The Bodyguard is a fabulous treat

AT THE interval in this production someone said to me, “This is the best show I have seen this year”. I would disagree with him – it is probably the best show I have seen this decade!

The Bodyguard is a 2012 stage musical written by Alexander Dinelaris, based on the 1992 film The Bodyguard, with the score featuring songs recorded by Whitney Houston including "One Moment in Time", "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" and her cover version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".

The Bodyguard is a romantic thriller and tells the story of a former Secret Service Agent turned bodyguard who is hired to protect World-superstar, Rachel Marron. Rachel Marron is an Oscar-nominated popular music singing sensation and movie superstar, who is being stalked and sent death threats. Each expects to be in charge – what they don't expect is to fall in love.

The principal role of Rachel is being performed by Alexandra Burke and what a fantastic performance she produces. She is not content to merely reproduce the vocals of Whitney Houston. In fact, in some of the raunchier songs her style is more Tina Turneresque than the more anodyne Houston. Alexandra is well known to audiences as the winner or The X Factor in 2008. Her song Hallelujah, released immediately after winning the show, sold 105,000 copies in the first 24 hours – a European record! Her renditions of I’m Every Woman, I Have Nothing and Queen Of The Night are brilliant but it is One Moment In Time, as her obsessed stalker grows closer, which is extremely tense that I will remember for a long time along with the closing number I Wanna Dance With Somebody which had the audience on its feet.

Burke was well supported by her fellow principals, firstly Stuart Reid as Frank Farmer. I loved his aurally challenging singing performance of I Will Always Love You in the karaoke-bar which was wonderfully cringeworthy.

I also thought that Rachel John as Nicki Marron, Rachel’s sister, was outstanding and her duet with Alexandra, Run To You, brought one of the biggest rounds of applause of the night. Matthew Stathers was incredibly sinister as the mysterious psychopath. Even though he had no dialogue whatsoever, he ratched up the level of suspense which had the audience on the edge of their seats.

And finally in the plaudits I must mention Roshawn Hewitt in the role of Fletcher, Rachel’s son. He was excellent and his dancing very akin to a young Michael Jackson.

This is a fabulous show and well worth seeing. Tickets are selling rapidly but it is worth checking for these as there is a matinee on Saturday as well as the evening performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Box Office: 0844 8482700 or www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

by John Burland