By Catherine Collins
As the curtain rises on a dark October evening, The Bodyguard opens on the Mayflower Theatre stage with a bang, before transporting the audience into a pop concert, with lights, dancing and the powerful voice of Emily Williams, who takes on the role made famous by Whitney Houston.
The Bodyguard musical follows the same storyline as that of the hit 1992 Warner Brothers’ movie, with former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker.
The touring show relies upon a simple set, which works really well, and impressive costume designs, but let’s be honest – this show is all about the score.
And, with irresistible classics – including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, and one of the biggest hit songs of all time, I Will Always Love You – it really is no surprise.
A multi-talented cast takes the stage in this musical, with fiery stage presence and amazing talent on show throughout, from the leads to the ensemble – the casting director deserves a round of applause.
Australian Idol star, Emily Williams, returns to the role of Rachel Marron, and along with her incredible voice, comes her on stage chemistry with the brilliant Ayden Callaghan, who is smooth and charismatic in his portrayal of Frank Farmer.
Emily-Mae is sensational as Rachel’s sister, Nicki, and special mention should also go Marios Nicolaides as The Stalker – his silent and sinister depiction gives a sense of impending doom whenever he is on stage.
If you loved Whitney Houston, or The Bodyguard movie, you really won’t want to miss this musical extravaganza, and when the show finally draws to a close – it’s your time to shine!
The Bodyguard runs until Saturday 4 November 2023, tickets are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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