The Bodyguard – Edinburgh Playhouse and Touring

Picture: Paul Coltas

The Bodyguard was reviewed at the Edinburgh Playhouse. The production continues to tour the UK and Ireland until 30 December 2023.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

This latest incarnation of The Bodyguard has a cast led by Ayden Callaghan in the title role, alongside Melody Thornton as the celebrated Rachel Marron. The production is punchy, pacy and polished.

Stripping back the narrative, yet still retaining just the right amount of cinematic effects, this is a show that grips the audience from the lights going down to the final curtain call. The plot is far more tidy than the film version with clearer motivation lines for every character, including Marcus Nicolaides as The Stalker, a chiller of a ‘baddie’, who may need to take a beat or two in his earlier scenes to still the audience completely.

It is his pursuit of the superstar, Rachel, that leads to Frank Farmer being brought in as a specialist bodyguard. Callaghan is convincing as the professional trying to create order and safety in Rachel’s world. Wonderful stillness and strength with a healthy dose of humour in the bar scene gives the actor the perfect framework to build his character. Compelling to watch.

The supremely talented Thornton dazzles as Rachel – her movement and dance is particularly strong. Her rendition of the Whitney Houston power ballads can bring tears to the eyes, such is her emotion and tenderness. Her ‘One Moment in Time’ is simply exquisite.

That being said, Samantha Mbolekwa all but stops the show with her stunning voice in the role of Nicki Marron, Rachel’s sister. Completing the family cast, Kaylenn Aires Fonseca is terrific as young Fletcher. The acting rapport between the principal characters is very good indeed.

Just as the plot has been pared back, the clever design for the staging by Tim Hatley is worthy of note. The curtain ‘choreography’ is intricate yet simple to keep the show flowing from scene to scene in the same way that Hatley’s costume design elevates clever layering an artform. The designs created for Thornton are sensational.

Be prepared for a great night out and enjoy the boisterous finale that is a delight from start to finish!

Fiona Orr