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The Bodyguard musical has taken to the Palace Theatre stage in Manchester. It’s an adaptation of the cult classic movie filled with Whitney Houston Greatest Hits!
It’s no wonder why the movie is so popular with its deep emotional storyline and ballad after ballad performed by the icon herself, Whitney Houston. And this musical closely follows the screen picture with no major edits.
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A brief low down
Rachel Marron is a superstar with a stalker and seriously under qualified security. Soon Frank Farmer is recruited and tries to create some order. Rachel doesn’t take kindly to this enforced lockdown, especially during her public efforts to win an Oscar.
Until she learns of the threatening letters addressed to her that is. Soon this conflict with Frank turns into something more, but can he save her life whilst compromised or will that give the stalker the edge to get his deadly way?
Appropriately filmic
The Bodyguard musical starts with a bang, literally. And quickly after flames rage from the stage with a powerful opening number, ‘Queen of the Night’. Like a pop concert, dancers swarm the stage with fire choreography, lights flare and the music thumps.
It’s an exhilarating start that doesn’t reflect the whole tone of the show, which is generally ‘so emotional baby’, but does set the scene in terms of following a famous pop star!
Once the story kicks in, we spend a lot of time in Rachel’s home, which is lusciously draped with thick, billowing curtains. Certainly giving mansion vibes! And the snowy cabin set is especially accurate to the film version feeling real cosy and snug.
The action does feel appropriately filmic, with its video projection and tense underscore during the drama. There is a huge amount of acting scenes in comparison to a usual musical, which I thought honoured the movie nicely. But you do need to lean into the fairly cheesy romance!
Hit after hit
Melody Thornton leads this cast as Rachel Marron. No small feat following in the footsteps of Whitney herself. And who knew this Pussycat Doll had a pair of lungs on her like that? She blew me away with her deep tones and gave my mum goosebumps. She of course doesn’t emulate Whitney Houston, I don’t think anyone can, but she does nail every note with confidence and it’s a joy to hear her sing the music I love so much!
The big number, ‘I will always love you’, was stunningly sung, but sadly slightly let down by the costuming and staging. Half-hearted fog, a battered small, raised box and gorgeous but lacking in volume dress, didn’t give this moment the credit it deserved.
And I wasn’t lying when I said this show belts out hit after hit. ‘Greatest Love of All’, ‘How Will I know’, ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ and ‘One Moment in Time’ to name just a handful. Literally music to my ears!
The Bodyguard the musical is a drama filled, balled boasting show that will entertain fans of the movie or those who love Whitney’s hits in general!
Playing at Manchester Palace Theatre until Saturday 15 April 2023.