Jennifer-Lee Dupuy and Frédérick De Grandpré could not pay a better tribute to the late Whitney Houston and actor Kevin Costner at the musical’s premiere Thursday night The bodyguardin the Capitol.
The theatrical adaptation of the 1992 film was flawless. The one who played the role of Rachel Marron, a world-renowned singer, wasn’t afraid to pitch the tunes in front of the crowd that filled the Capitole. However, it wasn’t just his voice that enchanted the audience, but also director Joël Legendre’s touch of humour.
I will Always Love You
Everything was there for the song everyone was waiting for. The actress’ silver sequin dress was simply stunning; Her voice, reaching new heights on this track, was haunting; The divine lighting and the small podium on which she sat were on point, in short, a performance that made the admirers present shed more than a tear.
Marcel Tremblay / QMI Agency
Surrounded well
While Dupuy managed to charm audiences using his voice as his sole tool, credit has to be given to his peers, both in song and dance and in acting.
Matthieu Lévesque, who played Sy Spector, Rachel Marron’s publicist, showed the full extent of his talent. With his eccentric character, the actor managed to make the audience laugh while rocking them with his melodic voice.
Frédérick De Grandpré, who played the title role of Frank Farmer, stayed true to himself. Known for his more serious roles, he managed to combine his character’s coldness with the intensity of feelings Farmer felt for his client. The reactions of the audience were mainly due to the scenes of rapprochement between the two actors, where there seemed to be real chemistry on stage.
Empty seats for the last song
When the first notes of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” rang out, not a single bench was occupied as everyone was on their feet clapping and singing. All the actors gathered on the stage for the final part of the show, which was colorful in terms of both sets and costumes.