Alexandra Burke returns in Bodyguard

Burke back at Playhouse with The Bodyguard

Full casting has been announced for the UK and Ireland tour of The Bodyguard starring Alexandra Burke, which kicks off in Glasgow at the beginning of December 2018 and arrives in Edinburgh for a fortnight in July 2019.

The Playhouse has today confirmed that Alexandrea Burke will be playing the role of Rachel Marron when the production returns to Edinburgh from Tuesday 9 to Saturday 20 July, contrary to our report yesterday. She will be performing at all evening performances with Carol Stennet subbing for matinees.

Alexandra Burke in The Bodyguard. Pic: Paul Coltas

Burke played the role in both the West End and the subsequent sell out tour which played the Playhouse in 2015. She first rose to fame after winning the fifth series of The X Factor and her debut number one single Hallelujah sold over one million copies in the UK, a first for a British female soloist.

She most recently appeared as ‘Svetlana’ in Chess at the London Coliseum and can currently be seen as Roxie in Chicago at the West End’s Phoenix Theatre. Last year she reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing. She was recently seen at the Playhouse as Deloris Van Cartier in the 2017 tour of Sister Act (★★★★☆ Habit forming).



Benoît Maréchal will play Frank Farmer, the Secret Service agent turned bodyguard who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Maréchal played the role in the French production of the musical.

Micha Richardson will play Rachel’s big sister Nicki Marron, with Gary Turner as her pushy manager Sy Spector. Peter Landi and Craig Berry will play her existing security team, Bill Devaney and Tony.

Oscar nominated

Carol Stennet has been announced as replacement Marron on the tour, performing the role in all matinee performances. Stennet has appeared in the role extensively as well as the role of Nicki Marron in the show in the West End. Her other credits include Nala in The Lion King in the West End and on tour.

Benoît Maréchalm (Frank Famer), Carol Stennet (Alternate Rachel Marron) and Micha Richardson (Nicki Marron) in the UK tour of The Bodyguard.

Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, this is the production directed by Thea Sharrock with book by Alex Dinelaris which toured to the Playhouse in 2015 (Æ review: ★★★★☆ Rocks it).

When Frank Farmer arrives to take charge of Rachel’s security, both expect to be in charge – what they don’t expect is to fall in love.

The romantic thriller features a clutch of 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 the big one – I Will Always Love You.

Listing

The Bodyguard.
Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, EH1 3AA
Tuesday 9 – Saturday 20 July 2019
Evenings: 7.30pm. Thursday, Saturday matinees: 2.30pm
For tickets and information: Click here to book now.

The original cast recording is available from Amazon. Click image for details:

ENDS

Tags: Alexandra Burke, Benoît Maréchal, Carol Stennet, Craig Berry, Gary Turner, Micha Richardson, News, Peter Landi, Playhouse, Production News, The Bodyguard