you groove to the beat of the pretty woman track.
Reviewer: Phoebe Olivia Sian Hobson
Reviewed: 14th May 2024
North West End UK Rating: