★★★★★

So I was a bit late to the game with this one as I actually saw the penultimate performance on 9th July. I wanted to go earlier, but work commitments and a show I was in meant that this was the earliest I could go.

I hadn’t been back to the Arts Theatre since Six was there so it was strange not seeing purple everywhere! There were some lovely touches in the foyer with a Bonnie and Clyde mirror and a police lineup wall for photo ops. There was a good choice of merch – or would have been earlier in the run as sadly the sizes of the apparel was limited. I did manage to get my usual pin badge though.

The open set as you enter the auditorium (designed by Philip Witcomb) immediately sets up the atmosphere and tone of the show. The brown rust doors and walls, covered with various implements including a shaving mirror and a ukulele, certainly evoked depression era America.

Most people have at least heard of Bonnie and Clyde, even if they don’t know the full story. This retelling of their fated relationship, written by Ivan Menchell, Don Black, and Frank Wildhorn, originally opened on Broadway in 2011 so it has been a long time in coming over here. In January this year a two day concert version played at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and at the end of the second performance it was announced that it would open as a fully staged production at the Arts Theatre for a limited run.

With what is literally an explosive start we are introduced to young Bonnie who dreams of being a star in Hollywood, and young Clyde who wants to grow up to be just like Billy the Kidd. Fantastic performances from Lineo Ncube and Louie Gray. The action then seamlessly transitions to the adult Bonnie and Clyde.

Frances Mayli McCann who plays Bonnie also played the role in the concert version and she completely embodied the character. Innocent and naive at the start, she is drawn into her relationship with Clyde until she is unable to leave him (historians generally agree that she went along with him because of her feelings for him). Her rendition of “Dyin’ ain’t so bad” was the highlight of the show for me.

For this performance Clyde was played by Barney Wilkinson as Jordan Luke Gage took ill halfway through the show the previous day. Clearly the ring leader and driving force behind the couple, he was still able to give a warm performance that showed that there was a more vulnerable side to him when it came to his relationship with Bonnie. “Raise a Hell” was a show stopping moment, as a robbery went wrong and Clyde reached the point of no return.

Clyde’s sister, Buck (Charlie McCullagh) and his wife Blanche (Natalie McQueen) were a fantastic couple and some of the funniest moments came from McQueen – she could say so much with just a look – whilst at the same time giving a devastating performance as Buck dies after a shootout.

The rest of the cast were outstanding but special mention must go to Lauren Jones. A 2021 graduate from ArtsEd she stood out for me, especially in the hair salon scene. 

Does this show romanticise the lives of two people who ultimately killed 11? Yes, it does. However, in the 1930s many people did. This was the height of the ‘public enemy’ era and in many ways the pair were treated by the public as heroes and celebrities (not helped by the fact that they posed for photos a lot). This popularity was illustrated by the fact that 20,000 turned up for Bonnie’s funeral. So I don’t think it does matter that the musical does this.

I do regret leaving this so late in the run to see as I would love to see it again – and maybe without the neck aching view that is very much an issue with the front few rows at the Arts Theatre. I will definitely check it out again on it’s now-talked-about tour.