The Bodyguard

The Alhambra

THERE'S nothing like a gun shot to give an audience the jitters.

The dramatic opening scene of The Bodyguard sent ripples of gasps and nervous giggling around the Alhambra's auditorium - but by the lively finale, which had most of the crowd up and dancing, the place was alight with a feelgood glow.

This slick, classy production, packing 'em in at Bradford's Alhambra theatre for a two-week run, glides from scene to scene so seamlessly you almost forget it's live action, not celluloid.

I'm no fan of the movie which inspired the show; in my opinion it's a corny, charmless film that's largely style over substance, but this sparkling stage adaptation is a hugely entertaining romantic thriller that raced along at a cracking pace.

It's the story of superstar singer Rachel Marron, a diva with a voice to die for - and Frank Farmer is prepared to just that. When Rachel is stalked by a crazed fan whose military background equips him with skills to outwit the police, former Secret Service agent Frank reluctantly takes on the role of her bodyguard, and she's less than impressed. "I thought you'd be bigger," she tells him, with a sneer of contempt.

Rachel pulls no punches in letting Frank know that she's in charge - but he has other ideas. As you'd expect from a fiery romantic drama, their initial dislike of each other masks a spark that slowly ignites, leading to a passion that is ultimately thwarted.

Packed full of Whitney Houston classics, including Queen Of The Night, So Emotional, Saving All My Love, Run To You and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the show pays tribute to the late singer, so synonymous with the movie. Hers are big shoes to fill, but Alexandra Burke did the songs, and the role, proud, delivering a pitch perfect performance as Rachel.

The former X Factor winner proved herself as an impressive actress as well as a fabulous singer. By the time she threw herself into show-stopper I Will Always Love You, she had the audience in her palm. She lit up the stage with a performance that brought some vulnerability to a character that could be little more than an unpleasant diva in the wrong hands.

Stuart Reid was great as Frank, striking a balance between cool professionalism and tortured soul, and Melissa James was heartbreaking as Rachel's sister, Nicki, as unlucky in love as she is in driving her ambitions.

Mike Denman was a suitably chilling stalker, oozing creepy stillness and menace and appearing when least expected. And Jhayheim Davis was adorable as Rachel's young son, Fletcher.

This is an old-fashioned romance, wrapped up in a slick contemporary production that blends on-stage action with a slick film montage. My only gripe is that the ending isn't as moving as it should be, but it's a terrific production, beautifully directed by Thea Sharrock.

By the time Alex and the cast had everyone on their feet to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, we were all buzzing. A must-see show.

  • The Bodyguard runs until June 13.