Theatre News

Whitney Houston Bodyguard musical debuts at West End’s Adelphi, 6 Nov

| London's West End |

29 March 2012

As previously tipped, the screen-to-stage adaptation of the 1992 Whitney Houston film The Bodyguard will receive its West End premiere this autumn.

It’s scheduled for the Adelphi Theatre, where it will preview from 6 November 2012 ahead of a planned early December press night.

The long-rumoured production, as Whatsonstage.com previously reported, will be directed by Thea Sharrock and fronted by Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Heather Headley in the Whitney Houston role of singing superstar Rachel Marron.

The musical opens just nine months after Houston’s premature death last month (11 February 2012), at the age of 48. Speaking to Whatsonstage.com, The Bodyguard producer Michael Harrison said of the timing: “I don’t know, I guess some people may say that we’re cashing in on Whitney’s death – but I’ve been working on this for six years.

“We were all incredibly shocked by her death, especially after all the time been working on this, listening to the songs and hearing that voice. Heather is a massive Whitney fan, too. It’s been very strange and very sad.” Houston’s family will be invited to the musical’s opening.

The Bodyguard, which marked Houston’s acting debut, centred on the relationship between music superstar Rachel Marron (Houston) and her bodyguard Frank Farmer (played on the big screen by Kevin Costner), a former Secret Service agent who is hired to protect her from a stalker.

A romantic thriller, The Bodyguard will feature all of the film’s songs, as well as ten other Houston hits. The score includes “Queen of the Night”, “So Emotional”, “One Moment in Time”, “Saving All My Love”, “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, “How Will I Know”, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You”.

Both “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing”, which will be included in the stage production, were nominated for Oscars for best New Music.

Heather Headley won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her 2000 outing in the title role of Aida. Her other credits include originating the role of Nala in the Broadway production of The Lion King.

The stage production of The Bodyguard is produced by Michael Harrison, whose musical based on the life of Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream, has just premiered in Newcastle, and David Ian.

It has a book by playwright Alex Dinelaris and is designed by Tim Hatley.