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Cardiff gets a dose of Whitney Houston on the third UK tour of the award-winning musical
The Bodyguard already has numerous accolades and an esteemed following but to the first-time viewer, it is surprising just how brilliantly triumphant this musical is. The announcement in the auditorium at the start: “please refrain from singing along” is a knowing warning considering recent events [a woman was removed by the police after singing over the cast in Manchester]. One thing is for sure though, these songs are special, emphatic and so easy to sing-along to, and they transition perfectly to the stage.
Based on the 1992 Oscar-nominated film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, The Bodyguard follows pop sensation Rachel Marron as she negotiates the threat of an obsessive fan alongside her bodyguard and young son. Taking on the huge leading role is Melody Thornton, famed as being a lesser-known member of the Pussycat Dolls, people will soon wonder where on earth she has been hiding. Some may be apprehensive as to whether a Pussycat Doll has the clout to take on some of the biggest female songs of all time…but the answer is an unquestionable yes.
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Given her very petite stature, Melody’s presence and vocal prowess is even more astounding. Opening number Queen of the Night is an explosion of powerful singing, sexy dancing and pyrotechnics that screams ‘look at me’. Her vocals are strong, crisp and beautifully decorated – the vocal acrobatics are not too dissimilar to the likes of Christina Aguilera or Ariana Grande, pulling the melody around in an impressive fashion (albeit sometimes a little too much in certain numbers). She also has a tendency to trail her phrases off breathily but impressively, some of her best singing was when she was dancing.
Melody has a pure, strong tone which is slightly different to the traditional Whitney belt but that doesn’t stop her from absolutely nailing One Moment in Time which was one of her best numbers. She commands the stage in a stunning golden dress and hits every note with vigour.
Rachel Marron’s sister Nicki (Emily-Mae) is also quite fantastic. She offers another dynamic, sharing some of Whitney Houston’s best hits – her performance of Saving All my Love For you, presented as an intimate club number showed her effortless her voice was. Her ability to switch from chest to head voice so seamlessly should be applauded. The contrast between the two principal characters is noticeable – Emily-Mae’s highly trained voice is controlled and light, with Melody’s pop-voice offering a lot more passion and vocal nuance. Combined, they sing a beautiful duet Run to You.
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Bodyguard and leading man Frank Farmer was played by Ayden Callaghan of Hollyoaks fame. He looked the part and was very commanding, however his acting was a little bit stiff. Although his standoffish nature is probably true to character, it wasn’t necessarily conveyed that well on stage. He and Melody had good chemistry as Rachel and Frank, however and he had some humorous quips which gave his character depth. There were some rare funny moments, one of which was a karaoke rendition of Where Do Broken Hearts Go which was a nod to every drunken attempt at singing Houston’s songs.
The musical captured its origins as a movie very well. The narrative was built up as a thriller, with suspenseful use of music and lighting complete with the odd jump scare. It was menacing and uneasy at times. In fact, the stage production throughout was rather excellent. The sets were immersive, the transitions effective and smooth with lighting used in a clever way, particularly during I Have Nothing. A screen was also used on several occasion to show filmic montages and introductory pop reels which was a great addition. The musical was different to the film in that it was adapted for modern times with references to Instagram; thought-provoking given the scary concept of this existing in a social media era.
The spine-tingling opening notes of I Will Always Love You ring out from off-stage which made the performance even more emotional. The subsequent costume change and performance was spectacular; Melody Thornton’s eye-catching black gown and powerful rendition of a classic captured the audience’s attention perfectly. After ending on a slightly melancholic note, an upbeat all-singing and phenomenal dancing encore of I Wanna Dance With Somebody makes for a feel-good atmosphere both on stage and off. Director Thea Sharrock will undoubtedly lead The Bodyguard to another sell-out tour and rightly so. A fantastic show adapted wonderfully around the spectacular hits of one of the greatest.
You can catch The Body Guard at the Wales Millennium Centre until the
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