'Pretty Woman' landed on the streets of Perth in a sea of red, for the bold and brassy premiere at Crown Theatre.
The production had a powerful start, with strong set design and stage mechanics partnered with an energetic ensemble, culminating in a very warm welcome to Perth darling Samantha Jade, as her character Vivian Ward appeared on stage.
Samantha Jade (Vivian Ward) and Ben Hall (Edward Lewis) had insane chemistry on stage, and it was felt throughout the audience with gasps, and giggles. Individually, each performer’s voice was powerful, holding high and low notes with ease – a testament to their years spent in the craft. Jade’s presence was palpable, and magnetic, really representing her powerhouse talents and skill. Hall had a low, husky timbre to his voice that mesmerised and sent goosebumps down the spine.
'Pretty Woman' could be a static performance at times, but as far as stage direction is concerned, this amplified storytelling and focused the audience on key plot points. Because of this, the second act did not feel as crowded – where at times all plot and resolution can be shoehorned in, 'Pretty Woman' creatives did a brilliant job in bread-crumbing the story throughout. This is especially important if, like me, you have not seen the movie that the musical is inspired by.
Michelle Brasier (Kit De Luca) did not just shine, but went supernova with her performance of 'Rodeo Drive' – her range and skill rivalling Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson. Tingles! Bobby Fox (Mr Thompson) commanded the stage with 'On a Night Like Tonight', with an ensemble that was giving pitch perfect a cappella.
From one overture to the next, 'Pretty Woman' was a high-octane performance with exceptionally talented singers – most notably were Rebecca Gulinello and Callum Warrender who, in the second act, SHOCKED audiences with the power and range of their operatic vocals as they re-enacted scenes from 'La Traviata'. An honorable shout-out goes to Jordan Tomljenovic who, for me, stole the show as Giulio the Bell Hop. It did not matter where you sat in Crown Theatre, you could see his smile, his character was magnetic and was a brilliant staple throughout the performance to bring light and brevity.
At times, the performance read like 'Sweet Charity' in theme, and 'Legally Blonde' in show-value, both featuring a plucky strong lead working to change their circumstances – a universal trope that any audience can connect to (including the experience of slimy men who think destroying dreams is a personality trait). For those who may not be familiar with the film storyline, the musical can lead you down a garden path at times, but by second act, you’re back on track.
Overall, the production of 'Pretty Woman' was a fun and energetic night out, with well-positioned jokes, strong emotional scenes, and talented performers from centre stage to ensemble. 'Pretty Woman' was pretty amazing, and should make your dream list for a fabulous night out!
