Pretty Woman paints the city of York red this week – as it brings the box office smash-hit turned musical to the Grand Opera House stage.
Following its successful run on Broadway and London’s West End, it now embarks on a UK tour taking all its glitz and glamour in tow.
Pretty Woman The Musical is at Grand Opera House York from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 February.
It’s the familiar Cinderella narrative, two lost souls finding unexpected love – however more unexpected than most as we see the unlikely pairing of Vivian (Sydnie Hocknell), the seemingly self-assured sex worker, meet the pompous, money driven Edward (Oliver Savile).
Whilst this plot is and has always been controversial to some, most attend with a view of seeing their favourite rom-com brought to life and don’t ponder too long on the lack of modern sensibilities throughout. There is a strong sense of communal nostalgia from an audience of all ages which is something to be commended with an adaptation of any kind.
Its colourful and eccentric design was matched perfectly by the outstanding ensemble who’s energy never wavered despite the complex choreography and continuous costume changes. While there were initial sound issues, you were assured an entertaining night of theatre from the moment they first graced the stage, transporting us straight back to the 80s with their costuming well designed by Tom Rogers.
Sydnie Hocknell, who was our Vivian Ward, played the role with confidence. With Julia Roberts as your predecessor I can only imagine the weight of responsibility felt when undertaking such an iconic role – however, she did so with enthusiasm throughout. Hocknell’s acting was definitely her strongest attribute and her vocals were well received by the audience, especially during her powerful performance of ‘I Can’t Go Back’.
Oliver Savile portrayed her acquisitive Prince Charming, who you couldn’t help but develop a soft spot for as his real intentions began to reveal themselves. His vocals were tremendous despite many of his solo numbers being underdeveloped and lacking significance. The pair, unlike in one of their steamier scenes together, were hitting all the right notes as the audience rooted for their happily ever after.
The entire show was carried by Ore Oduba (Happy Man/Mr Thompson) and his twinkle-toed bell-boy Giulio, played by Noah Harrison, who injected life into every scene and scene change alike. Their dancing was a particular delight to watch and I appreciated all the nods to Strictly throughout, a constant reminder of Oduba’s copious amounts of talent as a past Strictly Come Dancing champion.
Whilst the music and lyrics somewhat lacked overall, the talented cast did the best with the materials they had – and a special mention must go to Annell Odartey who gave an outstanding vocal performance as the fierce Kit De Luca.
And, finally, they did deliver the eagerly anticipated Roy Orbison title song after a cheeky teaser at the beginning of act two, which helped conclude the production in a delightful finale with a bounty of glitter in attendance. If it wasn’t already, the success was cemented as we saw audiences leap to their feet to give the cast their standing ovation.
It’s unsurprising that this production is nearing a sell-out run this week as it is a flamboyant explosion of fun from start to finish. Pretty Woman The Musical runs at Grand Opera House York until Saturday 24 February – grab tickets quickly to join the party!
Tickets start from £15 and are available via the Grand Opera House website.