Thankfully, my estate was not as harsh and unforgiving as Paradise Heights, the creation of writer, actor, director, Joe O’Byrne. There are currently five episodes of O’Byrne’s series, ‘Tales from Paradise Heights’. One of them, ‘The Bench’, is playing in the studio theatre at Bolton’s Octagon.

On a simple set – a war memorial, a litter bin, and the eponymous bench – O’Byrne and the five other members of his troupe play out a series of scenes (some stand alone, some interlinked) which offer a satisfying range of characters, moods and emotions.

It is night. ‘Little Rabbit’ (Jeni Williams) sits alone on the bench. Underneath her dark raincoat, she wears only stockings and sexy red underwear. She is about to be subjected to a “surprise attack” by Mr Wolf (Peter Slater). Unfortunately, Mr Wolf can’t quite play his part well enough to arouse…well…his part, no matter how willing the spirit might be. Enter the hapless, homeless Eric (Joe O’Byrne). Can he really be Little Rabbit’s secret lover, now confronted by an irate Wolf? Might jealousy (even manufactured jealousy) prove to be the missing ingredient for Wolf and Rabbit?

And so, we’re off on a journey of discovery (or, for loyal followers of ‘Tales from Paradise Heights’, rediscovery) of the characters who populate this deprived locale.

Lennie (Peter Slater) and Archie (Hector Macduff) are two elderly veterans laying a wreath at the war memorial in honour of fallen comrades. They discuss Archie’s world war memorabilia, that he’s planning to sell (no doubt to make ends meet). It’s a low key, sobering tale of how a country can fall short in its duty to those who serve.

Unfortunately, the villainous and menacing Matty (Peter Slater), with assistance from his mouthy toy-boy Jake (Jack Vardy), plans to steal Archie’s treasures and sell them himself.

Meanwhile, the intimidating Matty is underpaying needy shoplifter, Gabrielle (Abbie Richardson) for a designer handbag she’s stolen to order. A talented but untutored artist, Gabrielle needs a champion. Could the doting Eric be hiding shining armour under his shabby overcoat?

Trainee angel, Corny (Hector Macduff) can’t quite let go of the place where he grew up. His mentor, Shirley (Abbie Richardson) seems to promise him a very particular kind of heaven, if only he can refrain from interfering and just be a watcher of the affairs of the living, as he’s meant to be.

Heavenly (though slightly naughty) angels or earthly devils, everybody knows well enough to give the psychotic gangster, Frank Morgan (Joe O’Byrne) a wide berth. Well, almost everybody. Kev (Hector Macduff) might be just out of prison, but seems to be too firmly in the grip of his despicable urges to avoid crossing paths with Frank. He might not live to regret it…

And so it goes; theft and threat, love and laughter. And violence, of course. There’s no lack of that on Paradise Heights.

O’Byrne’s skills in storytelling, dialogue and character offer his ensemble plenty to get their teeth into, and they don’t hold back. The pace is relentless without ever being frenetic. You’re not gripped by this story? Don’t fret. There’ll be another one along in a few minutes.

At two hours plus running time, ‘The Bench’ certainly gives value for money. The moods swing from funny to romantic, to pitiable, to coldhearted and downright terrifying. You will surely have your own favourite scene.

Mine is the first encounter between nervous, chirpy street sweeper, Colin (Peter Slater) and the fragile Janice (still grieving for, and indeed talking to, her late husband, Barry). Colin and Janice flirt via corny/clever jokes about ice cream and brushes. Slater and Williams lap up the dialogue and each plays off the other with relish and skill. Together they create one of the most witty, charming and moving love scenes I have ever seen on stage.

Judging by the closing ovation, I think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all.

The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights is at the Octagon Theatre Bolton from 28-30 May 2026

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We remember the music too. Joe Esposito’s uplifting ‘You’re the Best Around’ from the original soundtrack and Peter Cetera’s power ballad ‘Glory of Love’ from the sequel.

So, it’s understandable as a huge fan of the movie there is some initial scepticism on it being turned into a stage musical, especially one without its most memorable hits.

The musical premiered in St Louis, USA in 2022 and after success over the Atlantic it is now at The Palace Theatre on its first UK tour. Given my hesitation, the question wasn’t so much is there an audience for it – the 2010 remake starring Jackie Chan, and the more recent Netflix series (2018-2025) ‘Cobra Kai’ has kept interest going. And this was seen immediately in the wide range of ages watching at The Palace Theatre, from little kids to original 80s fans. My worry was more about what were they going to do with this story as a musical?

