Bonnie and Clyde- Sutton Arts Theatre

After their first UK tour met its untimely end just over a month ago, America's most wanted couple are on the run once again at the Sutton Arts Theatre. With a book by Ivan Menchell and music and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black respectively, Bonnie and Clyde tells the story of two small-town kids from the middle of nowhere who became the biggest folk heroes in all America, they craved adventure—and each other. Their names were Bonnie (Sophie Anne) and Clyde (Tom Cooper). Fearless, edgy and captivating, this award-winning production has garnered a dedicated, almost cult-like following, much like the infamous pair themselves, wholeheartedly embracing this electrifying story of love, crime and adventure that captured the attention of an entire nation.

Menchell's book manages to intricately weave the fated lovers' story in such a way that the audience instantly fall in love with and even root for them without shying away from the harsh consequences of their nefarious crime spree. Starting with a brilliant bookend of the show's final image, Menchell's writing, astonishingly never faltering from start to finish, beautifully meshes together the essence of real dialogue and lesser known nuggets of the real pair's history with moments of light-heartedness without ever appearing to poke fun at the seriousness of the situation presented.

The killer combination of Wildhorn's music and Black's lyrics is what really makes this show a masterpiece in its own right. From the opening bars of the hopeful 'Picture Show', to the high octane Barrow brothers' duet 'When I Drive' to the heartbreakingly poignant 'Now That's What You Call a Dream', the impossibly high bar set by this duo never teeters at any point. Exploring themes of political complexities in 'Made in America', an intriguing window into Clyde and Bonnie's motives in 'What Was Good Enough For You' and a standout duet between the two women who find themselves hopelessly in love with the Barrow boys in 'You Love Who You Love', its easy to imagine this world will remember the eclectic and consistently impressive mix of songs that stun at every turn.

Stepping into the shoes of the infamous pair is no mean feat thanks to the phenomenal performers who have played them previously in both the UK and USA, but this proved to be no challenge for Sophie Anne and Tom Cooper. Anne, note perfect as Parker, effortlessly navigates her descent from innocent, bright-eyed aspiring poet and actress to Clyde's accomplice and criminal in her own right with some daring and interesting choices. From grappling with the intricacies of the heavy decision to follow her heart or head in 'Too Late to Turn Back Now' to the standout number 'Dyin' Ain't So Bad', her phenomenal vocals blew the entire audience away with such a stunningly accomplished performance. As the charming and instantly loveable yet tortured Clyde Barrow, Cooper is every inch the commanding and compelling leading man, captivating the audience with earthy grit and confidence. Particularly evident in his showstopping performance of the powerful turning point in this characters arc, 'Raise a Little Hell', Cooper's vocals are ever bit as powerful, spine-tingling and emotive as one would hope for whilst adding a unique twist to such an iconic role. Equally as impressive were their young counterparts, who's clear, strong voices and mature performances captured the innocent naivety of youth.

With set design by Mark Nattrass, Going Dark Theatrical Services’ gorgeous lighting and clever use of video design from Christopher Commander and Spot On Entertainment, the dusty Depression-era Texas is captured in all its faded glory. Performed by a consistently strong supporting ensemble, Anna Stewart's simple yet effective choreography cleverly weaves interpretive movement with a strong historical narrative, particularly in 'Made in America' and 'God's Arms Are Always Open', to great success. The standout performance on this occasion was that of Dan McCloskey, who played the morally grey and conflicted Marvin 'Buck' Barrow who ultimately tries to do right by both his brother Clyde and wife Blanche. McCloskey's strong vocals and powerfully emotive performance quality drew focus in all of his scenes and really showcased his versatility as a performer through both tender moments with Blanche (Janine Henderson) and destructive camaraderie with Cooper's Clyde.

Overall, Bonnie and Clyde finally achieved their dream of historical fame on the run through this fantastically dynamic and powerful production that's every bit as impressive as its previous professional stints. Catch them whilst you can, it'd be criminal not to!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