INTERVIEW: Markus Hamence is in The Jungle Room with Samantha Jade for Pretty Woman Musical
Playing the iconic role of Vivian (Made famous in the movie by Julie Roberts), Samantha and Markus catchup about the Australian touring musical that has hit Adelaide in June 2026.
Big news. Big. Huge! The much-loved Broadway and West End smash hit musical PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical will make its Adelaide premiere at Her Majesty’s Theatre for a strictly-limited season from 31 May.
One of Australia’s favourite performers, Samantha Jade, stars as Vivian Ward, the role made famous worldwide by the much-loved Julia Roberts. She features alongside Ben Hall as Richard Gere’s character Edward Lewis.
Critics are raving about this five-star production with the Courier Mail calling it “a burst of Hollywood magic” and a “cheeky comedy, big-hearted romance” with “vocals that hit harder than a Rodeo Drive price tag”. Other critics called it “a joyous, heart-warming, and unabashedly feel-good evening” and “everything a modern musical should be—fun, heartfelt, glamorous, and unapologetically romantic”.
The musical broke box office records at the Nederlander Theatre when making its Broadway debut in 2018 and has also wowed audiences in an extended West End season in London and a US national tour as well as productions in Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. It features a blazing rock score from Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance with direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and a book by the original movie’s director Garry Marshall & screenwriter J.F. Lawton.
Samantha Jade has been a household name in Australia for many years since winning Channel 7’s X Factor in 2012. She has amassed a collective 91 million streams and 2.3 million sales worldwide, released a single with Pitbull (Shake That) and released her album NINE in 2015 which hit #2 on the ARIA charts.
The multi-talented Samantha has been a regular fixture on Australian television, starring as Kylie Minogue in the TV Miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, as well as an ongoing guest-starring role in Home & Away. She has also toured with One Direction, Westlife, Backstreet Boys and joined the cast of the second season of Celebrity Apprentice.
Ben Hall is best known for his series regular role as Ned Willis on Neighbours and his leading role in the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey. His other musical theatre credits include Boublil & Schönberg’s Les Misérables and the Australian production Only Heaven Knows.
The cast also features crowd-favourite Michelle Brasier as Vivian’s wise-cracking friend Kit de Luca as well as the multi-talented Tim Omaji in the dual role of Happy Man / Mr Thompson.
Book your tickets for a trip to Rodeo Drive and get ready for a big night out. Big. Huge!
PRETTY WOMAN
The Musical
31 May – 5 July 2026
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
