Edinburgh Playhouse welcomes The Bodyguard
The award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD will return to Edinburgh this month as part of the upcoming UK and Ireland tour.
Article Source: Edinburgh Playhouse
Last Updated: 1 February 2023 11:07
The Edinburgh Playhouse along with producers Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that the award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD will return to Edinburgh this month as part of the upcoming UK and Ireland tour.
Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.
Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD, directed by Thea Sharrock with book by Oscar winning Alex Dinelaris, had its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End and was nominated for four Olivier Awards. A sell out 18-month UK and Ireland tour followed, before the show returned to the West End at the Dominion Theatre ahead of a second sell out tour of the UK and Ireland in 2018/19. To date, THE BODYGUARD has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries and 45 US cities. Countries include the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, the US, Austria and Japan.
Producers Info:
David Ian is a British theatre producer who presents shows all over the world. He is the recipient of five Olivier awards and three Tony nominations. Having started out as an actor in several UK theatre productions, including the musicals ‘Time’, ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, and ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, he began producing in 1991. Some of his West End, international and UK touring productions include:
‘Grease, Saturday Night Fever, The King and I, West Side Story, Singin’ in the Rain, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Anything Goes, The Producers, Daisy Pulls it Off, The Sound of Music, La Cage aux Folles, Sweet Charity,, The Shawshank Redemption, The Phantom of the Opera (Las Vegas), My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Chess, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Chicago, Dr Dolittle, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jersey Boys, Annie, School of Rock and Waitress
Michael Harrison is a British theatre producer who in recent years has produced productions on the west end, to great success over the years. Michael Harrison’s West End musicals include: The Drifters Girl at the Garrick, two seasons of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein at the Garrick, Annie at the Piccadilly, Mrs Henderson Presents at the Noël Coward, Gypsy at the Savoy and The Bodyguard at both the Adelphi and Dominion theatres.
He is Chief Executive of Crossroads Pantomimes, responsible for many of the major number one pantomimes across the UK.
Michael was awarded a companionship to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts by Sir Paul McCartney and the Freedom of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in recognition of his services to theatre in the region.
Cast Info:
Melody Thornton:
The fabulous Melody Thornton will be playing Rachel Marron. Melody has a renowned career before The Bodyguard. She is well known for selling over 70 million albums as a member of one of the most celebrated girl groups of all time, The Pussycat Dolls, Melody Thornton is a multi-platinum Grammy-nominated artist.
In 2020 she released her much-lauded debut solo EP, Lioness Eyes. Melody received rave reviews and audience acclaim for her performance as Rachel Marron when The Bodyguard toured China for six months. In 2018 she reached the final five in ITV’s Dancing On Ice. Post Pandemic Melody aka Mirrorball took part in the Masked Singer Australia stunning the judges and audience with her powerful performances and being crowned the winner in August 2022.
Melody Thornton has shown herself to be versatile, with a career showing her strength of character, talent, and endurance. She will fit this tenacious, passionate and musically driven character well.
Ayden Callaghan:
The multifaceted acting talent Ayden Callaghan will be playing Frank Farmer, The Bodyguard. Ayden's first screen role was as Miles De Souza in Emmerdale. He then went on to play, fan favourite, Joe Roscoe on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. During his time Hollyoaks won 'Best Soap' at the Soap Awards for the first time in its nineteen-year history.
On stage, Ayden made his West End theatre debut as Dr Treves in The Elephant Man at The Trafalgar. Ayden’s other stage work includes a sold out run at Edinburgh festival as Edward in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me which then had a limited run at The Leicester Square Theatre; Corporal Johnstone in The Long The Short and The Tall (The Pleasance Theatre); Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Stafford Open Air); Paddy in Carmen Revised (Royal Albert Hall); Len Turner/Mike Turner Beautiful Blows (Royal Festival Hall, London)
Ayden Callaghan is set to come to The Edinburgh Playhouse, we expect to feel safe in the presence of this Bodyguard.
John Macaulay:
The only Scottish Actor on this leg of The Bodyguard tour, John will be playing Bill Devaney, Rachel’s Manager. Born in Glasgow, he grew up in Edinburgh. John is a genius of his craft having featured in many stellar stage & TV performances during his career. With credits on TV such Waterloo Road, Burnistoun and Still Game, to stage performances such as The Comedy of Errors, Fatal Attraction, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Great Expectations, Cinderella and many more.
The Edinburgh Playhouse welcomes John, as Bill Devaney, we are sure he will ‘Manage’ Rachel and the stage well.
More About the show:
Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge–what they don't expect is to fall in love.
A ‘BRILLIANT!’ (The Times), breathtakingly romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features a whole host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, Greatest Love Of All, Million Dollar Bill, I Wanna Dance With Somebody and one of the greatest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.
Critics/Press:
“The Hottest Ticket in Town” – Sunday Mirror
“Exciting, Thrilling, Uplifting, Moving – The Bodyguard is a truly exceptional show” ***** - Southern Daily Echo
“Slick, Sassy & so emotional, The Bodyguard is a hit” – Magic FM
“The runaway gold-plated Musical”- Daily Mail
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