The Bodyguard The Musical at the Mayflower Theatre Review
The Bodyguard
The Musical
Mayflower, Southampton
12-28 February 2015
Reviewed by Natalie Kitchen
As a fan of the 1992 film The Bodyguard, I jumped at the chance to review the musical and see how it has transitioned from screen to stage. The Mayflower Theatre in Southampton was lucky enough to launch the UK & Ireland tour of The Bodyguard The Musical after its initial run in the West End. There is plenty of parking near the theatre with special rates for all night parking after 6pm so there is no worrying about rushing back to the car. The theatre itself is a gorgeous old building and there is not a bad seat in the house.
The show started with two gun shots that grabbed the audience’s attention and from then on in we were gripped. The story is about worldwide famous singer Rachel Marron, who is played by X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, who is being stalked by a fan and hires bodyguard Frank Falmer (played by Stuart Reid) to protect herself and her young son Fletcher. Through the next two hours of great story and hit songs we follow their initially tense and eventually close relationship as things come to a head with her stalker.
What can I say? The show was amazing! Alexandra Burke was absolutely fantastic as star Rachel. It’s hard to take on a part originally played by Whitney Houston but she showed us she was more than capable and able to belt out Whitney hits. Her voice is amazing and her final performance of ‘I Will Always Love You’ gave me goosebumps. Melissa James as Rachel’s sister Nicki was also amazing with an incredible voice. Unfortunately during a song they were singing together there were technical difficulties when there was a power surge in the theatre causing the lighting and music to go funny but it didn’t faze them and they carried on like nothing was happening. The show was stopped for 15 minutes whilst they sorted the problem but the audience was in high spirits. We were kept informed and the cast came back as if nothing had happened.
The production was amazing. Sliding sets made for seamless scene changes, and we were treated to special effects and pyrotechnics which made it feel like you were watching a Hollywood film rather than a musical at a theatre. If you are a Whitney Houston fan then this is definitely a show for you. It doesn’t just include the hits from the original soundtrack but also some of her other hits such as ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’. But whether you’re a fan of Alexandra, Whitney, the original film or not, this show is a must see. A great story, big hit songs flawlessly and powerfully performed, a little comedy, and a fantastic cast will keep you gripped and guaranteed to be singing the songs for weeks.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £25 to £49.50
The Bodyguard is at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton until 28 February 2015. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 02380 711811.
Mayflower Theatre, Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1GE | 02380 711811
