It can be difficult for much of the runtime of Pretty Woman the Musical to not feel like there’s a faint echo of life imitating art imitating life. Permitting the obvious leaps in logic and slightly awkward allegory, there’s a definite sense that you’ve paid into seeing something that’s visually splendid, that does and says all the right things, but can ultimately feel quite transactional and even hollow.

And yet, much like the core romance at the heart of the show and the 1990 Julia Roberts vehicle that inspired it, chances are that by the end, you’ll be smiling, won over and have learnt to appreciate some hidden depths.

Going in cold and detached though, and Pretty Woman on the stage feels very much like a product. A jaunty transplant from screen to stage. As a musical, its songs and soundtrack – a joint effort from Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams (yes, that Bryan Adams) – are fun but mostly forgettable, with an abundance of stop-start numbers that don’t really offer much pushing ahead of the narrative. Speaking of which, it’s a safe, mostly faithful retread of the beloved rom-com, with only the slightest tinkering around the ages to give its female characters a touch more agency and self-determination.

And yet, despite it being dated in tale and fairly pedestrian on paper as a musical, there’s something quite infectious (…careful) about the sheer spirit and vim with which Jerry Mitchell and company have taken their fairly humdrum ingredients and made such a shiny, smiley, inoffensive couple of hours of fun from it all.

Vivian Ward (Amber Davies) is a new recruit to the streetwalkers of Hollywood Boulevard. She’s been given pointers and taken under the wing of the more experienced and world-weary Kit De Luca (a standout Natalie Paris), but it’s hard out there for a hooker. References to a fellow murdered prostitute are tossed out early on with almost disarming flippancy. Uncertain of what lies ahead, a sassy chance encounter with Billionaire loner Edward Lewis (Oliver Savile) sees Vivian whisked off to a week of luxury, new perspectives and possibly even romance.

“Davies continues her trajectory as a formidable musical theatre talent here.”

Davies continues her trajectory as a formidable musical theatre talent here. Unsurprisingly for the role that catapulted Julia Roberts into the stratosphere, Vivian gets the best lines and songs of Pretty Woman the Musical. Davies brings just the right balance of attitude and vulnerability to ensure we root for her Vivian, and regularly impresses vocally. A late game empowerment number in particular is breathtakingly strong.

Unfortunately, musical theatre veteran Savile gets shorter shrift as her co-lead. His Edward is barely fleshed out from Richard Gere’s role over thirty years ago, and he ends up fairly thanklessly saddled with what feel like the same songs and emotional beats on repeat over the course of the show. Expectedly, Savile navigates them like an absolute pro, and remains one of musical theatre’s most dependable leading men, which only makes it even more of a pity that it feels like he spends most of the show (beautifully) riffing over familiar ground.

Of the supporting cast, Natalie Paris is, as mentioned, a powerhouse throughout as Kit, even if her character similarly gets little to do beyond being the supportive bestie. Ore Oduba, meanwhile, proves himself a fine singer and physical comedian in addition to those dancing chops, and yes, there are a couple of Strictly references rather clumsily shoehorned in. Particular shoutout must also go to Noah Harrison, whose adorably timorous bellhop is an absolute treat throughout, with Harrison similarly showcasing some seriously impressive dance moves.

In addition to its uniformly strong cast, Pretty Woman the Musical certainly looks and feels like a big, lavish spectacle. David Rockwell‘s design infuses the piece with plenty of Hollywood glitz and colour, with a real sense of height to its towering flats, and some particularly neat staging and use of depth for a night at the opera. It all looks and sounds quality, even if a couple of horrible wigs momentarily threaten to dash the illusion.

So is Pretty Woman a bad musical elevated by a strong cast and premium production values? Well, no. It probably isn’t fair to even call it a bad musical. It’s more that it is remarkable for being so comparatively unremarkable.

Still, there’s no denying that polish, and the strength of its cast. Its target audience, including those with any sort of nostalgia for the movie, will almost certainly lap it up and will likely want to plonk an extra star on that rating. It’s a consummate crowd pleaser and box ticker, and chances are you’ll leave feeling perfectly satisfied.

And yet, for everyone else, even if there will likely be very little in the way of buyers remorse, then it’s nonetheless hard not to find yourself glancing across to the opposite side of the boulevard and recognise that there are far more enticing, original and exciting options elsewhere to invite to your penthouse and sink your hard… earned patronage into.