Bonnie and Clyde West End REVIEW | Arts Theatre, Frances Mayli McCann + Jordan Luke Gage
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- OHMYGOD HEY!
One of the most anticipated shows of the year, the long awaited London premiere of BONNIE & CLYDE, has recently opened in the West End.
This exciting new production stars Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann and features a thrilling score from Frank Wildhorn and Don Black including "When I Drive", "Dyin Ain't So Bad" and "The World Will Remember Us".
In today's new vlog, check out my full, in-depth review of the show and find out whether it lived up to the hype!
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While I think it would be so great for the production and actors to have a transfer to a bigger theatre, I actually thought the venue being so small meant that it was that much more intense, especially being in the stalls. So much of a sensory overload in such a small space! It would be a shame to lose this intensity if they upsized
This js an excellent point and I agree completely, the show works very well in that space and I wouldn't want to see it transfer to anywhere too much bigger - somewhere like the Garrick might be ideal!
@@MickeyJoTheatre Do you predict the future? They’re moving to the Garrick.
seen both the leads and understudies for bonnie and clyde and would suggest you definitely go and see Barney Wilkinson as clyde as his acting takes are different on the role and his raise a little hell left me speechless
fr barney's ACTING. the difference between him in act 1 and act 2 was incredible and he captured clyde's immaturity in contrast with his murderous side so perfectly
I’m so glad I stumbled onto your channel thanks to TH-cam suggestions. I saw Bonnie & Clyde on Broadway and just loved it; it broke my heart that the New York critics hate Wildhorn and didn’t give the show a chance. Your comments are so insightful and reminded me of what I liked and didn’t like about the show, even though it’s been, my gosh, more than 10 years since I saw it. I’m looking forward to getting more into your channel now, and you’re inspiring me to plan a West End trip someday.
Completely agree with you about Jordan Luke Gage’s version of ‘Raise a Little Hell,’ it’s also my driving force in getting another TodayTix rush ticket to see it again. I have been a huge fan of Frances Mayli McCann since seeing ‘Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour’ at the Traverse in 2015 so was so good to see her in another excellent role that really highlights what an absolute powerhouse she is.
I know it’s getting a lot of hype, however the theatre was half-empty when I was there, and it’s not a big theatre. I feel like the cast deserve a fuller house in my opinion.
When we were there it was completely full and on instagram it looked like the whole week they were fully booked. So I hope it is doing better now :)
Thank you for talking about the gunshots in the show, seeing it this week as I love the music but gunshots in shows do cause me anxiety, so its great to hear that they do them as sound effects instead! Was quite surprised they haven't introduced relaxed shows for this production though...
I have sound sensitivity and I have to admit that this show was one of the most chill shows for gunshots. They're prerecorded, predictable and generally non threatening unlike Blood Brothers that was the complete opposite. Also don't be afraid to ask for assistance, I found that Phantom, Amelie (both west end) and Zorro (charing cross) all have very kind and considerate staff who were willing to help in any way they can. Also extra credit to Phantom because it is such a huge theatre and I have no doubt that there's other people with assistance needs yet the staff were so helpful.
My fiancé (not a typical musical theatre fan) and I went for a Valentine’s present and I agree it is perfect for those who don’t love musicals or the more traditional musical vibe, while also making us theatre super fans happy to - which is not easily done! Fab show and in a bigger theatre would be even better! ❤️
I’ve never seen the show but I’ve loved the soundtrack for years now. I don’t know if I’d enjoy it as much as what I’ve built the musical up in my mind to be but damn if I’m not a sucker for “You Love Who You Love”
I *love* that song, I think it's so underrated and beautifully performed in this production!
I also got a rush ticket for Bonnie and Clyde, and absolutely loved the show. I'm actually someone who prefers a smaller cast, and really liked Made in America with a smaller ensemble. I love hearing what you think as well, and that the concert had a larger ensemble. What was the song that was added to the West End production?
It boggles my mind that the Arts used to house Unicorn Children Theatre.Can you imagine school groups queuing up for those few toilets! It's a shame something isn't done about the state of the Arts because they get some really interesting productions and the West End needs smaller venues
Toilets in theatres are usually an issue the womens always appear to have massive queues from the outside and the mens are always really small and cramped. Definitely needs a rethink across the board.
