The Bodyguard has become a staple of the West End since its debut in 2013. It has resonated with and entertained audiences internationally. This particular production, however, sadly gives pause.
There are some impressive design features throughout this show, more so in Tim Hatley’s set design and in particular the thriller aspects are particularly strong and excitingly creative. James-Lee Harris’ character of the stalker, for example, appears in a flash of lightning at a door we have stared at continuously, never once recognising their presence until that jump-scare moment. It’s exhilarating. Protagonist Rachel Marron’s residence feels swanky and full of scope, choosing to obscure part of the stage with long, impressive curtains. It’s visually interesting and simultaneously pragmatic, for we travel frequently in this work, and each location is given a cinematic sense of detail.
Unfortunately, I felt the show relied too much on the prestige of its text, spectacle of the music and its own reputation that the custodians of the work I felt offered a slightly lackadaisical interpretation of the 1992 blockbuster. Sidonie Smith is a capable lead, but her performance felt somewhat restrained and stiff at times. Vocally impressive yet simultaneously inconsistent and prone to falling into jarring tonal pockets. Interestingly, it was some of the more emotionally complex and demanding scenes where she shone the brightest, but that leaves a large bulk of stage time where I felt we only got half of superstar Marron. This is someone we are supposed to believe is a multiple award-winning musician, performer and actress, already nailing 6 Grammys and seeking out an academy award. Of course, I am not holding Smith to this exact degree of creative excellence, but equally I didn’t feel they sold with great conviction even an imitation of this.
Smith is not alone here, regretfully. With a handful of exceptions, the supporting cast also provided a stiffness and flatness on stage that was surprising and unexpected for a show of such regard. Not always, and not all the time, but often – and this made it an unwelcome watch too frequently. It felt as though some of the cast loathed their characters or loathed their scenes. This translated to the audience too with many moments of humour or light-heartedness (particularly early on) going unacknowledged with chuckles or laughter due to the tonally confrontational style that they were performed with. It also seems no one, except maybe Adam Garcia, has their American accent down. In fact, so much of it is so all over the place I found myself at times early on questioning whether they were supposed to be American characters (spoiler: they are). On Garcia, they did offer a more impressive and concise performance. They had great presence and concrete assuredness that perfectly balanced Frank Farmer as a stable force within Marron’s turbulent world. It also must be said that, 10-year-old Prince Conteh as Fletcher was truly excellent. A real natural.
Thea Sharrock’s direction is where the buck stops with many of this production’s blemishes, ultimately. Some scenes, despite the text being quite nicely trim and to the point (yet still possessing a romantic, fun and dramatic sensibility), are portrayed as aimless. Again, though, Sharrock demonstrates a high-level of ability in some of the more critical moments and events of the show. They also demonstrate they don’t need the momentum of an act four climax to do this, as almost certainly one of the shows best scenes is Marron and Farmer at the karaoke bar. The humour here is placed excellently and it’s well understood, and it’s so obvious that Sharrock understands the humour and the scene, that Smith understands their character and the scene, and that Garcia understands theirs. It’s a really nice moment of theatrical harmony. It’s a powerful and potent scene for all the best reasons. The audience responded the loudest and with the most clarity here, and it’s no surprise why. The crew earned it.
Ultimately, I see potential in this particular production, and I fear a lethargy or confusion has wandered into the camp which has perhaps led many of the creatives carrying this show to lose track of some of the magic and power of The Bodyguard. It certainly won’t be the last time we see this hit stages. I certainly hope with that being given, that future runs have more passion and attention to detail than what this Sheffield audience received tonight.
The Bodyguard is running at Sheffield Theatres’ Lyceum from Tuesday 10th February to Saturday 14th February. Tickets are available at https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Reviewer: Louis Thompson
Reviewed: 10th February 2026
North West End UK Rating:
Dear Liar, is a play adapted by Jerome Kilty from the correspondence of Bernard Shaw…
You’ve heard of Hercules, you may have heard of Perseus, but do you know Percy…
Something quite special has been slowly brewing over the last couple of years at the…
On the wettest night of February, after battling my way through football traffic and rain-soaked…
P.T. Barnum was one of the most fascinating and controversial showmen in history; a man…
Tired of watching paint dry? As an alternative, Manipulate Festival offers The Wood Paths at…