REVIEW: The Bodyguard - The Musical

© Paul Coltas

One of the most popular films of the 1990’s comes to the West Midlands stage in a firecracker of a show.

The Bodyguard - The Musical is now playing at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.

Way back in 1992 a Warner Bros. film called The Bodyguard, costing $25million and starring soul diva Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, was released into cinemas to an unsuspecting audience and very quickly the movie went on to become a box-office sensation that earned over $400million.

The soundtrack to the film topped the charts and stayed there for nearly half a year, and it remains one of the bestselling movie soundtracks of all time.

Well, with a record like that, the film eventually spawned a stage version that packed out theatres wherever it toured.

The Bodyguard is now bringing audiences in droves to The Alexandra Theatre where the show starts off in an immersive and exciting manner. As people enter the auditorium, there is a loud gunshot which replicates the sudden and dramatic opening of the 1992 movie where a menacing stalker fires off a gun during a concert.

The stage musical retains the simple, but very effective and compulsive story, of the romance that develops between a popular singer and her bodyguard who has been hired to protect the superstar from a terrifying stalker.

The creative team behind this show refrains from lazily employing a jukebox template and instead uses wit and intelligence to home in on Whitney Houston’s legendary songs, which have become such a recognisable and integral part of the music landscape of our world, and weave them into a show full of drama, thrills and heated passion.

Any Whitney fans coming to the show in the hope of hearing some of the diva’s famous songs will not be disappointed. There’s a whole double-album’s worth of material being belted out on the stage including songs such as I’m Every Woman, One Moment in Time, I Will Always Love You, Run to You, Saving All My Love for You, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Greatest Love of All, plus many other iconic songs.

This show has to be commended for the courage to make some very moving and thought-provoking points about a couple of issues currently plaguing our world: race and gun violence. The points are delicately made, never underlined or forced, and they are projected with intelligence and maturity.

The two central characters come from different racial backgrounds yet their love is so beautiful and life-affirming that it overcomes any barriers set by society, class, or even flags which are currently still making headlines.

The production has been updated for the modern era and the story now includes references to the impact of viral videos, mobile technology and social media upon the lives of superstars and their fans.

Sidonie Smith takes on the role of superstar singer Rachel who was portrayed by Whitney in the Hollywood film, and the titular role of the bodyguard in this stage musical is performed by Adam Garcia.  

Smith and Garcia both have pedigree, gravitas, acting and singing skills, including some very demanding footwork for the choreography, and – more importantly – they both share a lovely chemistry that brings to life the passion and romance at the heart of the thrilling story.

Sasha Monique, who plays Rachel’s sister Nicki, is a graceful and consummate performer who captivates with her stage presence.

James-Lee Harris is creepy, frightening and at times downright infernal, as the Stalker who will stop at nothing to carry out his evil deed. The scene where Harris allows a youngster to play with his gun caused the audience to gasp in horror. The red laser-beam of the gun, which was momentarily aimed at the audience, reinforces recent headlines about gun violence. This was a powerful and profound moment where Art raised a stark and sobering point about Life and about where humanity is heading unless matters are urgently addressed.

Despite his villainous role, Harris has undeniable charisma, and his dancing skills are so kinetic that he hypnotised the audience.

The ensemble in this production of The Bodyguard – The Musical are the cream of the crop and showcase some of the very best theatrical talent in this country. Every single individual deserves high praise for a night of spectacular singing and dancing.  

Theo UK Rose, Alice Readie, Luke Woollaston, Zirihi Zadi, Emma-Jane Smith, Yiota Theo, Luke Walsh,Taylor Bridges, Ohaana Greaves and Kayne Gordon ignite magic upon the stage with performances forged with wondrous magic.

A very special mention goes out to the talented youngster who took on the role of Rachel’s young son, Fletcher. For the press night performance the part of Fletcher was brought to life by Mason Dyett and he absolutely melted the heart of the audience with his zesty and inspired dancing. When the cast and crew came out for their bows at the end of the show it was young Mason who received the most heartwarming applause.  

Tim Hatley’s set designs are superb, and the scene changes were smooth and seamless. Without causing any stage disruption, or slowing down the action, the sets changed from a concert hall, to a studio, to Rachel’s home, and finally to the Academy Awards stage.

The lighting design by Mark Henderson pulsed and glowed during the concert sequences, and then turned into mysterious inky Film-Noir shadows and veiled silhouettes during the tense and suspenseful scenes where the Stalker is plotting his murderous and chilling schemes.

One of the highlights of this musical is the choreography by Karen Bruce. It is an absolute delight to see the huge array of dancers, some of them with muscles bulging and oiled up like Chippendales, going through some of the most athletic and sensational dancing seen this year.

Credit also goes to director Thea Sharrock for taking hold of the various strands of the show and ensuring the material remains focused and the pace never lags.

People up and down the aisles showed their love and appreciation for the show by getting up at the climax and joining in with the singing and dancing.

The Bodyguard has it all: thrilling drama, sizzling passion, sensational singing and sexy dancing.

Verdict: ★★★★★

The Bodyguard - The Musical is now playing at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham until Saturday 27th September