Amazing vocals. A soppy night out
The Bodyguard has become synonymous with the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Therefore, creating a musical rendition that surpasses the original is a daunting task. However, The Bodyguard musical puts up a strong fight, with amazing performances and clear vocals. It’s such a shame that the show needs a modern update.
Rachel Marron is receiving dangerous threats from a stalker. Her management team decides to take matters into their own hands and employs Frank Farmer, a former secret service agent, to take care of Rachel and her son. As the story unfolds, a love story develops between them. However, they must decide whether to prioritize their duty or build a strong relationship. Will Rachel and her son be safe from outside threats?
The show featured a dynamic ensemble with a lot of talent, including Ryo Appadu who played Fletcher, in the performance I attended and was. The supporting cast had some great comedic moments, but the biggest drawback was that, besides Rachel, Nicki (Rachel’s sister) and Frank (with his monosyllabic, hilarious rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”), the other characters did not sing, which made them feel out of place.
Despite this, Emily Williams (as Rachel Marron) displayed amazing control of her voice and a vulnerability that transformed the songs and made them her own. Emily Mae, who played Nicki Marron, was also breathtaking, especially in her rendition of “Saving All My Love for You.” Overall, the performance was enjoyable and left me wanting to hear more from the talented cast.
In my opinion, the book is what brings down this production. The storyline feels rushed and does not allow for believable character development or rapport building. As a result, I found it difficult to emotionally invest in the love story between Rachel and Frank. Moreover, the actors lacked chemistry in certain important moments of the show. Additionally, I did not understand why Nicki had an unrequited love for Frank. The only natural and well-developed relationship seemed to be between Frank and Fletcher, which created a lot of endearing moments.
The dialogue in the show felt very stiff and unpolished, particularly during the performance of the song “All the Man That I Need.” The suggestive lyrics, “He fills me up, he gives me love, more love than I’ve ever seen,” unintentionally caused the audience to break out into giggles, especially following a steamy scene. Moreover, the costumes were uninspiring, outdated, and mostly copies of those from the original production. Although the set was grand, it wasn’t very versatile, and the constant use of traveller curtains and blocking half the stage throughout the show became monotonous. The projections were sometimes out of sync with the on-stage events, and although I understood their use as a mechanism to add suspense to the story, I found the execution to be lacklustre. Although there were several updates meant to bring the show up-to-date with our current times, including references to politics and social media, I felt that the show’s aesthetic, which was in line with the visuals of 2012 (when the show first debuted), clashed with the modern tone of the content. As a result, I was left confused about the timeline of the story.
In today’s world, where stalking has become increasingly common and the potential risks of being in the public eye as a celebrity are high, the relevance of the show has increased significantly since its original production in 1992. However, I am doubtful if a jukebox that plays as many Whitney Houston songs as possible is the right choice for this story. In conclusion, it was an enjoyable night with amazing energy on stage and a surprisingly well-behaved audience. But it did not leave me with the same impact as it promised at the beginning when the show started with a literal “bang”.