That and it would be the perfect theatre!!! And I love the fact it has a bar where you can grab a pint for a reasonable price :)
Couldn't have said it better! Natalie was my personal highlight of the show. I never really liked Blanche in other versions I've seen but she portrayed her act so beautifully and was such a joy to watch in this role she really became such a different character to what I've known her. Jordan was fantastic as well, especially his raise a little hell, just like you said. But just in general I think Clyde is such a hard role to cast, because you need someone so incredibly charming and interesting that you don't get to hate him while at the same time being able to pull off the dark side and the trauma as well as being vocally able to nail this score, so I was just really glad with his performance and that they found someone who was able to pull of that role like that. I got one of the themed drinks. The "Bonnie". It was Gin and elderberry and it was very delicious :)
Was the new song “This Never Happened Before”? Because that’s actually on the original cast recording as a bonus track, and I’m assuming it was cut from the Broadway production
My sister actually was one of the crew (ASM) and it was her first ever job on a west end show, and she said it could’ve have been with a better company. Everyone so kind and appreciative to the backstage crew. The only bad thing that happened was one night a till that is part of the set fell into someone in the audience. Clyde broke character to stop the show and ensure the person was OK. Very professional but also dealt with incidents when needed. Wish this show does a tour or something to see it in person (I only saw the press shot version)
Loved the show seen it twice now. I’ve seen a lot & I love this score it’s really a good one. Great little theatre and it’s nice to be so close to the performers. I do feel act 2 is a little rushed it terms of story telling. Apart from that defo go and watch the tickets are very reasonable great night out! Love watching your reviews mate ❤️👍
Yeah Ted…he’s got great songs, but the character is meh. I directed and MDed the Western NY premiere. I do think it’s one of Wildhorns best, if not THE best. Did you see the Wonderland tour over there? His shows always do better anywhere that isn’t broadway. NY critics love to hate him. 🙄
One of my best mates is playing young Clyde at the moment so I went to see him, definitely one of my favourites I’ve seen! I agree with some of the things you have said and this vid really gave me an idea of what I was watching. All the songs were just mesmerising and I was in row B stalls so when my friend bowed he saw me :))
Just seen the show tonight and OMG what an amazing performance!!!! I had zero expectations and knew nothing about the story. I think last time I left the theatre feeling this way was when I saw Come From Away for the first time (I know you can’t compare them as they are so different), but all I have to say is that this production is special, perhaps the small theatre helped and I was completely immersed. There is still time to see it and I think that if you can you should grab yourself a ticket before it goes. Thanks for another amazing review, I am a huge fan of yours.
I’m relatively new to your channel, so you might have mentioned it in the past-but if you haven’t done any daramturgical work, you’d be excellent at it. I’m always impressed by your dramaturigcal notes.
I agree about the group numbers - just the lack of people on stage just made some of those numbers fall flat for me.
Natalie McQueen is the standout I think!
The character of Ted is just non existent in the second act! I want more from him.
Couldn’t agree with you more with this review!!! Xx
Including the stuff about the theatre itself. I didn’t mind the theatre in the past, but now they’re hosting more expensive shows their facilities just are not good enough! 2 toilets as others were broken when I went. No hot water to wash hands either. Very cramped foyer. Seat hurt as springs were pretty exposed too! Not good enough now they’re going a bit more mainstream and charging more for tickets! Xx
I get what you mean with the gunshots- the amount of times I’ve completely jumped out of my skin watching Heathers is insane! 😂
I had the opposite experience regarding gunshots. I had never had a problem with them in other shows but they really scared me in this show. Even though they were almost all predictacle, I still thought that they were loud.
Also the beginning was so violent.. I was really surprised that there were no signs in the lobby warning about flashing lights and gunshots. Is it because we are supposed to expect them in this show? (gunshots I could understand but the white flashing lights at the beginning not really...)
I feel like the gunshots should have been expected in this show. I was surprised by the gunshots in heathers, it could have used a TW for that one. However I think common sense is that this show will have shots
If you are going to see a show based on two famous pathological killers during the early days of the Great Depression I think one should expect gunshots.
I had a crazy obsession with the film when I was younger so I expected it, still jumped out my skin 4/5 times.
As someone with sensitive hearing I will tell you that there are very few shows with a direct gunshot warning . Most shows do however have a loud noises warning. If you are sensitive to sound like I am, i would advise asking staff before shows for any additional information. This show was not out of the ordinary in terms of sound so if you're prepared and know roughly what to expect then there's not too much trouble (I just covered my ears and was fine). For any sensitive viewers I would advise never seeing Blood Brothers as the tour version I saw several years ago fired real blanks and they are very unexpected. On the other hand, I commend the staff for Phantom(west end), Amelie (west end) and Zorro (charing cross theatre) for exceptional help as I am aware that a person sound sensitivity can be a difficult thing to deal with especially with a full audience several of whom may also require assistance.
As with many Wildhorn shows, there's always some great stuff in the score, along with some iffy ones, but it's the book. Every single time. This doesn't know what the tone should be and it's not written well enough to transition through moments in the show. It doesn't know what or who the story is about, it tries to make the show do too much and add plots or characters that could be cut and you'd barely miss them. And what is the show telling us about these people? It's all so surface level. It's not even 'googled it' levels of research. But the cast, staging and some songs are great. I've seen people trying to compare the London and Broadway productions, how the printed press never get it right etc But this is on for a limited run in a 150 seat theatre, not am open run in a 1200 seat house on Broadway. There's a huge difference.
I loved the show, but I think you’re absolutely right, a restructure is absolutely need and i think when we do get the “intensity” it’s so quick and then we move on.
more “down” moments with the gang post fleeing and seeing their dynamics.
also, women’s toilet was basically falling apart
Love your channel .You are priceless ....
I think I will try and see it now, wasn't sure whether I should, not listened to the soundtrack as far as I remember.
I wonder, if you go to a new musical that has a cast album available, do you listen first or go in fresh?
