Bonnie & Clyde (Old Joint Stock Musical Theatre Company)
When one sees the name Don Black as lyricist one almost expects a 'sure fire hit' of a musical but, Bonnie & Clyde has never really achieved those dizzy heights. In fact it opened on Broadway in November 2010 and had closed before the year was out after only 36 regular performances, which is strange for a story that while controversial, when it was made into a movie in 1967 with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway was nominated for 10 Oscars (although it only won 2) and is still seen as influential to this day.
However we aren't talking Broadway, the West End or the Silver Screen, we are talking the Old Joint Stock Theatre (above the pub of the same name) in Birmingham, U.K., probably the epitome of intimate theatre so close to the action you almost feel part of it. OJSMTC have managed to squeeze some of the best modern musicals into a room no bigger than the average rehearsal space and delivered the best in musical theatre entertainment.
Bonnie & Clyde is no different, whilst you may not get Beatty and Dunaway you do get Richard Haines as a multi-emotional Clyde Barrow, anything from a kiss to a bullet in the head and all with impeccable characterisation along with Cassie Woolridge as religious-cum-flirtatious Bonnie Parker the girl with a slap across the face that made every man in the audience wince. There's a chemistry between the two that has you wondering what they might be capable of next, as there is between Karl Steele as Buck Barrow, brother of Clyde who never quite achieves the same notoriety despite complete enthusiasm and Sarah Haines as his long suffering wife Blanche, torn between love and religion.
I could write a book about this production which may just bring a fine musical back to public attention but, feel I do need to mention the stoic portrayal of Bonnie's Mother by Alanna Boden who constantly thinks she can tame Clyde and bring her daughter back to the Lord and the empathetic direction of Adam Carver which delivers the touching story behind all the violence and killling.
Add to the lyrics of Don Black, the music of Frank Wildhorn and a book by Ivan Menchell, you then have something not to be missed.
Runs until Saturday 29th July 2017.
Book Here
However we aren't talking Broadway, the West End or the Silver Screen, we are talking the Old Joint Stock Theatre (above the pub of the same name) in Birmingham, U.K., probably the epitome of intimate theatre so close to the action you almost feel part of it. OJSMTC have managed to squeeze some of the best modern musicals into a room no bigger than the average rehearsal space and delivered the best in musical theatre entertainment.
Bonnie & Clyde is no different, whilst you may not get Beatty and Dunaway you do get Richard Haines as a multi-emotional Clyde Barrow, anything from a kiss to a bullet in the head and all with impeccable characterisation along with Cassie Woolridge as religious-cum-flirtatious Bonnie Parker the girl with a slap across the face that made every man in the audience wince. There's a chemistry between the two that has you wondering what they might be capable of next, as there is between Karl Steele as Buck Barrow, brother of Clyde who never quite achieves the same notoriety despite complete enthusiasm and Sarah Haines as his long suffering wife Blanche, torn between love and religion.
I could write a book about this production which may just bring a fine musical back to public attention but, feel I do need to mention the stoic portrayal of Bonnie's Mother by Alanna Boden who constantly thinks she can tame Clyde and bring her daughter back to the Lord and the empathetic direction of Adam Carver which delivers the touching story behind all the violence and killling.
Add to the lyrics of Don Black, the music of Frank Wildhorn and a book by Ivan Menchell, you then have something not to be missed.
Runs until Saturday 29th July 2017.
Book Here
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