Review: The Bodyguard gives Aberdeen audiences a lift

We had been warned. Audience members were not to start singing and dancing until the finale, but boy was that difficult.

As soon as Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton began belting out those beloved tunes in The Bodyguard at His Majesty’s Theatre last night, it was all I could do not to belt them out right back.

From Queen of the Night to I Have Nothing, Greatest Love of All and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, every song is hit and it’s hard not to join in, but somehow we all managed it.

Ayden Callaghan as The Bodyguard Frank Farmer. Image: Aberdeen Performing Arts

Last month a performance in Manchester ended early after two people were thrown out for singing very loudly.

Ahead of the HMT run, the musical’s leading man, Ayden Callaghan, told The P&J he wanted people to contain their enthusiasm until the end – and who were we disobey former Secret Service Agent Frank Farmer?

Melody Thornton and Ayden Callaghan star in The Bodyguard. Image: Aberdeen Performing Arts

It must have been daunting to take a role made so memorable by Kevin Costner in the film, but Ayden, who has appeared in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, was more than up to it.

He was every bit as charismatic, powerful and downright sexy as his Hollywood counterpart and I suspect was hiding a decent singing voice during a karaoke scene.

Of course it takes two to tango – or slow dance in this case – and the success of the story rests upon the chemistry between pop star Rachel and bodyguard Frank.

Tough act to follow

Ayden and Melody Thornton sizzled in their performance, managing to depict the love and attraction between them as utterly convincing.

Whitney Houston is a tough act to follow, but from the first note, Melody bossed that stage, a star in her own right, her vocals equally as strong and every bit as beautiful.

Before Whitney made a power ballad of it, I Will Always Love You was Dolly Parton’s song, sung with a sweetness and delicacy.

Frank and Rachel’s sister Nikki, played by Emily-Mae get to know each other. Image: Aberdeen Performing Arts

Now Melody has her own spine-tingling, show-stopping version of one of the greatest love songs ever written.

As for Frank, vulnerability and humour play a part Ayden’s highly-engaging interpretation.

Kaylenn Aires Fonseca as Rachel’s son Fletcher was the surprise of the show, a star in the making who hit every note and shone in the dance sections.

The Bodyguard is showing at Aberdeen’s HMT. Image: Aberdeen Performing Arts

Emily-Mae as Nikki was truly fantastic in the singing department and her version of Saving All My Love For You was a highlight, as was a harmony of Run To You after Frank carries Rachel to safety.

The production is punctuated with pyrotechnics, movie-screen effects and thrilling dance scenes that serve as bright counterpoints to the looming threat.

Marios Nicolaides was terrifying as the stalker and without giving the game away there were, let’s say, a few bumps in the night.

Melody Thornton and Ayden Callaghan on Rachel and Frank’s date night. Image: Aberdeen Performing Arts

This retelling of the story differed from the film sequence of events and was all the better for it, with the cabin scenes and Oscars switched around to create a much more satisfying denouement.

At the final note, the audience was on its feet with an enthusiastic standing ovation and when we finally got the go-ahead to “Sing!” no-one needed any further encouragement.

The Bodyguard is at HMT until Saturday May 6. Visit aberdeenperformingarts.com or call Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122.