Actor Ore Oduba explains why people should go and see ‘Pretty Woman: The Musical’ – a huge, glitzy production which is playing at Curve this September.
How would you describe the show and who will enjoy it?
Pretty Woman: The Musical is an adaptation of the well known and loved hit movie from the 80s, and it’s everything that people will have loved from that but hopefully even more – we’ve got an amazing score, with an incredible company and cast. It’s like interactive official merchandise of the movie, with everything you want and more. It’s not essentially meant for kids, but everyone else is going to love it.
Can audiences expect many differences to the hit film?
I guess the main difference is that we’ve got brand new music written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, which adds a lovely freshness to the movie that people know and love. The people behind the movie are also behind the musical, so there are plenty of moments that people love repeated on stage. You get what you come for if you’re a big fan, but there’s also a lot in there for people who haven’t seen it.
The songs are co-written by Bryan Adams. How would you describe them and how do they elevate the story?
The songs are perfectly synced to create the beautiful musical moments in the story and we all love singing them. I met Bryan Adams once in 2015/2016 doing the New Year’s Eve fireworks for BBC One and he was the big act – I interviewed him as the year turned. Fast forward many years later and I’m performing in a show, in which he’s written the music. When he came to see us in rehearsals, I reminded him that we’d met one – I think he was doing the showbiz thing of being really kind and saying he remembered, but he was lovely and loved what he heard and saw of the show. Our biggest critic happens to be the person who wrote the music for the show, so no pressure!
Tell us a bit about your role? Is it fun to play and do you put your dancing and singing skills to good use?
I play Happy Man/ Mr Thompson. For anyone who has watched the movie, Mr Thompson is the straight-laced, eyebrow-raising hotel manager, who isn’t sure about Vivian when she first arrives, but their relationship grows and he really looks out for her. Meanwhile Happy Man is a street walking Fagin-type character who knows everyone on the boulevard. He kind of sprinkles the magic onto Vivian’s fairytale story. We really lean into this classic tale being
also a fairytale, and how there’s a lot of magic in dreaming about being elsewhere. There is a lot of singing, there is a big dance, and a lot of jokes. It’s a really fun role to play.
What are some of the show’s highlights?
The whole show is a highlight! There are some wonderful moments throughout – the love story between Edward
and Vivian develops beautifully through the show. The intimate scenes between Amber Davies and Oliver Savile, are beautifully performed night after night. There’s also a lot of humour injected into the story, so hopefully the audience get everything they need from a musical night out.
Why do you think the ‘Pretty Woman’ story is so beloved all these years on?
You’d have to ask the millions of fans around the world really. It’s iconic. Maybe it’s because it’s a love story, it’s a fairytale, and those never age – they are what everybody wants to see. Also, everything was better in the 80s, I think a lot of people like to escape back to that era. People like to escape when they come to the theatre, and they get to do that when they come to Pretty Woman.
What’s it like to be a part of this production and what’s the best part about being involved?
Going around different parts of the country and bringing the excitement to venues for the first time makes it such a thrill for all of us. It’s such a talented and lovely group to be touring with, so I thank my lucky stars that I get to be a little cog in this big sparkly 80s machine.
What can audiences expect and how will they feel by the end of the show?
You’re going to feel happy! You’ll be singing the songs and tapping your feet all the way home. You always hope people feel the escapism of theatre and leave happier than when they came. What we do find with this show is that people are already coming in happy to see this classic story retold. We ultimately hope everyone has a really good time!
What would you say to encourage people to come along in September?
The tagline says it all. This is a big, huge, night out. So make sure you come dressed with your glad rags and bring your friends because you are not going to forget this show!
Pretty Woman: The Musical is playing at Curve between September 16 and 21.
Visit: www.curveonline.co.uk to find out more.