Well, the good news is, it’s not a comedy spoof. The story is played straight, and its central message of peace, balance and respect is as relevant today as it ever was.

The original music by Drew Gasparini has a ‘High School Musical’ feel and adds to the emotional intensity of the show, while the choreography by Keone and Mari Madrid makes impressive use of the fluidity in martial art katas.

At the centre of the story is Daniel LaRusso, a teenager from New Jersey who finds himself as an easy target for school bullies being the new kid in town. After one such encounter leaves his bicycle all smashed, the kind actions of maintenance man Mr Miyagi to get it back on the road leads to an unlikely friendship and LaRusso’s introduction to the art of karate.

Gino Ochello makes a remarkably confident stage debut as LaRusso bringing the audience with him on this rollercoaster with a carefully played mix of vulnerability, charm and strength. There is a sense of genuine connection in his relationship with Miyagi (Adrian Pang) that brings out the fun of their friendship. Pang’s comedy timing adds energy that keeps the scenes bouncing along. The wax on wax off sequence is just as memorable here as in the film.

There are strong performances all round, particularly from Joe Simmons who brings complexity as well as menace to bully Johnny Lawrence.

Even though we all know the ending, that final crane kick is still stunning. On screen or stage ‘The Karate Kid’ is a real crowd pleaser.

The Karate Kid the Musical is at The Palace Theatre Manchester from 13-23 May 2026, before continuing on tour.

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The pair are stuck in a doom loop of waiting for you-know-who and wile away their time in petty bickering and philosophical musings. The scarred landscape (Beckett modelled it on Roussillon where he holed up during the Nazi occupation of France) is served in the production by the ragged placement of car seats acting as respite against the elements, the ground speckled with dirt. The lighting in particular deserves special mention for the soft hues it throws onto the stage, suggesting hope for when a new day eventually dawns.

Kelly and Costigan are a joy to watch, their dependency on each other as sad and wistful as it is necessary. The finish each other’s sentences, grimace and groan in unison, embrace and withdraw just as sharply, and take delight in each other’s misery. A true friendship then. Costigan gives us a Vladimir to remember, by turns hopeful and disdainful, his Salford accent providing a caustic edge to the character’s ruminations on life and death. Kelly is the more morose of the two, employing lugubrious facial expressions to convey the depths of his despair, the perfect foil to Costigan’s optimism.

But this is not just a two-hander: there are notable performances from Gbolohan Obisesan as slaver driver Pozzo and Michael Hodgson as the unlucky Lucky. Obisesan enters the stage with Lucky on a leash looking like a cross between a warlord and a rapper and delivers what can only be described as masterful portrayal of this enigmatic character. It is Hodgson, however, who deserves – and gets – most credit as the put-upon Lucky. He is bloodied from rope round his neck and infected with pus but retains a vital spark of humanity. When he is told by Pozzo to ‘think, pig’, Hodgson had the audience spellbound with his difficult monologue and was rewarded with a just round of applause.

The play is a treatise on the human condition and the monotony of life – ‘habit is a great deadener’, Valdimir reminds us – but what it shows most clearly is that out of boredom and waiting comes humour (it’s easy sometimes to forget how funny the play is), friendship, and entertaining diversions.  While waiting on the road we never quite know who may turn up, even if it’s not the person we’ve been waiting for all along. Having miserably failed to hang themselves, Kelly and Costigan stand motionless in indecision unsure whether to stay or go, an apt metaphor for the human condition.

A must-see show.

Waiting for Godot is at The Octagon Theatre, Bolton from 15 April to 2 May 2026.

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Having taught herself to read as an infant, Matilda (Madison Davis) is leagues apart from the rest of her television-obsessed family. Mr Wormwood (Adam Stafford) is an engine-stuffing, motor meddling, Vinny Gambino-esque secondhand car dealer, and his wife Mrs Wormwood (Rebecca Thornhill) is just as eyebrow raising, if you don’t buy that she really is ‘just practising’ with her World Amateur Flamenco Competition partner Rudolpho (Ryan Lay) in the living room. Matilda’s brother Michael (Samuel Leon) is the supposed brains of the family – yes, he’s apparently got one. Somewhere.  

