BOOKING NOW: MUST SEE EVENT
Pretty Woman: The Musical Leeds Grand Theatre, May 14-25 Tickets via leedsheritagetheatres.com
BASED on the hit 1990 movie starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, Pretty Woman: The Musical is heading to Leeds later this month. The production transfers the Hollywood romcom to the stage and presents an uplifting theatrical take on the love story between Vivian and Edward.
Directed and choreographed by the Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, Pretty Woman: The Musical features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.
The production had its world premiere in Chicago in 2018 before transferring to Broadway.
The UK tour version stars Amber Davies as Vivian Ward, Ore Oduba as Happy Man and Mr Thompson, Oliver Savile as Edward Lewis and Natalie Paris as Kit De Luca.
Following record-breaking runs on Broadway and in the West End, as well as on a US tour and in cities around the world, the show is currently on a tour of the UK and Ireland.
According to his wife Barbara and daughter
Kathleen, director of the film and co-writer of the musical Garry Marshall would have been thrilled to learn of its ongoing success. He died in 2016, after working on the production with the movie’s writer JF Lawton for many years and dreaming that it might open in New York at some point.
“Had someone told him it would such a hit around the world he wouldn't have believed it," says Barbara.
“Not only did it make it to Broadway, it’s bringing joy to so many people in so many other places. He’d have come to all the places we’ve seen the show.”
Kathleen agrees. “As well as being a director my dad was a writer, which he saw as a lonely profession. He always said 'Once you finish writing something you just have to bask in it because you're going to be back in the room writing again soon'. So he would be just basking in the excitement that the show is doing so well.”
Reflecting on why audiences respond so positively to this particular story, she adds: “There's a beautiful moment in Pretty Woman where you know that Edward really sees who Vivian is and Vivian really sees who Edward is, and that's where they connect.”