The Bodyguard review at The Bristol Hippodrome 2023
Posted on: 2023-07-18
Our rating:
Exactly what a night at the musicals should be
The Bodyguard is at The Bristol Hippodrome from 17-22 July 2023. Check out our 4 star review by Naomi Weeks below.
Picture the scene: you have just walked through the doors of the glitzy Bristol Hippodrome, programme and cup of wine in hand, and you’re ushered through to find your seat in the warm and lively theatre. Maybe you’re with your girlfriends, or your mum, or your partner. Maybe you fancy a bit of theatre sparkle just for you. You sit down – and instantly relax. You’re excited, sure – but it’s a familiar feeling, rather than the flutter of not knowing what to expect. There’s a buzz in the air, certainly - but it’s a comfortable buzz. Everyone around you is there for the same reason you are. You’re about to watch the award-winning smash-hit musical production of The Bodyguard, and you left all your mundane Monday troubles behind you as soon as you stepped through the theatre doors. You’re ready for glitz. You’re ready for glamour. Welcome to The Bodyguard!
GET TICKETS HERE
.png "Melody Thornton - Photo by Paul Coltas")
I had never actually seen any kind of production of The Bodyguard until last night. So it’s quite amazing that, despite knowing nothing of the plot other than the bare bones (she’s a singer, he’s her bodyguard, if you couldn’t guess), it really felt like Déjà vu. This is simply because – and no spoilers here - this show is PACKED with hits. The dancing is phenomenal, the costumes are divine, and the voices of Melody Thornton (Rachel Marron) and Emily-Mae (Nikki Marron) could melt your interval-ice-cream right through the tub. You know all the songs, and you watch in awe as they’re belted out so effortlessly (bar one hilarious rendition in the karaoke bar scene) by all the incredible actors involved.
The first adaptation of the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston began in London in 2012, slightly adapting the story forward to present day.
.png "Melody Thornton - Photo by Paul Coltas")
Rachel Marron (Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton), a musical superstar, is receiving death threats from an unknown stalker, and her manager seeks out a suitable bodyguard to protect her. He calls on Frank Farmer (Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actor, Ayden Callaghan), a former Secret Service agent, who steps up to the role but is met with friction from Rachel and her current team. As the story progresses, the sexual undercurrent between the two headstrong protagonists, fuelled in part by anger, unfolds into a classic Hollywood romance. The plot is a little clunky and there was definitely room for more character development, but all-in-all, I didn’t mind – the music was the star of the show.
With no less than 16 musical numbers, seamless set changes and clever video design stitched neatly into certain scenes, this musical was spot-on for the quality I expected from the Ambassador Theatre Group. The audience was respectfully asked to save their voices for the finale rather than during the show, and the theatre erupted with a reprise of ‘I wanna dance with somebody’ as the perfect way to round off the evening. We came home singing all the tunes and don’t intend on stopping anytime soon.
Showing until 22 July 2023 - get Bristol Hippodrome tickets here.
Article by:
Naomi is the Marketing and Publicity Manager at b small publishing, a children's book publisher specialising in dynamic young fiction. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, life drawing and finding weird and wonderful events to go in and around Bristol.
