'Modern-day thriller still as fresh as it was three decades ago' – Our review of The Bodyguard at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Although the movie version was way back in 1992, this modern-day thriller is still as fresh as it was over three decades ago.

Troubled ex-Secret Service Agent Frank Farmer is hired to protect superstar singing sensation Rachel Marron who is being stalked by an obsessive fan; a job which should be a breeze compared to other cases he has encountered. Determined to stay focused and detached, he ruffles a few feathers when he overhauls the star’s security, but it isn’t long before the chemistry between Frank and Rachel reaches boiling point, both professionally and romantically.

Melody Thornton is the ultimate Queen of the Night in the opening number, with outstanding stage presence and superb vocals, not to mention doing an admirable job of keeping up with the outstanding ensemble, who literally set the stage on fire with Karen Bruce’s on point choreography. Strutting and sashaying her way through the song, Melody set the pace for the whole show.

Casting a pop diva in a musical theatre role is always a risk, as these are two very different styles of vocals and on a long run, my money would be on the musical theatre singer every time. However, this role is one which does require a pure pop voice to carry the Whitney Houston hits and Melody makes this performance her very own. She is different to previous singers in the role, and it would be unfair to make comparisons.

The hits just keep on coming, from the romantic ballads, Greatest Love Of All, One Moment In Time and I Have Nothing, to the more upbeat numbers including So Emotional, and Million Dollar Bill, all executed with enthusiasm and charisma.

This is an emotional role which demands an experienced actress, and at times her lines felt a little under delivered, but that said, she seemed to have a natural affinity with Rachel and so lived the part.

The casting of soap star, Ayden Callaghan as bodyguard Frank Farmer is inspired, as he is the perfect serious, brooding, handsome hero. The chemistry between the two leads is tangible and there is more than a hint of sexual tension, which I presume is down to excellent script-writing.

But it’s not all stern and solemn. The bar scene in which Frank tries his hand at singing brings some light relief. I have no idea whether Mr Callaghan can really sing or not, but either way it is not easy to fake singing off tune, but he did it so well that laughter rang out across the audience.

Emily-Mae as Rachel’s sister, Nicki, gave a standout performance also, with vocals which easily matched Melody Thornton’s. Her solo version of Saving All My Love was a massive highlight of Act One and their duet, Run to You, brought tears to my eyes it was so poignant and emotional.

Meanwhile Reneo Kusi-Appauh as Rachel’s son, Fletcher, was a scene stealer, displaying his singing and dancing skills. Cuteness overload! How these children become so talented at such a young age is a mystery to me, but he is certainly one to watch.

The scenes with the stalker are dark and menacing and the role was superbly portrayed by Marios Nicolaides, whose performance was so sinister that he might haunt your dreams. Shudder!

Thea Sharrock’s direction was for the most part sharp and detailed, but there were a couple of moments which underwhelmed me having seen previous versions. The scene when Frank is shot at the Oscars felt as if it was cut short by the curtain and so the classic line “He’s My Bodyguard!” was almost missed, which is disappointing as it is the moment in the show where you realise just how much Rachel loves him.

Like many of the touring musicals post-Covid, the scenery had been scaled back in this production, but an excellent lighting plot and date appropriate, glamorous costumes enhanced the proceedings skilfully.

There were so many goosebump moments throughout the evening, but Melody’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s classic love song, I Will Always Love You was the standout moment of the whole show. I refuse to spoilt it for those of you who have not been to see it yet, but it is fair to say that it was executed to perfection and will melt even the hardest heart.

Finally the orchestra under the musical direction of Sam Hall deserve a very special mention for transporting the audience back to the 1990’s by delivering hit after hit to perfection.

In view of recent events, it was absolutely the right decision by the company and the Grand Theatre to ask audience members to refrain from singing along throughout the show, but then the finale which had the whole theatre on its feet, concert-style., gave everyone the chance to bring the house down with “I Wanna Dance With Somebody. That is the time to join in ladies and gentlemen, and we did, resulting in a well-deserved standing ovation.

So, whether you are a true Whitney fan, a musical theatre aficionado, or you who would normally avoid musical theatre like the plague, The Bodyguard is perfect entertainment. Grab a ticket if you can!

Call 01902 429212 or visit grandtheatre.co.uk to book. Runs until Saturday.