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The West-End smash hit and What’sOnStage award winner of Best New Musical (2023), Bonnie & Clyde, takes to the stage in Cardiff. Many of us are familiar with the infamous tale of America’s most troublesome couple. They craved adventure and freedom – a life that eventually went on to make them folk heroes. It’s lesser known that Bonnie & Clyde has been made into a musical, and in my opinion, it deserves to have a reputation as big as some of the greats. As an avid musical theatre fan, I often use the phrase “they’ll make a musical out of anything nowadays” but wow, am I glad that this show exists. It’s high on the list as one of the best shows that I’ve ever experienced.
It’s evident that an enormous amount of work has gone into making this show what it is. It’s not the story of Bonnie & Clyde that makes it so great, although that is exciting to follow, but how they have chosen to present it. There is clear attention to detail from the creatives of this show that make it into what it is. The set is visually stunning and supports the storyline perfectly, the visual effects make you feel immersed into the story, and the live music and on-stage actors are the cherry-on-top. I found myself with my jaw wide open throughout most of the show at just how talented the entire team are. It’s all these reasons combined that made me love this show so much; it was so smooth and felt effortless, even though it’s quite the opposite for the creators.
Would it be a touring musical theatre show without a soap star? You might recognise Catherine Tyldesley from Coronation Street and Strictly Come Dancing, but she definitely belongs on the stage, taking on the role of Blanche (aka Clyde’s sister-in-law). Starring as Bonnie & Clyde themselves, and certainly talent to watch, is Katie Tonkinson and Alex James-Hatton. We found ourselves hanging around in the foyer after the show and, to our surprise, most of the cast came out to say hello to fans who patiently waited for autographs and photos. It’s certainly not a requirement for the actors to do this, but just watching how they interacted with fans was lovely. It’s clear to see that they have a genuine love for their job.
It’s worth noting that friends of mine who attended at the same time were disappointed with the ending. It’s one of those shows that gives you the end at the beginning. However, they didn’t revisit the ending to close the show, and some said they felt that it was underwhelming and didn’t go out with a “bang” to match the rest of the show. I certainly see why they felt disappointed, I think it’s because the story of Bonnie & Clyde is so famous that it’s not needed, and they were focused on emotional impact over re-telling.
You can catch Bonnie & Clyde in the Wales Millennium Centre until this Saturday 30th March. I think you would be crazy to miss it while it’s in Cardiff! You can get your tickets by visiting the WMC website here: https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2024/bonnie-and-clyde?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppBEZp7jpn66tufBG8Uc2OUzNtqoUTc8SGC3MFeXjgFDyoTc8fmucwBoCP1AQAvD_BwE
