“Everyone has a dream… you’ll get lost without one”
The classic “Cinderella” story is an oldie but a goodie. No, really. Like really old. Like Ancient Egypt old! Bet you didn’t think you’d get a history lesson from a theatre review, huh? Regardless, it is an enduring classic for a reason. The general theme of a protagonist going from rags to riches is one that resonates with people and really appeals to their inner-dreamers. And in the world set before our eyes in the stage musical that is Pretty Woman, dreams are the thing that lights one’s path to happiness.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, we find our story unfolding in Hollywood during the long-ago time period of 1980-something. A time without GPS, and it’s a good thing too, because what initially brings our two star-crossed lovers together is … asking for directions. But while Pretty Woman is told like a modern-day fairy tale, I would recommend leaving the kids at home for this one. Because, you see, the one being asked for directions is a “Lady of the Streets” and “prostitute with a heart of gold,” Vivian Ward (played by Ellie Baker). And the one asking is business tycoon-turned-”John”-turned-something more, Edward Lewis (played by Chase Wolfe).
For those unfamiliar with the film of the same name, Pretty Woman follows our two protagonists as they make a business arrangement to share a week together (both socially and sexually) while Edward pursues a business opportunity in town. In this way, both business-minded individuals get what they want: Edward is guaranteed a “sure thing” without the messiness of a more formal romantic relationship, while Vivian is guaranteed rent money and then some! At the end of the week, they part ways with a clean break. How very pragmatic.
That is of course, until feelings get involved.
With Book by Gary Marshall and J.F. Lawton, it should come as no surprise that the stage rendition is so alike to the classic film since they directed and wrote the original film, respectively. If you’ve seen the movie a thousand times, you will enjoy this show for the attention to detail it has carried over from the movie; often line by line! If you’ve only seen the movie once, you will probably also enjoy it as it evokes a sense of nostalgia. If you’ve never seen the movie, well, you will finally get a chance to see why this story is such a classic, but hopefully you will also be inspired to check out the movie to get a better appreciation of how close the two are to each other.
But that being said, one of the unfortunate traps about making a musical based on such a beloved movie is that it tends to set too many restrictions on the stage cast. Because the film version of Pretty Woman is so beloved by so many romcom aficionados, it sets very strict boundaries to not only the story being told, but the traits and exploration of the characters as well.
Playing our titular “Pretty Woman,” Vivian Ward, is Ellie Baker. While Baker has a very clean and lovely singing voice, and she definitely takes on the affable dreamer character of Vivian, it is hard to compare her to the iconic Julia Roberts when she is clearly trying to capture the same essence of Roberts, instead of her own interpretation of the character. There is no question that Baker is able to embody the heart and quintessence of the character of Vivian. She is lovely, and confident, and caring, and approachable, and full of life. All attributes that attract Edward’s stiffer and more pragmatic character. But it often feels like she is trying (or directed to try) to replicate the film version of her character; and no one can compare to Roberts unique je ne sais quoi. While wonderful in what she accomplishes, I would have rather seen her own approach to the character.
Similarly caught in the same trap is the character of Edward Lewis, played by Chase Wolfe. Like Baker, Wolfe is wonderful at what he does. But in the same manner, he is attempting too much to capture the same spirit of Richard Gere’s character from the film. Wolfe has a powerful and romantic voice, and he definitely captures the sensation of a man watching and falling in love with the Pygmalion-esqe creature before him. But he has this softness to his demeanor and cadence that mimics Gere’s gentler characteristics from the film but doesn’t have the same effect for someone of Wolfe’s stature on the broader stage. Much like Baker, I wish more liberty had been afforded him to explore and approach the character in a different direction to allow for a new breath of life into the character.
That being said, there was more room to breathe for some other characters, and one character that certainly took that avenue and ran with it was the show’s “Fairy Godfather” character played by Adam Du Plessis. Credited only as “Happy Man”, but known within the story by many names, Du Plessis’ character(s) leads the story as an amalgamation of many things: narrator, tour guide, hotel manager, shop clerk, ballroom instructor, and Du Plessis definitely captures these many different roles as he overall embodies the near-magical Fairy Godfather of our tale. But because his character (or rather combination of many characters) is unique to the stage rendition, Du Plessis has more liberty to expand, stretch, and take up room than our main, more restricted protagonists. Likely because of this greater range of freedom, Du Plessis shines as a breath of fresh air. Afforded multiple instances of impish direction on the story’s execution, there are times when Du Plessis almost steals the show because he comes across as just so darn likable. Pair him with the affable clown in Giulio, played by Joshua Kring, and woo boy, you have a show all on its own!
