The Bodyguard continues at The Hawth Crawley until 29 July 2023 before continuing on its UK tour, with Zoe Birkett playing the next five venues (Crawley, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Cheltenham and Norwich), and playing evening performances only.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Jukebox musical The Bodyguard has been enjoying a UK for the last few months, and kicked off with former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton as its lead. The tour has now entered a new phase, and now musical theatre star Zoe Birkett has stepped into Whitney Houston’s shoes as global superstar Rachel Marron who finds herself under threat from a crazed stalker. Birkett has played the role before, and after a gap of nearly eight years, she’s back to show everyone how it’s done as she plays the next five venues of the tour.
The show takes the plot of the 1992 film and the songs of its best-selling soundtrack, and fleshes it out to include even more of Houston’s legendary back catalogue, celebrating the formidable and talent who became one of the greatest singers of all time.
The romantic thriller sees global superstar Rachel Marron (Birkett) under threat from a crazed stalker (Marios Nicolaides) and needing protection from bodyguard Frank Farmer (Ayden Callaghan). Fearing also for the safety of her son Fletcher and sister Nicki (Emily-Mae), Rachel reluctantly goes along with Frank’s tough restrictions on her lifestyle, and the pair are soon fighting an undeniable attraction. But with the pressure of an Oscar campaign from her PR Manager Cy (James Groom), and the stalker getting closer to his target, romantic distraction risks getting Rachel killed.
The Bodyguard may be predictable hokum if judged as the romantic thriller it presents itself to be, but as a fun night out and celebration of Whitney, it delivers, largely thanks to the strength of Houston’s hits and a powerhouse leading performance from Birkett.
The show improves on the film’s ploddy pace and injects more life and personality into it, and also fleshes out certain parts of Alexander Dinelaris and Lawrence Kasdan’s original screenplay (most notably the role of Nicki Marron, which works really well and gives the character a much clearer agency of her own).
The tone may be occasionally uneven when the piece tries to swing between serious thriller and playful comedy, and dialogue can feel clunky at times, but it works well enough to drive the main purpose, which is to deliver a top-tier list of Houston’s classic ballads and up-tempo numbers. The songs are well-chosen with minimal shoe-horning (‘I’m Every Woman’ is really the only song that’s oddly placed without explanation) and hearing them in full rather than only fleetingly as in the film is a real joy.
Karen Bruce’s dynamic choreography is delivered really well by a talented ensemble, who really drive the dancier numbers and ensure the audience has a good time. Visually, the show looks great, with lighting (Mark Henderson) and video design (Duncan McLean) making the show feel like a broody thriller when it needs to and then switching to a pop concert at the right times, along with some fantastic costumes for Rachel designed by Tim Hatley. Overall, director Thea Sharrock gets the balance just right between tension and fun, delivering some menacing moments while also celebrating Houston with passion and respect.
Seeing Birkett stepping back into this role is something not to be missed, and she is a true powerhouse on the stage. She clearly has a real love for Houston’s music, but never tries to emulate her, and puts her own raw spin on it rather than giving a Stars In Their Eyes tribute. It’s been over 20 years since her Pop Idol breakthrough, and the work she’s put in over the years to build and hone her craft is in full evidence. Confident, assured, and fully in control of her belting voice that never fails to hit those big notes, she really is a knockout and makes it look effortless. Birkett elevates the material and transforms the show.
Emily-Mae is also fantastic as Nicki Marron, matching Birkett really well and singing her solos and duets beautifully. As Frank Farmer, Callaghan does feel somewhat stifled in a bit of a thankless role, but commands his scenes well and also has great chemistry with Birkett.
The Bodyguard is one of the better jukebox musicals, successfully weaving Houston’s songs into an engaging story, and while it could be more sharply written, it’s still far better than the likes of Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You. Whitney fans won’t really care about the writing or characters to be fair, they’ll only want to hear the next classic song, all of which sound fantastic. And an astounding leading performance from Birkett makes this a must-see if you can get to the next five venues. She really does show what a superstar she’s become, and now is her ‘One Moment in Time’ to shine.
Rob Bartley
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