Also will you be seeing Passion in Manchester?
coming in after watching the japanese production through takarazuka revue back in february.
ive completely fell in love with this show and the cast recording has become a regular on my spotify playlists. i heard it was also on in the west end so i decided to look into it.
maybe its because takarazuka has a lot more ensemble to work with i didnt notice a lot of the repetitive stagings, although i still think its there. there's a lot of more upbeat choreography from ensemble members in songs so even in reprises you have new places to look.
the ted thing is also super interesting. i hadn't seen other versions prior to this so the actress playing him being young made me think they had been childhood friends. it wasnt until my friends who saw the broadway production pointed it out. incredible what some different castings can do to a character.
im wondering:
the takarazuka version has *3* different car props they use on stage. have other productions done this?? they literally drive on and off stage. 'this world will remember us' has them standing up in the car and what not and its super fun. they also did another interesting thing with the orchestra: rather than below the stage is behind a curtain above the actors on stage, so during bonnie's lamenting about behind a star, 'how about a dance', the curtain will pull up to moon and stars to make it some sort of dreamland, but below you still have that rug and rundown car in reality (also flapper-esque dancers).
asia, especially japan and korea, love frank wildhorn. so stagings of his shows are always a blast. amazing that this is his first time being staged in west end, i always thought he'd be popular everywhere, but recently found out that the american critics aren't partial to him.
im hoping one day to take a trip to west end! love your channel
The best dramatization of the Outlaws' lives was the 1967 Bonnie and Clyde with Warren Beatty and Faye Duneaway!
Great film, but so fictionalized. If you are interested in the real Bonnie and Clyde, there are several good biographies that really capture their year on the road. Much grittier and dark than the film that tends to glamourize the characters. The books also have all the back story that really helps explain how they came to be what they did.
@@mgbchoralmusic6443 I've seen them all, but the 1967 version is the best film version!
@@arthurgearheard4701 I think there was a TV version a few years ago but never saw it.
Didn't JEKYLE AND HYDE, run in the UK? especially since the show takes place in London.
Never in the West End!
@@MickeyJoTheatre Not yet... With the new J&H workshops going on here in the UK right now, it might just make it. probably about as certain as Aida finally making it here.
My friend and I got tickets recently and we loved it! We were in the very last row in the back, and even there, we could see everything easily. I did find, however, find that the gunshots were very loud, and the flashing lights at the same time scared me. This also may just be from being American - for many of us, I would argue that guns and gunshots give us a very different reactions compared to others. There were moments where I couldn’t watch because my first reaction to seeing someone pointing a gun is that someone was going to die. I’m glad they were sound effects, though. If they were live guns I probably really would have panicked.
As a warning, as well, there were allusions to SA and su*cide. At one point, a character literally has a gun pointed in a way that would indicate this was about to happen. It does not, but regardless, it is upsetting to someone who may have struggled in that way, or has lost someone that way. I would have liked to know that prior, as my friend had lost someone in that manner recently.
Do you know of recipes for the cocktails?
I dunno. The actual B&C were really just violent thugs. This weird mythology that's grown up around these low lifes is very odd to me. In their lifetime, even other bank robbers didn't think much of them. As a native of Chicago, I'm very familiar with thugs becoming folk heroes long after their demise.
absolutely, i think it’s certainly the element of “romance” (especially since we really don’t know that much about them) that people love and the fact there hadn’t been anyone like bonnie known so publicly before.
people do the same with pirates when a lot of them were just regular people fleeing the empire, looking to work or merchants turned killers.
Wait so they use real guns on stage I'm confused
Theatre is fine as a arts theatre but if it wants to grow it needs mass redevelopment
Why is it closing so early? It’s only just come on?
I was there at this Wednesday ‘s matinee (4th). We had Bonnies understudy, then half way through act one the show was stopped whilst the under study of Clyde took over. No idea why. It got me confused and slightly annoyed. I am tired of spending money and travelling 100 miles to London and then because I’m at a matinee l get the understudy. It happened at Back To Future, it happened at The Drifters Girl.
That said l really enjoyed the show and both Clyde’s were brilliant in their own way. Just tired of hearing how good the main cast are, then l don’t see them. Obviously in these Covid times it acceptable, but does cause disappointment.Still it is a really well put together show and l came out totally enthused. Thank you yet again for brilliant review, they are always appreciated. You have a way of getting all your various points perfectly.
i understand disappointment when you go excited to see a specific cast but it isn’t the casts fault. people get ill, and i’m sure there wouldn’t have been a swap mid show if it wasn’t absolutely necessary (supported by the fact jordan has been off since, so assuming he fell ill) i was also at this show and personally thought it was super cool that i got to see the debut of both lauren and barney as bonnie and clyde and they were so incredible for the roles! :) cast members are human & get sick, and understudies are superheroes for being able to adapt to situations like that one with such professionalism and talent and deserve more respect than people complaining they “get the understudies” as if its a bad thing
What are they going to churn out next!
This form of entertainment is on it's last legs!
Long past it's best before date!
So bizarre how we continue to glorify murderous criminals. 😬