The Bodyguard | Venue Cymru

Based on the beloved film of the same title and set against some of the iconic Whitney Houston's biggest hits, The Bodyguard follows former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer as he tasked with protecting superstar Rachel Marron from a dangerous stalker, with unexpected romance and love triangles developing along the way. As part of its current UK tour, the show is currently performing at the Venue Cymru in Llandudno; and whilst there are elements of a show-stopping and crowd-pleasing musical, The Bodyguard doesn't always feel fully coherent.

The main issue with The Bodyguard is that it struggles to find its tone. The musical starts on a high with a powerhouse performance of Queen of the Night, where Karen Bruce's high energy choreography and Mark Henderson's lighting design create a visual spectacle. However, from there on, Alexander Dinelaris' book feels rushed and undeveloped. Having not seen the film, it's difficult to make comparisons, yet the predictable storyline lacks emotional depth which unfortunately makes for an uninspired watch.

That's not to say that there are some great moments of suspense and intrigue, and an honorable mention must be given to James-Lee Harris, who is quite frankly terrifying as 'the stalker'. Aided by some great moments of orchestrations by Chris Egan, the suspense builds and allows audiences to be swept into the storyline. Egan must also be commended for his orchestrations against the backdrop of Duncan McLean's cinematic video design.

Whilst the video design allows for set changes to unfold, the consistent use of curtains moving across the stage to introduce a new location feels a little jarring after a while. On such a grand stage like Venue Cymru's, unfortunately Tim Hatley's set design feels incredibly sparse. However, the cottage interior for the hideaway scene is beautiful and enables the show to feel lived in briefly.

There are some great performances from the cast; Adam Garcia is grounded yet warmth as Frank Farmer, gradually revealing the character's softer side, and there is a great chemistry between Garcia and Sidonie Smith. Smith, who returns to the role of Rachel Marron having played her on a German production, oozes confidence and charisma; perfectly capturing the essence of an international superstar. Sasha Monique as Nicki Marron impresses with powerhouse vocals and gives a believable performance of the sister hiding in her sister's shadows.

An honorable mention must be given to the ensemble performances, whose captivating and dynamic presence in the big numbers breathes new energy into the show, which are ultimately the musical's highlights. Ohaana Greaves and Mireia Mambo backing vocals perfectly compliment Whitney's incredible catalogue of music, and it's a joy hearing them sing.

Despite the undeveloped book and predictable plot beats, The Bodyguard attempts to embrace Whitney's legacy by delivering memorable numbers with some outstanding vocals, and some moments of theatrical spectacle. And the curtain call alone is enough to have audiences leaving the theatre on a high!

The Bodyguard plays at Venue Cymru until Saturday 06th June - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★☆☆ (3*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Paul Coltas