Review: Bonnie & Clyde at Palace Theatre “has a superb cast and smooth vocals”

Big theatres need and producers need to get bums on seats, so every year we see familiar shows coming back.  Or they are based on pre-existing material, such as a film or well-known book. And you can see why, it means the title alone brings a sense of familiarity.

Bonnie & Clyde is a true story familiar to audiences, as it features two fascinating characters who went on the run, armed with guns and plenty of charm. But there are many original touches to this show, written by Ivan Menchell with lyrics by Don Black and music by Frank Wildhorn.

When this show debuted on Broadway in 2011, it did not do very well. It arrived at the Arts Theatre in London, which is a very intimate theatre, and it did well enough to transfer to a bigger West End venue.

Now regional audiences can see for themselves whether the show delivers more than just speeding bullets.

The first thing to note is that the country songs by Don Black and Frank Wildhorn are immediate and quite refreshing, compared with many musicals. There is something soothing about their delivery, too, by the talented cast.

The representation of these two young guns on the run from the police, takes time to set up and if you have come along for Tarantino style violence, I would stick to the film version. We spend a great deal of the first act seeing who they are, before they become fun loving criminals. The problem is that you do notice the time this takes. As good as some of these songs are, there are way too many. There does come a point in the first half where they begin to slow things down and you may find yourself longing for the police to burst in.

The second half is better, as there is more pace, and you get to see how these two become hungry for fame and ‘play’ to their audience. There are some attempts to justify why they kill, but they are a bit pat and simplistic. And each time they commit a crime, the two sing about love and then have a snog. And off they go again.

More choreography and John Wick style pyrotechnics and slo mo lighting would add more atmosphere, but the music does add a glass of Southern Comfort just when you need it. And the cast bring power and good humour to this tale of double trouble.

Alex James-Hatton is quite magnetic as Clyde Barrow, his vocals have a smooth quality to them, and it adds more to his character than the ‘society done me wrong’ story suggests. Katie Tonkinson has a playful sense of optimism as Bonnie Parker and the two do have the much-needed chemistry to drive this show forward.

Catherine Tyldesley has superb comic timing and fine vocals as Blanche, Clyde’s bible loving sister-in-law. I would love to see her another musical some time soon, as she knows how to please an audience by surprising them. Sam Ferriday plays Clyde’s brother Buck, and he has a self-conscious swagger, as he lives in the shadows of his brother.

One scene in a church featuring gospel music really brings much needed energy to the piece and leading from the front is AJ Lewis, as the preacher – his vocals soothe the soul. The supporting cast are all excellent and during a song and dance number in the church, they get a chance to shine and deliver. I wish there more scenes like this, as it does provide a change from the ‘woe is me’ stuff that goes before. And why we have to see cliched prison scenes and gags about Clyde being coveted by others is beyond me.

Nick Winston knows how direct small scenes that have impact, and he does this to great effect during a couple of duets. You really sense the competition between characters, and you can read between the lines. Philip Witcomb’s set and costumes are simplistic but very effective at creating a sense of time and place. And Nina Dunn’s video design frames the piece like an old, restored photograph on a mantel piece.

The Palace Theatre is a massive theatre and there are times when the show does feel a bit swamped by the size of this stage. It would suit the Hope Mill Theatre, as you would be able to connect more with the plight of the characters.

There are four good reasons to see Bonnie & Clyde. They are Alex James-Hatton, Katie Tonkinson, Catherine Tyldesley and Sam Ferriday. And they and the rest of the cast are worth leaving the house for.

Bonnie & Clyde is at the Palace Theatre until 11^th May and you can book tickets here.

Photos credit Richard Davenport