The Bodyguard, The Musical 

The Alexandra Theatre

Birmingham

4th - 30th December 2023

Michael Harrison, David Ian for Crossroads Live with MEHR-BB Entertainment GMBH, Playing Field (Theatre) Ltd, Mirvish Productions and Michael Watt present The Bodyguard, The Musical.  The production is based on the Warner Bros. film, screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and the book by Alexander Dinelaris.

Emily Williams (Rachel Marron), What an entrance! What an explosive entrance to a show!! The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham pulled out all the stops for their end of year gala night show last night and what a show it was.

I was cascaded back to the early 1990s when I watched the film ‘The Bodyguard’ on the silver screen while working in the U.S. and fans of Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston will no doubt have seen this on the ‘big screen’ or at some point since have watched the 1992 classic Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Bodyguard’ on tv, and probably like myself went out immediately and bought the album or in my case the CD, long before the days of instant downloads! With a score of instantly recognisable hits made this a sensational movie.

After all these years it has finally hit the stage and arrived in Birmingham to much anticipation and excitement! An extravaganza of glitz, glamour, song and dance!

And if you love music, a fan of Whitney or just love musicals this show is crammed and filled to the brim with show stopping numbers including ‘I have nothing,’ ‘I’m every woman,’ ‘I will always love you,’ ‘Queen of the night,’ and ‘One moment in time’ performed by a highly talented cast, with a wealth and back catalogue of TV and theatre experience between them. It stars and features Emily Williams (Rachel Marron), Ayden Callaghan (Frank Farmer), John Macaulay (Bill Devaney), Graham Elwell (Tony Scibelli), Emily-Mae (Nicki Marron), Marios Nicolaides) and Sam Stephens (Fletcher).

The storyline line is a simple one, former United States Secret Service agent Frank Farmer is hired as a bodyguard to protect and monitor the daily movements of a famous, high profile singer and actress Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. The plot is interspersed with subtle scene changes and carefully captivating choreographed dance scenes.

A word of caution that the production ‘contains repetitive flashing lights and visual effects, pyrotechnics, theatrical smoke and haze, gunshots, loud sound effects and scenes of mild peril!’ One particular scene in the latter part of the performance takes your breath away and is liable to upset and offend some members of the audience. It left me for a fraction of a second a little shocked and in a daze!

The whole production is highly dramatic with scenes leaving you on the edge of your seat in suspense or you just wanting to get up and dance! Combined with a simple set design and lighting that highlighted the highs and lows, the tension and the climax left you in awe! A real toe tapping theatrical piece!

Words cannot express just how fantastic this production really is. I absolutely loved it, the best I’ve ever seen and I strongly recommend it. As a reviewer, I can honestly say I cannot fault it and the only criticism I have, that it was all over far too soon. It needed to be longer!

I would like to wish all involved with The Bodyguard, The Musical every success with the rest of the tour and I also extend my sincere thanks to The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham for hosting a most enjoyable and memorable gala night.