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‘The Bodyguard in Dartford thrills and starts and ends with a bang'

The Bodyguard UK tour comes to Dartford's Orchard Theatre <i>(Image: Paul Coltas)</i>
The Bodyguard UK tour comes to Dartford's Orchard Theatre (Image: Paul Coltas)

I went to see The Bodyguard at the Orchard Theatre – and one moment I was dancing to Whitney Houston songs and the next I was hanging off the edge of my seat in suspense.

The Bodyguard UK tour is currently showing until April 1 at The Orchard Theatre in Dartford, starring singer Melody Thornton from the Pussycat Dolls as Rachel Marron.

The show follows the story of former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, played by former Hollyoaks and Emmerdale star Ayden Callaghan, who is hired to protect star singer Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, the pair fall in love and everything changes.

As a warning to any would-be audience members with a nervous disposition, the show begins quite unexpectedly with a loud gunshot.

The performance opens with a dramatic scene showing Frank Farmer in full bodyguard mode aiming a gun at a just-shot hitman.

News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron
News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron

Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron (Image: Paul Coltas)

The show features a number of Whitney Houston’s most famous songs including “How Will I Know,” “One Moment in Time,” “Saving All My Love for You,” and “I Will Always Love You”, to name a few.

Melody Thornton does a stellar performance and sings the songs beautifully with so much power and feeling.

Her performance of “I Have Nothing” was fantastic and did a great job of paying tribute to Whitney Houston’s original performance.

The show pivots between glittering performances of the late singer’s songs and more dark and sinister moments showing the hunt for Rachel’s dangerous stalker.

The show is certainly not free from a few jump scares. There are many moments where the stalker appears on stage throughout the show that completely caught me off guard.

One moment the show will be a burst of flashing lights, sequin-studded dancers and lively music, to the next switching to a darkened stage with tense conversations between Frank Farmer and Secret Service staff as they work to decode the mystery of Rachel’s stalker before he can get to her.

News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron
News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron

Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron (Image: Paul Coltas)

The stalker, played by Marios Nicolaides, has an incredible stage presence, and really commanded feelings of unease and menace throughout his performance.

However a particular mention is due to Emily-Mae, who plays Rachel’s overlooked sister Nicki Marron, as she was fantastic.

She has a beautiful singing voice, demonstrated during her stand-alone performance of “Saving All My Love for You” in Act One.

News Shopper: Emily-Mae as Nicki Marron
News Shopper: Emily-Mae as Nicki Marron

Emily-Mae as Nicki Marron (Image: Paul Coltas)

Her acting brought a lot of depth to her character and really made me feel a great deal of empathy for her plight as the seemingly unseen and outshone sister.

Ayden Callaghan’s performance as Frank Farmer portrayed him as a slightly awkward introvert, but with a caring, fatherly and rather funny side.

His interactions with Rachel’s son, who is played by a cast of four, was charming when he helps him to fix his car and comforts him during the stalker’s continued rampage for his mother.

But for me his best moment onstage was his comical and embarrassed performance of a karaoke performance of “I Will Always Love You”.

News Shopper: Aayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer
News Shopper: Aayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer

Aayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer (Image: Paul Coltas)

The show reaches a climax with the stalker finally defeated and Rachel and Frank saving their heartfelt goodbyes with a performance of “I Will Always Love You” by Melody Thornton.

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The show then concludes with an all-cast performance of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, which is where you will be encouraged to get up and have a dance to work off all that tension from the last hour and forty minutes.

Finally, the show ends with a booming cascade of confetti and a final bow from the cast.

News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron and Ayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer.
News Shopper: Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron and Ayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer.

Melody Thornton as Rachel Marron and Ayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer. (Image: Paul Coltas)

All in all, the show was a thrilling experience, punctuated by a collection of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits.

It was a show that quite literally started and ended with a bang.