A FARMER from Northern Ireland becoming the Whitney Houston character’s love interest – it’s quite a story in the hit West End show The Bodyguard.
Well, almost. Co Down actor Stuart Reid plays the role of Frank Farmer, the bodyguard whose job is to protect superstar singer Rachel Marron (played by Houston in the 1992 Hollywood film).
Former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke does a brilliant job in bringing the Houston songs to life and is also a convincing actor with a decent US accent.
The show starts when the lights dim and there’s a huge deafening drum beat, before flames shoot up from the front of the stage and Rachel and her dancers launch straight into Queen of the Night.
It emerges that Marron is, behind the superstar exterior, “a scared girl with a 10-year-old son” – as there’s a stalker tracking her down and Farmer is tasked to protect her and her boy Fletcher.
The show has great effects and sets but it’s the long list of Whitney Houston classics that make it such a winner: One Moment in Time, How Will I Know, Saving All My Love, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Run To You and I Have Nothing are just some of the standouts.
Rachel’s sister Nicki (Rachel John) also sings and possesses a stunning voice; you could easily see her taking on the main role at some point. Of course the show-closer is I Will Always Love You, the Dolly Parton song made famous by Houston in 1992. In one scene, Rachel and Frank are in a karaoke bar and Frank does his own humorous take on the song.
The Bodyguard is full of brilliant songs, it’s engaging and funny - not to mention creepy in terms of the stalker plot – so it’s a hit show for good reason.
:: The Bodyguard runs at the Grand Opera House in Belfast until Saturday
