Is the new musical, Pretty Woman, a great musical?
No, but, at times, it’s a captivating and charming adaptation of the
iconic film.
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| Andy Karl and Samantha Barks from "Pretty Woman." |
As with the Richard Gere/Julia Roberts
movie, the story introduces Edward Lewis (Andy Karl), a workaholic billionaire
that buys up distressed companies only to turn around and sell off the assets
for huge profits. By chance, he meets Vivian
Ward (Samantha Barks), a gorgeous hooker on Hollywood Boulevard and, through
some implausible plot twists, hires her to be his weeklong companion while he
conducts business in Los Angeles. After
some false starts, a touch of meddling and prying from friends and colleagues,
and a dash of more improbable incidents, romance blossoms and a fairytale
ending is secured.
The book of the musical by the movie’s
director Garry Marshall and its screenwriter J.F. Lawton follows the film’s
plot and scenarios much too closely.
Most successful movie to musical transformations need to reinterpret the
celluloid version, avoiding a strict rote presentation, which the creators have
effected too often here. The romantic
and fanciful storyline that incorporates a hint of Pygmalion and essence of Cinderella
has always been hard to swallow, especially in its sanitized view of
prostitution. However, the public has
not seemed to mind as it has responded enthusiastically to the whole
contrivance.
The score by 80’s rocker Bryan Adams and
his longtime songwriting collaborator Jim Vallance is a mix of power pop
confections and more conventional Broadway melodies. There are enough hooks and well-crafted numbers
to satisfy an audience seeking original, appealing songs.
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| Samantha Barks and the cast of "Pretty Woman." |
The chemistry between the central cast
members Andy Karl and Samantha Barks is the strength of the show. They look good together, feel natural, are
frisky and sexy. Andy Karl, who has been
in a number of recent movie to musical creations (Rocky, Groundhog Day), is charismatic, playful, and debonair as the
extremely successful businessman, Edward Lewis.
At times, though, he is too laid backed and unbothered. The steeliness and central focus of someone
so intent on profits is missing, which undermines the overall impact of his
character. Ms. Barks is a stunner with a
powerful voice. Within the constraints
of a musical comedy the actress is able to convey a diverse array of emotions
as she sets forth on her life-changing journey.
The supporting players—Eric Anderson as
the Happy Man and, more importantly, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel manager Mr.
Thomapson; Opreh as Vivian’s best friend Kit; and Tommy Bracco as the bellhop Giulo—are
all superb and handsomely complement the production.
Director/Choreographer Jerry Mitchell seems
to play it safe with too few innovations or modifications from the source material. It is a tricky road to travel—how much of a
transformation to impose on a beloved film as it is reconceptualized for the
Broadway stage? With only a few embellishments
and adjustments the show does not achieve its full potential.
Pretty Woman, a pure delight
for fans of the movie, but more pedestrian for the rest of us.
