Pretty Woman!

 I must confess. I remember watching the movie Pretty Woman in 1990 with a friend and sitting there listening to people def jam laughing and wondering what the hell is so funny? I also can't stand the ballady guitar solo heavy music of Bryan Adams. Thus, I put it out there before I tell you what I thought of the Broadway tour version of the musical Pretty Woman that hit Omaha last night for a weeklong run.

The story everybody knows and quite frankly who cares? It's My Fair Lady, its Pygmalion, its every love story ever made. Two misfits hate each other, they like each other, then they fall in love. In this case it's a hedge fund manager and a street hooker. He wants no strings attached companionship; she needs money. Oh, how romantic. A greedy scumbag who destroys lives and a prostitute who walks the streets of Hollywood, remains beautiful with no addictions or diseases and who wouldn't want those two crazy kids to get together? The story is ridiculous. Vivian and Edward. Pass.

In cases like that, where I don't care about the main characters at all, I look to the minor characters to care about. And in the case of Pretty Woman there's plenty of minor characters who are actually major characters.

Adam Du Plessis is Happy Man, the hotel manager, a street guru, a piano player, a store manager and a crazy opera conductor. This guy dominates. He is immensely talented in comic acting, singing and sincere empathy. The guy does it all. He makes you wish the two main characters would get off the stage so he can reappear. 

Connor Kabat as Guilio, the bellman. He has the moves of a contortionist. He is a joy to watch. He's funny and he isn't onstage enough. His scenes with Du Plessis as the hotel manager are absolutely the best part of this musical especially the ballroom dancing scenes. Hilarious.

Rae Davenport as the hooker roommate of Vivian, Kit DeLuca. She isn't in a whole lot of scenes but when she is, holy schnikes. Her voice is powerful. It's like going to church in a play about hookers and scumbags. Her scenes with the Happy Man towards the end were a delight.

Finally, Sara Wang isn't up there a whole lot, But the opera scene and subsequent scenes showcase her operatic chops. She's impossible to not want more of. 

Finally, the main characters. Yeah, they're fine. Ellie Baker as Vivian does her best Julia Roberts snort and laugh. But to be honest, when she and Chase Wolfe as Edward are onstage there's really no chemistry. It was tolerable but for Maxs Mom and I, we both wished them to finish so we could see more of the Happy Man, Kit, Guilio and the ensemble.

Should you see it. Sure, why not? It's two hours of fun. It means nothing, it's not Les Mis or Hamilton, hell it's not even Mamma Mia. but there's enough up there to make it enjoyable despite the grumpy old guy next to me who never applauded once and seemed like he'd rather be at Monday Night Raw. 

PS--the applause at the curtain call was heavy for the same characters I just mentioned and not so much for the main characters Edward and Vivian. Maybe the rest of the crowd agreed with us. And the booing of the greedy lawyer was spot on. Chefs kiss!