The Bodyguard is possibly known as one of the most iconic love stories in cinema history but how does it translate to stage? The musical, like the film, tells of Rachel Marron who is a star in her prime. Rachel however has a stalker with dangerous intentions. Despite Rachel’s protests a Bodyguard in the form of Frank Farmer is hired and as they both let their guard down the sparks of romance begin to fly.

The musical itself is set to the back drop of Whitney Houston songs and the brilliance along with the emotional range of her songs really work well in a theatrical setting. It helps that Rachel Marron is herself a singer and therefore some of the big numbers become her performances and some of the more intimate numbers are the ones that drive the story forward. We are treated to everything from ‘Queen of the Night’ through to ‘Run To You’ so fans of Whitney Houston will be satisfied.

The book keeps closely to the film plot and it does mean that Marron’s relationships with those around her are underexplored and even by the end of the show you still don’t really have a sense of what makes her tick. Whilst there is an interesting side plot with Rachel’s sister Nicki taking the fore on occasion there was little time to explore this and it was unclear as to who we should be rooting for and if this even really mattered. The thriller element of the show never quiets succeeds in building the tension and at points the jump scares and other moments relating to the Marron’s stalker induces sniggers rather than unease.

The show relies heavily on the actress who plays Rachel Marron being able to convince the audience that she is one of the biggest stars around as well as live up to Whitney Huston vocally. Sidonie Smith took on the role of Marron and her acting was warm and her singing more than delivered these challenging numbers. My only minor gripe is that sometimes I wanted more attack in her dancing when she was in performance mode as Rachel to really sell to me the idea of how big a star she is.

Adam Garcia took on the role of Frank Farmer, the Bodyguard himself and had the perfect balance of charisma and aloofness for this role. Whilst many are disappointed not to see his infamous dance moves its testament to his skill as an actor that he can carry of roles like this with as much ease as other dance heavy roles. Rachel’s sister Nicki was played by Sasha Monique and she cut a sympathetic figure in the role as well as another strong voice on stage delivering Huston’s iconic songs.

The choreography by Karen Bruce, especially in Marron’s performance numbers really helped me feel as if I was at one of Marron’s gigs. The dancers in the show really knew how to perform and their attack combined with the high energy choreography really made an impact. This combined with Mark Henderson’s lighting design and well integrated pyros meant that these moments were some of the strongest moments in the show.

The set design by Tim Hatley was well utilised for the show however at times it felt a bit like death by curtains with this being the backdrop to a lot of the action. Whilst it meant that the scenes could run seamlessly it did begin to feel a bit repetitive by the end.

As a stage adaptation The Bodyguard works best when it leans unapologetically into the concert side and embraces the power of Whitney Houston’s catalogue. Whilst the emotional arcs feel thinner than they ought to when the band kicks in and Marron is in concert mode the production finds its pulse. The show however delivers what many audiences come for, big vocals, big energy and a reminder of just how well these songs work in a theatrical setting.

The Bodyguard is on until 21st February 2026 at New Wimbledon where it then continues its tour. You can find out more and book tickets here.

If you like this review you might also like my reviews of Moulin Rouge, Stranger Things The First Shadow and Back to the Future.