Life for Matilda goes impossibly further south after her parents enrol her in her new primary school, Crunchem Hall. A concrete jungle ruled over by an ex-Olympic hammer throwing champion, Agatha Trunchbull’s (Richard Hurst) reign of terror is defined by her motto BAMBINATUM EST MAGGITUM: children are maggots. Her hatred of children puts her at odds with reception teacher Miss Honey (Tessa Kadler), a woman forever trembling with her own self-doubt, whose insecurity belies a deep fascination with her strange new student. Miss Honey and Matilda have a lot to learn from each other – they may also have far more in common than they realise.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ is indescribably brilliant. At just shy of two-and-a-half hours long, this performance would be a mean feat for any seasoned actor – let alone a cast dominated by children under 12, who share roles between shows. Sharp, assured, and yet deeply, shyly vulnerable, Madison Davis as this particular Matilda is everything every child imagines when growing up reading the original book. Bruce Bogtrotter (Brodie Robson) is a standout act for his lead in ‘Revolting Children’, and Sana Lennon as Lavender is a delight to watch skittering across the stage – an especially incredible debut for the only cast member without any formal theatre training.  

Miss Trunchbull is cocky, cruel, and hilariously, brilliantly camp from beginning to end, and Miss Honey quietly sneaks the audience’s hearts as she is forced to confront her own demons. Esther Niles as Mrs Phelps plays a much bigger role than in the original story, and is for a long time Matilda’s only support – a heartwarming watch, and comforting anchor in a story so chaotic from scene to scene.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ makes interesting strays from the original book’s story, perhaps explained by Dennis Kelly’s screenwriting background in gritty dramas and surreal comedy. The biggest change is the decision to cut back on Matilda’s telekinetic powers, which she originally develops as a toddler because her brain is so large, it pushes the extra energy out of her eyes. Instead, much of the play is driven by Matilda’s dogged sense of justice, and her frustration at the state of her life – “Nobody but me is going to change my story,” after all. For a change so drastic, it is a shift that only sharpens the show’s edge: this is a Matilda that is entirely self-driven, and far more relatable than her aloof, superpowered inspiration. To see this tiny girl abused is a vastly more disturbing watch.  

However, with so much of the plot hinging on Matilda’s telekinesis, powers eventually do play a role in the second act – I only wish they had been introduced slightly earlier than the infamous newt scene. Shockingly for a performance already eclipsing the average theatre runtime, the show could benefit from an extra scene or two to fully flesh out this part of its story. Time may be well spent in the way it introduces characters, settings, and songs, but the introduction of her powers felt slightly out of left field: ‘Oh, so she does have powers in the end – wait, the show’s nearly over!’  

In all, ‘Matilda: The Musical’ is nothing short of out-of-this-world entertainment. This show embellishes an intergenerational classic with a surreal, dreamlike retelling, and is a fantastic showcase of the brilliance of the UK’s youngest theatrical talent. Brilliantly staged, beautifully scored, and with a blindingly talented cast both big and small, if you’re on the fence about tickets, treat yourself – sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.  

Matilda the Musical is at The Palace Theatre Manchester from 26 March until 25 April 2026 before continuing on tour.

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“There’s a script?”

“Not tonight there’s not!”

Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you’re having a lovely evening – and if you’re not sharing a bed with your appropriately-aged best friend, how could you be? In celebration of the comedians’ 100th birthdays, the UK’s leading Morecambe and Wise tribute act has returned after a sellout tour in 2022. Now at Lowry, Salford for a limited-edition run, ‘Eric & Ern’ guarantees a night of love, sunshine and laughter for fans old and new alike.

After a sparkling debut at the Edinburgh Fringe (or technically, their five-minute skit at the Stage Golfing Society’s ‘70s Night in 2002), Jonty Stephens (Eric Morecambe) and Ian Ashpitel (Ernie Wise) have brought the UK’s greatest variety show back from the grave – and even brought in their own Eddie Braben-inspired jokes as a bonus. In a glittering new remaster, the 2026 tour spills over with treasures from the ice cream van, to Mr Memory (‘Arsenal!’), and more, all delivered with a fondness palpable from beginning to end.

“The diehard Morecambe and Wise fans, who grew up with Morecambe and Wise, all bring their children and grandchildren now,” Stephens remarked in a Quays Life interview earlier this month – and reader, include your reviewer in the latter category. At 22, I’m just past the vintage of the dynamic duo, but that doesn’t mean the joy of watching Morecambe play the ‘right keys in the wrong order’ was in any way diminished. Charming, innocent, with the odd poke at pettiness, my first impression of this Morecambe and Wise was somewhere near Bert and Ernie after a sherry too many – and I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction.