But this show is a musical and what is a musical without its music? In short, well, it is a musical. With Music and Lyrics by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, the music of this show does a fine job of capturing the feeling of soft-rock circa 1980’s mixed with Broadway panache, with some other surprises mixed in there. Watching the show, the numbers all seem to hit their intended emotion and carry the story along, but there didn’t really seem to be a single knock-out number. That is to say, there was nothing you could really hum along to on your way out of the theatre on your way home. That’s not to say that there weren’t standouts. On the contrary, there are quite a few numbers sprinkled throughout that gave characters outside our two lovers a chance to shine.
One such instance was the song “Never Give Up on a Dream” featuring Vivian’s best friend and roommate Kit De Luca, played by Rae Davenport. While the song itself did not impress me much, it does give Davenport a chance to show what she is capable of. And what she is capable of is much more than what this show has allowed her. Relegated to the role of “best friend” and “supporter” of the main character, Davenport does not have many opportunities to fully shine in this production, but when given the chance, she does. I look forward to hearing what she is onto next, and hopefully it will be a show that will really allow her the room to show everything she can do.
Personal favorite number of the night was “On a Night Like Tonight” for its funtastic choreography and just simply: joy. Another instance for Du Plessis to shine, this tango number is filled with delight and mirth as Du Plessis’ character teaches Vivian to ballroom dance with the help of the ever-attentive staff of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. While not intended to be the show-stopper of the production, the sheer amusement that comes from this playful number certainly makes it stand out as a contender.
But not everything is straight Broadway. While watching the show and getting the sense that the play was following the movie so closely and knowing there was an opera scene in the movie, I was still surprised there was an actual opera in the production; and even more surprised to have such a fabulous opera singer as Sarah Wang. Set in a number that depicts a shadow of a show-within-a-show, Wang portrays instances of La Traviata’s Violetta woven in and around the more modern broadway tune of “You and I.” While the number is led by Edward’s character singing about his developing and strengthening feelings of love for Vivian, beats and moments of La Traviata flash and fade on stage to mirror similar moments to our main lovers’ story. Wang takes every moment she is afforded to shine as her angelic voice creates an ethereal and romantic aura on stage, worthy of bringing any first-time opera viewer to tears (in a good way of course!).
So what else shines in this show? Well, the set is definitely elegant and appropriate for a touring show such as this. If you are expecting Phantom of the Opera, you have a ways to wait, but the set for this tour, designed by Christine Peters, is refined and stylish in its own right. Every piece adds to the atmosphere of the environment and depicts the intended scene beautifully. Whether it is a silhouette cut out atop an ombre canvas to represent the disillusioned dreamscape of Hollywood Boulevard, or a few elegant columns attached to window sconced frames matched with simple geometric furniture to capture the feeling of a Luxe 1980’s hotel penthouse, Peters’ sets perform wonderfully on their own to allow for the scenes to be, without distraction or over-complication. And without giving too much away, there was some very creative visual symbolism used in the set and lighting at the very end that created a very amusing and humorous climax to our lovers’ tale.
If you know the film version of Pretty Woman, as many in the audience will, then you will absolutely enjoy this production as it does clear many hurdles of trying to recapture the feeling of the film for a stage setting. If you are not familiar with the film, you’ll definitely walk away with an appreciation of the story and have a few good laughs along the way, but this production was definitely made with the fans of the film in mind. Running now through December 17th at the National Theatre in Washington DC, if you are a fan of Pretty Woman don’t walk on by, Pretty Woman won’t make you cry. Oh, Pretty Woman.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including one 20 minute intermission.
Pretty Woman plays through December 17th, 2023 at the National Theatre— 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets call the box office at (202) 628-6161 or purchase them online.
