Adam Garcia has us grinning from ear to ear as soon as we start chatting. The Australian musical theatre star is coming to Ireland this summer for The Bodyguard, where he plays Frank, the role made famous by Kevin Costner.
But you don’t have a fan of the movie to fall in love with the musical, which is coming to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in August.
Here we speak to the man, best known for his role in Coyote Ugly, himself about Whitney Houston, his dream roles and why he loves Ireland.
Is it your first time coming to Ireland?
Oh no! I’ve been a bunch. One of my dear friends is from Skerries. I’ve been there to perform dance festivals that take place there at the RDS. So I’ve been to Dublin a good amount of time, but never to perform. So this will be the first time performing in Dublin. That’s really exciting.
What are your plans for when you’re here?
I think we’ve got a few days off. I’ve got some friends who live there, so I’ll catch up with them. I’ll just roam around the city. You can have a good time in Dublin. And then I will be back. I’m doing the tour of Emerald Storm, which is an Irish tap dancing show. And we finish in Dublin in The Helix. Our final show is in Dublin.
You’re coming to Ireland in August for The Bodyguard. Is there pressure to fill Kevin Costner’s shoes?
I asked if I could have my face completely transformed into Kevin Costner by a very expensive plastic surgeon. And they said they wouldn’t do it on the NHS. So, fair enough. So, I discarded that plan. [Laughs] All jokes aside, they’re always very big shoes to fill, particularly when something is really well-loved. I’ve done Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, which was John Travolta. I just played Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, famously played by Dick Van Dyke. Inevitably, you can only bring what you bring. To just replicate someone’s facade isn’t going to be enough for an audience. I don’t think people want to see that. I’ll hopefully bring my own twist, my own taste to it.
Do you watch the films beforehand?
Nope. Terrible idea. One, because films are not the same medium, as theatre. If you get sucked into the idea that you can copy what they’re doing on screen, there’s going to be a lot of people in the audience of the theatre going, ‘He’s dead. He’s actually died on stage. He’s not doing anything.’ I’ve never made it a habit of watching films.
Talk to us about that difference between stage and film…
It’s a different craft. It’s a completely different craft stage acting. Denzel Washington did the play Fences, which he then produced and directed as a movie. You can see him do one scene on stage on YouTube and then watch how he does it in the film. They’re completely different scenes because they require different energy in order to reach the audience. Film actors can become stage actors, but they have to understand the medium. Stage actors, we are always too big, and we need to be honed down to become film actors. But it’s fun doing both is good.
What is the most exciting part about being in The Bodyguard and playing Frank?
I’d say the most exciting part is travelling. The show is great, but getting to go around the UK and Ireland and explore new towns or towns I’ve been to and explore more, meet new people. I think that’s one of the best parts. The show itself. It’s one of those surprising shows because Whitney has so many bangers. I never get bored of the music, which is really crazy to say. By the time we get to Dublin I’ll have done 300 shows.
And he really is a Frank!
One of the first Franks I ever saw was Frank-n-furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. He’s a very different Frank. And he’s a Frank that I’d like to play! This Frank, I don’t think the name is chance. He is frank and to the point; that’s why I think they named him Frank, because he’s a farmer. He’s salt of the earth, straight to the point. There’s no messing around. I’m an unflappable American hero.
What can audiences expect from The Bodyguard?
A lot! Whitney bangers. But also a musical where people sing Whitney ballads to progress emotional narrative, a thriller about someone who’s trying to kill said Whitney and a romance between said Whitney and Frank, who’s trying to save her from said killer. So it’s a thriller. It’s a romance. It’s a concert and it’s musical.
The Bodyguard will run at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Monday 4th August until Saturday 8th August. Tickets on sale now.