Bonnie And Clyde - Drury Lane/Arts Theatre/Garrick/Tour

[viscountviktor]

Also there were a lot of empty seats in the grand circle which isn't good considering it's just opened.

[vabbian]

Saw this tonight and was pleasantly surprised.

Was expecting molten diarrhea having read mixed press, and getting a heavily discounted ticket, but a good 4 stars from me.

Not many earworms, I will have to see it again before I can fully judge the core musical. But the principal cast really sold it. Beautiful voices, just heavenly talented. Will be booking again.

[dlevi]

I was at the matinee today and while the show was watchable it was also pretty bad. I didn't find a moment of genuine theatrical inspiration anywhere to be found - not in the score, or the mundane lyrics or the pathetic dialogue. I also found it to be morally reprehensible in that while they mention that B & C kill people the show was far more interested in celebrating them than condemning them. It was the least imaginative production of a musical I've seen since "Pretty Woman".

[theatrefan77]

I was thinking of booking because of the performers, but just watched the Broadway version on YouTube and didn't like it much.

It's really a very weak show with just a couple of decent songs, so I'll give it a miss.

[dancingthroughlife]

Without knowing anything about it or listening to the Soundtrack prior, I really enjoyed it last year at the Arts.

From what I've been reading, it sounds like this year's changes aren't for the better?

[matty]

Saw the matinee today and it has definitely lost something in this transfer.

Taking away the young Bonnie & Clyde really wasn't a great idea, the opening seems much cheerier than it did previously. No JLG - Charlie McCullagh was fine as Clyde (he had a few pitchy moments, but did well considering it was only his second time on - I thought his acting was good).

The character of Ted really is a bit of a wet lettuce, isn't he?!

There are some weaker members of the ensemble - some of the vocal decisions were a bit iffy.

Overall it wasn't a bad watch, but as someone said previously, I left the concert last year and the Arts Theatre ready to book again straight away, but today I didn't get that feeling.

[mkb]

I'm at a loss to understand the two-star professional reviews and the gripes on here. I went in to tonight's show with no prior knowledge or expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. It's a solid, traditional musical with instantly likeable songs, delivered well by an accomplished cast. The book is engaging, and the performances are good.

Pretty much most of the audience seemed to receive it rapturously with an enthusiastic standing ovation, so it's disheartening to learn of the critical savaging. It's not as if I'm easy to please -- witness my disappointment last week at The Great British Bake-Off Musical -- but Bonnie & Clyde is right up my street.

Pre-show, the mood is perfectly set by 30s era music, reproduced with the compressed frequency range of early gramophone recordings, accompanying a projection that convincingly shows gunsmoke billowing from an apparently gaping bullet hole in the backcloth.

Like all the best period crime dramas, the story starts with the tragic end and is then told in flashback. (If only it could have been in black-and-white too.) I knew already this was going to be a blast.

The staging is effective without being overly complex, benefiting from a lighting design that is beautifully cinematic at times. Sound design on the other hand is something one only notices when it is bad. Happily here, every word of Don Black's efficient lyrics can be discerned and the score from the seven-piece band is blended well.

The tone of Act 1 is more Bugsy Malone than Quentin Tarantino, but Act 2 is a little grittier. Accepting that this is a heavily romanticised version of the true story, the pitch is probably where it should be.

I came away wanting a cast recording -- please can we have one? -- and resolved to finally watch the 1967 film version.

Four stars.

Act 1: 19:33-20:39
Act 2: 21:02-21:59

[matty]

Mar 26, 2023 2:39:40 GMT mkb said:

I came away wanting a cast recording -- please can we have one? -- and resolved to finally watch the 1967 version.

Cast recording is on the way In the meantime, there is a Broadway cast recording with Jeremy Jordan which is worth listening to if you haven't already

[djdan14]

Can anyone confirm - are gunshots recorded or blanks? And how loud are they?

[l0islane]

Mar 29, 2023 12:08:27 GMT djdan14 said:

Can anyone confirm - are gunshots recorded or blanks? And how loud are they?

They are sound effects and they are pretty loud. There's also a lot of them (not surprising considering how Bonnie and Clyde met their end). And multiple scenes featuring gunshots.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Random question. Does ANYONE know about this crazy fandom apparently - been a lot of backlash on Twitter and just am very nosey. (Can't figure out what it is!)

[Jane Parfitt]

Yes I've been seeing snippets on Twitter, sounds pretty toxic from what I've seen.

