Pretty Woman at Leeds Grand Theatre review: Strictly Come Dancing star Ore Oduba steals the show

After an incredible record-breaking run on Broadway, Audience Choice Award Winner Pretty Woman UK: The Musical hit Leeds Grand Theatre this week with the 1990 rom-com brought to life on stage.

The famous Hollywood movie, that shot Julia Roberts to fame, alongside heart-throb Richard Gere, is one of my all time favourites so I was sceptical to see how the film would be depicted as a musical.

For those that are unfamiliar with the cult-classic, it is a dark cautionary tale about class and sex work in Los Angeles, once described as a 'romantic comedy with a large budget'.

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The storyline follows the life of Edward, a rich and emotionless entrepreneur, who hires Vivian, a witty and no-nonsense prostitute, to accompany him to a few social events. Trouble ensues when he falls in love with her and they try to bridge the gap between their two conflicting worlds.

The theatrical take on this classic love story is headed by Love Island winner turned West End star, Amber Davies, as Vivian Ward, alongside theatre favourite Oliver Savile, who plays Edward.

It goes without saying that both have big shoes to fill in comparison to their on-screen counterparts and I must admit I was dubious about Welsh reality star Amber Davies.

But any doubts were quickly diminished when she arrived on stage in her knee high boots and mini dress and blew the roof off the place with her impressive vocals, although the American accent was in some parts a little hit-and-miss.

Hot-shot businessman Edward, was played by Oliver Savile, the character was much more upbeat and chirpy than that of the original persona and I'm unsure if this somewhat lessened the chemistry between the two characters.

However, Oliver's vocals were equally as impressive and he certainly captivated the audience with his solo performance.

Davies injects life into her character Vivian with playfulness and humour, although, in my opinion, the star of the show was Strictly Come Dancing's Ore Oduba, who appears as Happy Man and hotel manager, Mr Thompson.

He also pops up in scenes, well, just about everywhere, with his talented vocals, impressive dance moves and naturally funny personality.

The character of Mr Thompson was complimented perfectly by the famous Beverly Wilshire Hotel's very own bumbling bellboy Giulio, played by Noah Harrison, who was hilarious and adorable in equal parts - and one hell of a dancer!

Mr Thompson and Giulio made for the perfect double act, they had more chemistry than that of Edward and Vivian. Their dance moves, authentic one-liners and mannerisms made the duets feel much more natural.

Vivian's supposedly edgy and cool best friend Kit De Luca, played by Natalie Paris, somewhat missed the mark for me.

Kit is probably my favourite character in the original movie and unfortunatley the character seemed to be lacking her natural charisma and wit, having said that Natalie Paris' voice was incredible and I'd go as far as to say her vocals were the standout.

Overall, I enjoyed the show but it felt a little overly cheesy in parts and lacking in humour and chemistry in others. The original film is not only hilarious but also thought-provoking and emotive and sadly this didn't quite come across.

The vocals and choreography were undeniably great but, I must admit, it all became a little repetitive towards the end and I left feeling a little underwhelmed. It was easy to watch, entertaining and fun but I left with my socks still firmly on my feet.

None of the original songs in the production are particularly memorable but they are enjoyable in the moment. The iconic theme tune of Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman was teased briefly throughout the show but the ending sequence saw the whole theatre up on their feet as it finally played out in full.

It was clear the audience had been waiting for it and it was certainly a fantastic way to end a fun and enjoyable evening.

You can see Pretty Woman: The Musical at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday, May, 25 2024. You can find out more information and buy here.

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