The Bodyguard Review

Bristol Hippodrome – until 6th April 2019

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

4****

What started with a bang, certainly ended with one! The Bodyguard, starring Alexandra Burke as the pop sensation ‘Rachel Marron’ is set to be a perfect hit in the Bristol Hippodrome!

The story shows Rachel Marron’s struggle as she receives threats that endanger her life, leading to her need for a new Bodyguard (Benoît Maréchal) whom she falls head over heels in love with, much to the dismay of her sister Nikki (Micha Richardson). Known only as ‘The Stalker’, Phil Atkinson portages a desperate romantic, who will do anything to win the love of Rachel, including the death of her sister to eliminate an obstacle. This is a tale of love, lust, anger, pain and sacrifice-a true masterpiece.

Alexandra Burke is a perfect cast for Rachel Marron. Her stunning vocals and raw emotion really came through every minute she was on the stage. From the get go, during Queen of the Night, Burke had the audience pumped. The high tempo, fast paced song was no issue for Burke, as she soared through each note and gave a sterling performance. She showed empathy, passion, love and strength all in the same breath and this quality performance stayed for the duration of the show-no wonder this is her second time as Rachel Marron!! Her rendition of I Will Always Love You was a stunning finale and made most of the audience cry!

Benoît Maréchel as Frank Farmer, the new Bodyguard had perfect rapport with Burke, to create a true life love story. He was demanding but attentive and really commanded the stage. At some points, his accent slipped a bit but this was quickly forgotten when he swept Rachel and the audience off their feet.

The real star of the show, in my opinion, was Micha Richardson as Nikki, Rachel’s sister. Her unfaltering vocals were a blessing to hear and I only wish I could’ve experienced more of them. She has a beautiful voice and was able to make the audience fall completely silent when we first heard her sing. She released her inner Whitney Houston and perfected every single moment she had on stage. You could clearly see her passion for theatre during the show and she is an extremely talented lady. At one point, when the stalker had entered their home and seemed to have killed her nephew, Richardson had one of the smoothest character changes I have ever seen. She went from being a slightly tipsy aunt, wanting a cuddle from her nephew, only to realise he wasn’t in bed and a knife was placed there instead. The scream that came from her was guttural, it ripped through the theatre and completely changed the tone of the show. A spectacular performance.

As one of the most technically advanced shows I have ever seen, a special mention must go to Tim Hatley, the set designer. Fire, smoke, 3D projections and blindingly beautiful lights to name but a few, were present in this show and it was perfect. When The Bodyguard lifts Rachel to safety, a vapour screen explodes onto the stage, with a dramatic back light to show the audience a silhouette of the world recognised lift-one I was not expecting! The finale, with Burke singing the classic I Will Always Love You involved her faultlessly lifting into the air on a lift box and this was a stunning sight! Mixed with Burke’s vocal talents and the amazing technology, this was a perfect finale!!

If you want a beautiful piece, that will evoke every feeling in you and will leave you feeling loved, this is the show for you!!