On Monday 20 July, Wales Millennium Centre hosted the opening night of a six-day run of the smash hit, award winning musical The Bodyguard. Based on the 1992 Oscar nominated film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the musical version has to date played to over 3.9 million people in 15 countries.
Superstar Rachel Marron (Mireia Mambo) is in danger for her life, being harassed by an unknown stalker. Hired to protect her is former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard Frank Farmer (Adam Garcia). Both expect a conventional working relationship, but what was not written into their respective scrips is that they would find themselves falling in love.
Mireia Mambo performs the Houston songbook with raw emotion and vocal heft. There is dynamic intelligence to her voice which allows for quieter, more contemplative renditions of some songs at the outset, only to unleash a more powerful and passionate version as they develop. She is skilful in illustrating Rachel as a loving mother to son Fletcher, fiercely independent to the extent of putting herself in danger, and playful in her romantic advancement towards Frank. Adam Garcia is faultless in the role of Frank, acutely conscious of the significance of his role, aware of his growing fondness for Rachel and Fletcher, and professional enough to walk away at the right time. We feel real empathy for Rachel’s sister, Nicki, secretly in love with an unaware Frank, unhappy in both her professional and personal life and destined for tragedy. Sasha Monique’s softer, yet still powerful, voice encompassed the complexity of this role perfectly, providing a beautiful contrast with that of Mambo. We hear no words from stalker James-Lee Harris (apart from his uncharacteristic tenor vocal at the end) – none are needed.
From the explosive opening dance sequence featuring dramatic fire effects,fear-inducing bangs and classic disco dance moves, it was clear that this was going to be a performance to remember. Throughout the show, scenes depicting Rachel’s domestic setup are illustrated primarily via lavish drapes and minimal furnishings, a deliberate contrast with the full-on showstopping song and dance scenes. Similar effects are achieved in conversations between the security staff, deploying only a vast brick wall as a backdrop.
Mention must be made of the use of both lighting and sound in this production. The quality of both the vocal and instrumental musicians was excellent throughout and, together with blood-curdling gunshots at the beginning and throughout, place sound at the heart of this production. Judicious use of lighting to depict spotlights seeking out the stalker, together with his appearance from total darkness into a brightly lit freeze-frames in true menacing style, give lighting an essential role.
Add in those whopping 80s Whitney Houston classics and you have a smash hit musical on your hands. The audience, needless to say loved it.