The Bodyguard At Regent Theatre Stoke On Trent Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
The show wasted no time grabbing our attention, the sudden bang of a gunshot echoed through the theatre, making the entire audience jump in their seats. The audience instantly knew they were in for an unforgettable evening as Sidonie Smith, in the role of Rachel Marron, took to the stage with enigmatic presence and delivered a series of show-stopping performances.
Given that The Bodyguard has long been one of my all-time favourite films, it was no surprise that the stage adaptation captured my admiration just as completely. Grammy award winner Rachel Marron (Sidonie Smith) has been receiving threatening letters from a seemingly very ill individual (James-Lee Harris) who threatens the lives of Rachel, her son Fletcher (Cale Cole) and sister (Sasha Monique). Rachel’s management team Sy Spector (Matt Milburn), Bill Devaney (John Macaulay) and Tony Sibelli (Jonathan Alden) try to keep Rachel from finding out about all the threats but are forced to look for the very best when the threats come incredibly close to home. Enter Frank Farmer (Adam Garcia). Frank, former bodyguard to presidents and senators, is very reluctant at first as the “showbiz” type wasn’t always on board with his ideas. But he agrees when he discovers Rachel has a young son who would also be in the line of fire of the stalker.
Whitney Houston’s unforgettable music is the heartbeat of this production. From start to finish, her greatest hits such as ‘I Have Nothing’, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ and of course, ‘I Will Always Love You’ were performed with precision and passion, and the extraordinary vocal talents of Sidonie Smith and Sasha Monique were instrumental in making the show truly shine.
Set and costume design by Tim Hatley was brilliantly planned and the costumes and costume changes were second to none. The choreography brought such a wow factor to this show – I’ve seen this before a few years ago and cannot even remember the dancers on stage but last night’s performance will be one that I won’t forget. Every element was so flawlessly executed that I hardly knew where to look, it truly felt as though we were at a live music concert. A big shout-out to the ensemble (Taylor Bridges, Ohaana Greaves, Mireia Mambo, Alice Readie, Luke Walsh, Theo UK Rose and Zirihi Zadi) and swings (Kayne Gordon, Luke Woollaston, Emma-Jane Smith and Yiota Theo). The way they all executed their dances with such well-timed precision was faultless and added to the success of this spectacular production.
The Bodyguard is currently showing at the Regent Theatre until the 8th November.
Ticket prices start from £15 We rate this show as 5/5. Don’t miss this tour, it’s well worth the money and a fantastic night out. The finale as a special treat in store for all and by the end of the evening, every single person in the audience was on their feet, singing and dancing with the cast – such a lovely atmosphere created by this brilliantly talented cast!
Rating: 5/5
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-bodyguard/regent-theatre