It’s time for some glitz and glamour! The Bodyguard has arrived at Norwich Theatre Royal.
With a book by Alexander Dinelaris, the musical is based on the 2012 movie of the same name, with classic songs from Whitney Houston featured in the soundtrack. This is going to be a huge draw for audiences already!
The story follows pop star, Rachel Marron, who is assigned Frank Farmer, a bodyguard, to protect her from an unknown stalker. With two seemingly opposing personalities clashing, an unexpected romance forms. This story was really effective, combining romance with a thriller. The thriller aspect resonated the most, keeping things unpredictable, with danger at every turn. The romance felt believable and the tough choices the two leads made was interesting to see play out.
The set worked well, with curtains and pieces of set brought in to add to the immersion. The lighting was particularly impressive, feeling dynamic during concert scenes, and being used to create tension during critical moments. There are a couple of sequences with the stalker that were excellent and heart pumping, a lot down to the lighting and sound design. The Whitney Houston soundtrack is a highlight of course and felt well integrated into the story. The ensemble and surrounding cast are bursting with energy and keep the momentum of the show as we hurtle towards the climax.
Adam Garcia plays Frank Farmer, the bodyguard, who is very suave in the role, portraying Farmer as someone with a complicated history, keeping the guardrails up on his life. He portrayed warmth but also grit, in his determination to do his job. Mireia Mambo played Rachel Marron in this showing, and she exuded charisma and flair in her position as a pop star, and honest vulnerability in her romance with Garcia’s Farmer. Her vocals were superb and has the audience captivated throughout, and received a massive cheer at the end. Mambo and Garcia have fantastic chemistry throughout.
The Bodyguard is a fantastic production, with the thriller aspect keeping you on the edge of your seat and the romance being endearing. The show plays at Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday. Book your tickets now!
Chris
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