Stephens and Ashpitel are a delight to watch as they skip onto the stage, and are brilliant in their rosy revival of a bygone era of comedy. Childish, twitching, and unwavering in his commitment to jumping to the wrong conclusion, Stephens’ Morecambe is forever fizzing with nervous energy. Ashpitel’s Wise, meanwhile, remains the proud peacock of the pair, swanning under the spotlights with an unshakeable charm – which quickly goes down the pan at the slightest breath of wind towards his hairline. The new dynamic duo know their inspirations back-to-front and inside-out, and are uncanny in their apparent ability to read each other’s minds; no wonder an audience member asked if they were about to propose!

And like every great Morecambe and Wise act, there is – as ever – an unfortunate stooge to be used, abused, and bemused, and West End performer Olivia Fines fits the bill perfectly. Having performed “across the world, and in Stockport”, Fines’ brilliant vocals make her a class act on stage, as does her willingness to join in the fun of her hapless hosts. Her rendition of ‘Where are the Clowns’ is beautifully soulful – oh Olivia, if only you would just look behind you!

Stephens and Ashpitel’s ‘Eric & Ern’ is what you get when you put the souls of two old men inside two little boys inside two middle aged men with a dream. The jokes stack, the personalities rival, and the delightful charm of golden age comedy is beautifully revived.

‘Eric & Ern’ is a sprawling banquet of jokes both old and new, and leaves no stone unturned in its tribute to Britain’s greatest dynamic duo. “If you liked this show, we’ve been Morecambe and Wise – and if you haven’t, we’ve been Mike and Bernie Winters!”

We loved it!

Eric & Ern is at Lowry, Salford fro 22-28 March 2026.

Read our interview with stars Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens.

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This two-hander from Jim Cartwright (whose Road is currently paying to rave reviews at the Royal Exchange in Manchester) is the perfect vehicle for Starke and White, who play not only landlord and landlady of the Shakespeare pub (what else, this is Shakespeare North) but an assortment of downbeat characters who stray in and out of the establishment. It takes more than simple actorly versatility to switch from character to character in a heartbeat, one minute you’re dusting down the bar and the next playing a Scouse Romeo eyeing the room for potential dates in his trackie. There is an intimacy that clearly comes from these two actors having worked together for years which elevates the show and gives it added warmth.

Starke and White begin and end the play on their own, starting out a bickering couple who can’t stand the sight of each other to a final, emotional reckoning in which they reveal it was once more than just the two of them. Theirs is an old-style pub whose time has come and gone but which serves to remind us that such places acted as repositories of human nature, for better or worse. There are plenty of laugh-out loud moments in the play, most notably when Starke appears in his ‘Scouse tuxedo’ and 80s mullet to woo the women in the audience with his wily ways, all the while being carefully watched over by his gullible girlfriend. But this is a play with serious intent and director Lisa Allen elicits a remarkable performance from Starke and White as a couple in an abusive relationship, which is very hard to watch. Starkie, throughout the night more often than not playing affable characters, delivers the role with unexpected menace.

Cartwright stuffs a lot into his little play: abandoned children, mental health patients lost in the community, lonely widowers living off memories and mild, a wife caring for her dementia-struck husband. His talent, and more particularly that of Starke and White, is in bringing them alive with such compassion and wit.

Two is at Shakespeare North Playhouse from 10 to 28 March 2026.

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Now a West End and Broadway hit with numerous awards, it is hard to imagine the musical’s humble beginnings in front of an audience of 80 in Lowry’s Aldridge Studio space.

SpitLip the talented company behind this inventive show rose up through Lowry’s Artist Development programme over a 10-year funding and mentorship scheme that included supporting other projects and co-commissioning Operation Mincemeat.

Before that, the four creatives behind the company – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts – cut their teeth performing sketch shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. And there is evidence of that background in the tight timing, high energy and carefully orchestrated chaos of Mincemeat.

The result is an exciting reinvention of the genre that will both delight musical lovers and win over those sceptics who say musicals are not for them.

Set in 1943, it is based on the bizarre true story of an MI5 mission to use a corpse as a decoy to fool Hitler and give allied troops a clear run into Sicily. It is one of those stories so strange you couldn’t make it up, and audiences will likely be familiar with it from the 2021 war drama starring Colin Firth.

Here the tale is told as a fast-paced, quick-witted comedy with five actors – Christian Andrews, Seán Carey, Charlotte Hanna-Williams, Holly Sumpton, Jamie-Rose Monk – taking on numerous gender-switching roles with lightening precision and clarity.  All the cast, except Monk, are reprising their roles performed in the West End and it is an exceptionally polished production with consistent high energy from the opening line to the curtain call.