Mar 29, 2023 19:55:20 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

Random question. Does ANYONE know about this crazy fandom apparently - been a lot of backlash on Twitter and just am very nosey. (Can't figure out what it is!)

[bwayboy22]

I don't use Twitter. What is the issue?

[westendfan1]

Mar 29, 2023 20:47:55 GMT bwayboy22 said:

I don't use Twitter. What is the issue?

From what I can work out, it seems to be different groups of girls squabbling over who is the biggest fan of the show/JLG in particular. There seems to be a real obsessive nature to some of them, seeing the show dozens and dozens of times. Apparently they are the reason Jordan doesn't do stage door any more. I also saw accusations of bullying, and suggestions that one of them held transphobic views.

[bwayboy22]

Mar 29, 2023 22:17:13 GMT westendfan1 said:

Mar 29, 2023 20:47:55 GMT bwayboy22 said:

I don't use Twitter. What is the issue?

From what I can work out, it seems to be different groups of girls squabbling over who is the biggest fan of the show/JLG in particular. There seems to be a real obsessive nature to some of them, seeing the show dozens and dozens of times. Apparently they are the reason Jordan doesn't do stage door any more. I also saw accusations of bullying, and suggestions that one of them held transphobic views.

Thanks. That is nuts! I am going next month to see the new version. Hope none of them are there!

[shady23]

It seems to be getting a bit crazy for a lot of shows right now. Social media certainly doesn't help. It has turned it into a bit of a competition to who can see the show the most times and also folks being the self proclaimed number one fan of one of the cast, extra top fan points if it is a cover and if you have set up a twitter fan page for them.

I am sure shows appreciate the support but there is a fine line between being supporting and being annoying, as we saw recently at the & Juliet final show!

[hadeswasking]

Mar 30, 2023 1:50:17 GMT shady23 said:

It seems to be getting a bit crazy for a lot of shows right now. Social media certainly doesn't help. It has turned it into a bit of a competition to who can see the show the most times and also folks being the self proclaimed number one fan of one of the cast, extra top fan points if it is a cover and if you have set up a twitter fan page for them.

I am sure shows appreciate the support but there is a fine line between being supporting and being annoying, as we saw recently at the & Juliet final show!

Was there yesterday for the matinee. These people ruined the experience, don't sit anywhere near the front!

Giggling at inappropriate points because a member of the ensemble appeared, talking about how best to get their attention before the show. Made me feel sick passively listening to it.

I enjoyed the show at the Arts but this behaviour, along with the questionable changes that have been made. I have no interest in returning to this show for a while.

Although I did enjoy Lauren Jones as Bonnie, Jodie Steele and Dom Harris.

Saw Barney Wilkinson in the past as Clyde and he's a scene stealer as Archie!

[apubleed]

Both leads were off last night (lol). Barney really, really owned the stage, role and vocals. No idea what Jordan is like in the role but it's hard to imagine he could top Barney. Jodie is also doing great work. Can't say much else good about the performances or show though - super cringe fest.

[mkb]

Is it possible to un-expire/unlock the poll?

[BurlyBeaR]

For the record, this was the outcome of the poll for the concert. 

Brand new poll added for the full musical. 

[capybara]

Saw this last night and was every bit as good as I remember. This show is all about the score, so I can imagine if you’re cool on the music you might not enjoy the wider piece.

I’d seen it before at the Arts, with the fantastic Lauren Jones (who was great last night as Trish) deputising and when Barney Wilkinson made his Clyde debut, replacing JLG mid-show. So it was my first time seeing Jordan and Frances together.

I really believed their chemistry and thought the vocal performances were exceptional. Gage’s stage presence during Raise a Little Hell really is something to witness.

Another five stars from me. But I do recognise its pitfalls in terms of the plot - feel it would benefit from painting a better picture of the economic struggles of the time, the lead characters’ relationships with their parents, etc.

I am tempted to make a Wednesday matinee return next month to see Lauren Jones as Bonnie though. As much as I enjoyed McCann, Jones plays the role with more raw emotion and is just more compelling to watch in my opinion.

[Raven]

Is this a not-so cryptic hint that this may very well move theatres and extend?

[capybara]

Haymarket then.

[anthony]

Is it really a full house most nights? I was under the impression it was doing average at best?

Its success does give me hope, though... hopefully it means Wildhorn will invest more in UK productions. Want to see a Dracula! And Rudolf! and Count of Monte Cristo!

Just give me everything Wildhorn, please.

[Boob]

There were two spare seats going when I left at the interval.