As its very successful year-long tour of the UK draws to a close, Pretty Woman The Musical this week makes a welcome return to The Alexandra.

For those not in the know, the show is based on the hit 1990 movie starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The story is set in Hollywood, where a successful multi-millionaire businessman picks up a ‘hooker’ and employs her for a week as his high-class escort. Against all the odds, they fall in love...

The story was arguably shallow and sexist, and was criticised at the time for making prostitution seem glamorous. Turning it into a musical was certainly risky, especially given the evolution of attitudes over the past three decades regarding equality, misogyny and sex workers.

However, this stage adaptation brings a frothy fairytale charm to proceedings and is splendidly entertaining from start to finish. I think the key to enjoying the show is not to compare it to the film but view it instead as a clever adaptation.

Rather than featuring the brilliant but overplayed 1990s soundtrack, an original soundtrack using music & lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance has been specially produced. The new music definitely suits the time period in which the show is set, and Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman makes the finale.

Most of the movie’s iconic scenes are played out on stage, but with more comedy. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which Vivian (played by Amber Davies) and Edward (Oliver Savile) - who boasted a charming chemistry throughout - are watching Verdi’s La Traviata from their theatre box. La Traviata tells a similar story to Pretty Woman: An aristocrat falls in love with a courtesan with a heart of gold. Davies plays this scene to perfection, and the opera singer (Lila Falce-Bass) has a beautiful and powerful voice.

Special mention must also go to Ore Oduba, Noah Harrison and Natalie Paris, who are all superb in their respective roles. Oduba plays, amongst a number of other roles, Mr Thompson, the hotel manager; Harrison, Giulio the bell boy; and Paris, Vivian’s friend and fellow sex worker, Kit. All three actors have great stage presence, not to mention some seriously impressive talent when it comes to dancing, singing and providing laugh-out-loud comedy moments.

Pretty Woman The Musical is funny, heartwarming and uplifting. As well as a talented cast, the show boasts superb costumes, music and choreography. If you missed the chance to see this fantastic show in October last year, or, like me, enjoyed it so much that you wanted to see it again, make sure you take the opportunity to catch it this week. Otherwise, in Vivian’s words, you will be making “a big mistake…..Big…… HUGE!” 

5 stars

Reviewed by Sue Hull on Tuesday 20 August at The Alexandra, Birmingham, where the show runs until Saturday (24 August)