It’s war time in a secret bunker, so the set is naturally pared back. However, Ben Stones seemingly simple set design, like the show itself, has more than a few surprises, with tongue-in-cheek nods to glitzier musicals, slick reveals and effective integration of Mark Henderson’s lighting design to evoke atmosphere without blinding.

There are some lovely harmonies in the music and some genuinely emotional moments that leave the audience spellbound. This fresh, clever, and funny musical is probably the best show you will see this year. It is certainly the best I’ve seen for a long time. Don’t miss it.

Operation Mincemeat is at Lowry, Salford from 16 to 28 February 2026. Age recommendation 5+

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In the sparkle of the stage, Mitzi del Bra is a drag queen down on the town – and down on her luck. With both the crowds and the years starting to pass her by, she finds herself at a loss after a call from her ex-wife, who demands she come to the remote town of Alice Springs to meet their nine-year-old son. Now out of costume as Anthony ‘Tick’ Belrose, Tick takes his old friend Bernadette Bassenger – a transgender woman grieving her lover – and rival queen Felicia Jollygoodfellow to perform at his ex-wife’s casino, though doesn’t tell them the real reason for their visit.  

Thundering through rural Australia on a school bus christened ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, the trio soon find themselves face-to-face with a host of bizarre characters, with some far crueller than others. But after Priscilla breaks down in the middle of the Simpson Desert, the three must find a way to keep moving forward– and see if they can make their own dreams come true on the way.  

Famously difficult to do well, ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ is the blueprint of jukebox musicals. With timeless classics ranging from ‘Shake your Groove Thing’ to ‘Hot Stuff’ thrusting camp upon the audience from the get-go, Priscilla surpasses itself with a surprisingly insightful commentary on the changing generations of drag – delivered easily through the trio’s messy spats on the value of lip-syncing versus singing.
Adele Anderson’s (Fascinating Aida) solos and duets as Bernadette are masterclasses in classy-but-camp, while Nick Hayes’ vocals prophesise a glittering future for Felicia’s singing career. Also a treat was the young Harper Etienne as Tick’s son Benjy, whose unbelievable duet with his father (Kevin Clifton) had the crowd in a manic frenzy – a true delight to watch.  

The ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ musical comes just more than 30 years after the release of the original film, which was based on the lives of three real-life drag queens and became a worldwide sensation. Now considered a cult classic, the original Priscilla was far ahead of its time with its portrayal of LGBTQ+ culture, and the musical, in many ways, remains far ahead of ours. As hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have skyrocketed over the past five years – rising by 88% among transgender people in particular – it has become increasingly rare to see scenes of bigotry given the same weight and horror that Priscilla affords. The music cuts, the stage stills, and we are left to stare; queer people are adored until the sun rises, Bernadette says – and we in the audience must sit with the characters through every second past dawn.  

‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ is a tremendous rendition of a tremendous film, and comes to the UK at a time where queer culture needs desperately to be more embraced. The musical is an electric cocktail of debauchery and depth, with a clattering ego that’s rare to encounter outside of Canal Street’s smokiest balconies. Classy, flexible, and sharply polished, ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ is the queen of the Palace Theatre.  

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is at the Opera House, Manchester from 19-28 February before continuing on tour. Age guidance 14+

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Spread across six rooms in the Malmaison Hotel, Piccadilly, Dante or Die’s ‘I Do’ follows the final 10 minutes before a wedding from six different perspectives. The mother of the bride struggles to decide on both her hat and her relationship to her unfaithful ex-husband, while their daughter fears nothing more than becoming just like them. Her husband-to-be struggles with the mounting pressure of marriage, while his best man’s last-minute speech slowly falls to pieces. Add a messy troupe of bridesmaids and groomsmen, plus a pair of ailing grandparents, and we have a colourful cocktail of disasters waiting to happen – garnished perfectly, of course, by the trainee cleaner, moving silently from room to room.

Created by Daphna Attias and Terry O’Donovan with writing by Chloë Moss, ‘I Do’ is one of the most unique productions to grace the theatre scene. The audience is split into six groups, each marked with its own buttonhole rose, and guided from room to room as the final 10 minutes repeat and rewind. Guests watch the action unfold from whatever space they can carve out for themselves, whether that be stood in the corner, sat on the bed, or even squashed in the bath, and the line between viewer and voyeur quickly becomes blurred. Each room rings a new scenario, and with it, a new piece of the puzzle to slot into place, bringing the flurry of dramatics and excitement from a spectacle to a snapshot of a cast weighed down with their own individual anguishes and struggles.

