Nick Winston’s Arts Theatre revival of fan favourite Bonnie & Clyde is a full-on crowd-pleaser that looks ravishing and sounds great.
13 April 2022
Today’s matinee audience at Bonnie & Clyde gave the show a fully-fledged standing ovation. I am not entirely sure Frank Wildhorn’s often unfocussed take on the 1930’s anti-heroes deserves that accolade, but it is certainly a testament to how popular the music is to a certain type of fan.
Ivan Menchell’s book is not particularly well written. I do not think most audiences will care two hoots about that as it is primarily the musical palette that attracts this show’s loyal fanbase. The songs are a catchy and comforting mix of rock, gospel, pop, and country, with jazzy overtones and heavy on guitar and twangy violin. Don Black’s lyrics can be a little clumsy at times but keep the show moving along briskly with an appealing mixture of humour and pathos, and Nick Barstow’s musician direction is first class.
Jordan Luke Gage tries to play Clyde with smouldering charm, but he is altogether too much of a nice guy to be believable as a gangster who killed 13 people. He has an amazing vocal range though, and fills his songs with bags of character, which certainly endears him to the audience.
Frances Mayli McCann’s feisty Bonnie is a fizzing bundle of coquettish energy and an absolute joy to watch. Natalie’s McQueen channels Karen from TV’s Will and Grace in her comic turn as Clyde’s sister-in-law, Blanche, and very good she is too. Ako Mitchell shines as the preacher.
The real star of the show for me though was Philip Witcomb’s set. The show starts and ends with Bonnie and Clyde’s blood-spattered bodies slumped across the front seats of a dilapidated, rusty car. Much of the action unfolds in a bullet-ridden garage, whose gun-grey metal door casts the shadow of prison bars downstage, and which opens to reveal rear-projection of sepia-faded 30’s newsprint and illustrations. The design motif is all dark metal that is fusty and worn out, with a counterpoint of blood-rust red and a kind of misty turquoise. It is absolutely gorgeous and highly effective.
The show’s pace is fairly pedestrian, but Nick Winston packs plenty of visual humour in and makes the most of the book’s occasional good comic moments and thinly written characterisation.
In summary, if you like this kind of musical you are going to love this show. Get your tickets soon because this is going to sell out fast.
Music Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics Don Black
Book Ivan Menchell
Director Nick Winston.
Cast
Bonnie Frances Mayli McCann
Clyde Jordan Luke Gage
Blanche Natalie McQueen
Buck George Maguire
Duration: 2 hours 10 mins. One interval.
Full Disclosure: I paid full box-office price for the ticket.
