Review: The Bodyguard at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

★★★★

Based on the hit film of the same name, The Bodyguard Musical is a romantic thriller featuring the irresistible music of the great Whitney Houston. Starring international leading lady, Sidonie Smith as Rachel Marron and Olivier Award nominee, Adam Garcia as Frank Farmer, the musical tells the story of superstar singer Rachel Marron who needs protection from an unknown stalker, and finds this and more in the arms of former Secret Service Agent turned bodyguard, Frank.

With an explosive opening, energetic dancers, pyrotechnics and, of course, a belting song to start, this musical proves right from the beginning why Houston will always be the ‘Queen of the Night’, and why The Bodyguard is such a loved film.

It’s hard not to enjoy a musical that is packed full of great songs from the queen of pop, including many of Whitney Houston’s classics; So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving all My Love, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, I Will Always Love You, Queen of the Night, and Million Dollar Baby which provide a perfect balance of moving ballads and danceable hits.

The Bodyguard is a taxing production for its two leading vocalists who sing most of the numbers, but Sidonie Smith as Rachel Marron and Sasha Monique as her sister Nicki Marron really live up to the challenge, dazzling in both group and solo moments with breath-taking vocals. While much of the show is the glitz and glamour of incredible full concert-style performances, there are also golden moments in which the vocals shine alone, with just a spotlight on the talent.

These stripped-back moments also allow for scene changes to take place more seamlessly, dropping audiences right back into the elaborate sets (Tim Hatley) worthy of the movie world from which this story has stepped. The production also makes use of video design to tell some of its story and although this is well done in scenes featuring the Stalker (James-Lee Harris), some of the projections do feel out of place and unnecessary.

Weaving together romance, family dynamics, and crime thriller elements, The Bodyguard: The Musical is filled with moments of warmth and humour juxtaposed against the tension and suspense of shifting shadows and jump scares that are cleverly built into the production with use of lighting, ominous instrumental music, and slow-motion choreography (Karen Bruce).  

With a screenplay by Lawrence Kasden and book by Alexander Dinelaris, this musical reimagines the much-loved 1992 movie for the stage. Although it differs in some places from the original material, it holds on to the film’s heart, making The Bodyguard: The Musical the perfect show for fans of the film.  

The Bodyguard Musical plays at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 27^th September with tickets selling fast. The production will also be playing at The Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Leicester's Curve Theatre, and Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall.

This review was written following a press invite to the production.

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