Tying it all together is the nameless cleaner, played fantastically by Rowena Le Poer Trench. Never speaking, never judging, and never turning down the volume in her tinny earbuds, she cleans as many emotional messes as she does physical ones. Lo Poer Trench perfectly embodies the frazzled uncertainty of a trainee forced to go beyond their job description by difficult customers, with no manager to turn to whatsoever. Her time is spent tidying up scandal, sometimes hilariously – as in the bridal suite – and sometimes – as with disabled grandfather Gordon (Geoff Atwell) – with devastating tenderness.

Following the carnival of chaos and dramatics, Atwell’s scene in Room 112 comes as a sucker punch to the performance so far. In one of the most painful and human scenes of ‘I Do’, Atwell delivers a masterful performance as a lively family man who – likely as the result of a stroke or accident – can no longer move or speak independently, and is being helped to dress by his wife (Fiona Watson). Frustrated by his own struggles, and by other wedding guests’ discomfort around him, it’s all he can do to cry the second he finds himself alone. Between his expressions, gestures, and even how he finds a way to play pranks through his limitations, Atwell’s performance may be startlingly familiar to anybody with a loved one of a similar experience – and soon becomes one of the most endearing scenes of the production.

With every group starting with a different scene, the end of the round gives every audience a different send off. A clue to the true order of events can be found in the finale, where the audience gathers in the corridor to watch the actors rush from room to room in the minutes before the marriage. In whatever order you experience it in, ‘I Do’ is a surreal carousel of emotions, with a great depth belying its soap-like dramatics and plot twists. Heart wrenching, hilarious, and absolutely unmissable, ‘I Do’ is an event in and of itself.

I Do Dante or Die is at Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly from 19-22 February 2026.

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Seconds later flames rise from the front of the stage as the curtain rises on a stadium-style concert. As musical openings go, this has got to be one of the best.

The musical, based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, has always been a crowd-pleaser. Sometimes too much so, resulting in news headlines of chaotic scenes in the theatre during the 2023 tour as audience members immersed in the concert-vibe joined in with the songs.

For those who can’t resist a sing-a-long there is a chance after the curtain call when the cast return to the stage for an energetic version of ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’. On opening night, as far as we could see, everyone respectfully waited until that point before jumping to their feet and singing the words back to the stage.

The Grammy award winning soundtrack has always been the strength of The Bodyguard and the musical cements this by packing in even more tracks – 16 in total, many of them instantly recognisable including, ‘Queen of the Night’, ‘I’m Every Woman’, ‘Greatest Love of All’ and the phenomenal hit, ‘I Will Always Love You’.

There is a thrilling story too with plenty of jump scares to keep the audience hooked.  Superstar singer, Rachel Marron is on the cusp of mega-stardom following a much longed-for Oscar nomination. But this dream, as well as the safety of her young son, is in jeopardy from a mysterious stalker set on terrorising her and her family. Her manager, desperate to find someone to both protect his talent and solve the case, hires bodyguard Frank Farmer. But his arrival in the celebrity household is far from smooth.

Here the role of Rachel Marron is played by American musical star, Sidonie Smith, who was the alternate for the part when for a run in Cologne. There is so much expectation riding on this role – whether that comes from the audience’s memories of the late, magnificent Whitney Houston, or singers like Beverley Knight and Alexandra Burke who have taken the stage role previously. Smith captures the diva in Marron and gives some powerhouse vocals, especially in act II. I’d have liked a bit more oomph in the concert scenes and that might come in time as the run settles.

Australian actor, Adam Garcia takes on the role of The Bodyguard with charm and humour. At times there is a strange squareness to his stance that feels comically robotic, but this appears to be a directional choice because all the male actors at times take a similar pose.

The real surprise is Sasha Monique as Marron’s shadowed sister, Nicki. The strength of her voice and the emotion she brings to the role ensures that, unlike her character, there will be no sidelining her talent, as the cheers at her curtain call attest.

Marron’s 10-year-old son, Fletcher also quickly wins over the crowd. There are four young actors playing the role during the tour. On Monday we saw Cale Cole, who at only 10-years-old already has a string of impressive theatre credits to his name.

In all it is an immersive, energetic, crowd-pleasing show.

The Bodyguard is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester from 19-31 January 2026.

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