Bonnie and Clyde raise a little hell in Leicester

Directed by Nick Winston, Bonnie and Clyde – as you might expect – tells the story of the infamous 1930s outlaws, coupled eternally by the way they lived and died.

And died they certainly did – the dramatic opening moments setting the scene for their final shootout before rewinding to their childhood ambitions. Be warned of plenty of bright lights and loud noises in this show.

Katie Tonkinson shines as Bonnie with a voice that wouldn’t be out of place in a smoky jazz bar, while Alex James-Hatton has mastered Clyde’s attractive level of cockiness and a voice that raises goosebumps. Their chemistry is off the charts with intimate scenes that feel like we’re intruding, and their voices meld together like a smooth southern honey. Their magnetism does make you pity police officer Ted (Daniel Reid-Walters) who pines after Bonnie despite her criminal activity.

Katie shares just as much chemistry with Catherine Tyldesley who plays sister-in-law Blanche, putting their bickering aside for their voices to become one in “You Love Who you love” as they lament the woes of loving someone who refuses to abandon their life of chaos and crime.

The former Corrie actress may be familiar with dramatic family storylines, but there’s no whiff off soap acting here as she dons a southern drawl and christian attitude, praying for her husband Buck (Sam Ferriday) to see sense and quit his life of crime.

It’s not all doom and gloom, Sam and Catherine pair nicely to provide some comic relief in their back and forth, and with some help from the ensemble in the twangy number, “You are going back to jail”. 

Don’t expect a morality tale, the production openly admonishes the ideals of the American Dream and prison reform rather than Bonnie and Clyde’s personal choices, and glorifies their romance as much as any tabloid of the time might have, resulting in some of the most compelling musical theatre love songs including “Dyin’ ain’t so bad”.

Made in America” , one of the few ensemble numbers, showcases how this pair of outlaws gained celebrity status, revered rather than feared in a time of intense economic turmoil when almost everyone would do anything to survive. 

Philip Witcomb’s set is fragmented – half a car here, a sofa rolled in there, a set of stairs suggesting an entire house somewhere. No more is needed with larger than life characters owning the stage, and that’s clear when it comes to the videography which feels like overkill. While effective in places with sepia toned streetscenes, it becomes occasionally excessive… the montage of Bonnie and Clyde’s parents really isn’t necessary when they’re singing “What was good enough for you”, although shadows in place of the police worked well in a shootout.   

Not a moment is wasted in this show, the 2.5 hour runtime certainly doesn’t feel that long with dialogue cleverly interspersed into Frank Wildhorn’s fabulous jazz inspired score to keep the action moving. There are no claims of historical accuracy; at the heart of Ivan Menchell’s book is two kids in love, and desperate for more from life than a small town in West Dallas can offer.

Don’t miss the opportunity to raise a little hell at The Curve, until 24th February 2024, before it continues its UK tour. Buy tickets here: https://curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/bonnie-and-clyde/