Streaming Review: Bonnie & Clyde The Musical: Filmed Live

Review by Daz Gale

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Bonnie & Clyde have had quite the run since they made their London debut with a concert in early 2022. This was quickly followed by two West End seasons and a short but loving UK tour. It now goes full circle as we go back to the start of the road for them with the long awaited filmed release of that first concert, so let’s venture back to January 2022 with an eager and masked-up audience, including a brief cameo from yours truly (bonus points if you spot me). The film may have been missing for some time, but now it has finally escaped the vault and been captured. It’s been a long time coming but was this concert film worth the wait?

Having enjoyed a short run on Broadway in 2011, the return of one of its original Broadway stars was the big draw in the highly anticipated UK premiere which started the trend for one-night-only (or increasingly two nights) musical theatre concerts which use the term “concert” loosely. Telling the story of the infamous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the musical charts their lives from childhood to falling in love up until the day they die.

Regular visitors to this website will know what a fan I am of Bonnie & Clyde, ever since the moment I sat open-mouthed in the front row of that first night at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Since then, there have been a total of five reviews for this show in one form or another (concert, West End, tour, and cast recording) – all of which have been awarded five gold stars from me. You may think there isn’t much more I have to say about this show, but the show itself, its one-time phenomenal cast and the filming/release of this concert give me no shortage of things to talk about. So buckle up and let’s get straight into it.

Though the show has been worked on since this concert took place with book revisions, lyric changes, and different musical numbers coming and going altogether, many of the elements remained unchanged with the highest quality of work on offer. Ivan Menchell’s book, Frank Wildhorn’s music, and Don Black’s lyrics all work together beautifully to create theatre magic in a rich story that provides an often humorous and always capturing look at Bonnie & Clyde’s short but eventful lives in a consistently entertaining way of telling their story.

From watching this filmed concert, it isn’t hard to see how the West End was won. Nick Winston’s direction took us all by surprise in this production billed as a concert, taking a great deal of artistic license of what a concert entails – something he has repeated time and time again in the years since. Rather than solely stand still to sing the songs, this semi-staged production was far closer to a fully staged musical, featuring fantastic choreography and a gorgeous design, all paving the way for the West End run, announced on the second night of the concert. Watching this concert that first time, you got the sense you were witnessing something special as the show began its new life in the UK – watching the film, I’m taken back to that moment, feeling exactly the same thing. Taking this concert away from the productions that followed it, it stands on its own as a fantastic piece of theatre in every sense.

This concert also featured a dream cast – some of whom went on to star in one or both of the West End runs, while others made their only appearance as these characters. Jeremy Jordan reprised his role as Clyde from the Broadway production, giving audiences a glimpse into his remarkable talents and ability to tap into the very essence of a character, not to mention his out-of-this-world vocals. On musical numbers such as the spine-tingling standout ‘Raise A Little Hell’, Jordan proves why he is one of the most talented performers on Broadway and why we were very lucky to have him in the West End, if only for two nights.

A relatively last-minute addition to the production, Frances Mayli McCann well and truly blew everyone away with her portrayal of Bonnie, a role she would continue to play in both West End runs. Watching this back, you can really appreciate how in tune she was with the character and all of Bonnie’s complexities, channeling a range of emotions in a commanding performance. Always blessing the audience with her vocals, she brought the house down with a stunning ‘Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad’ which sounds even more glorious in this filmed concert.

George Maguire and Natalie McQueen showed fantastic chemistry in their double act as Buck and Blanche, with McQueen’s ‘You’re Goin’ Back To Jail’ a standout performance. Trevor Dion Nicholas shone as Preacher, with his limitless vocals out at full force on ‘God’s Arms Are Always Open’ and ‘Made In America’ while Liam Tamne gives a sweet turn as Ted, particularly in his standout duet with Jeremy Jordan, ‘You Can Do Better Than Him’. The remaining cast was full of sensational West End talents in the smallest of roles in this all-star concert with Jeremy Secomb and Debbie Kurup among those ensuring the stage was full of fantastic talents.

Experiencing a show in person is one thing but translating it well in a filmed production is another matter entirely. I have seen some filmed productions that didn’t quite manage it with bizarre choices and flaws detracting from the show and never allowing it to reach its full potential. This is not a problem here – this has been filmed and edited together beautifully. With a gorgeous mix of wider shots allowing you to take in the enormity of the stage and the stacked cast with stunningly intimate close-ups, it allows for new depths to be seen. From Jeremy Jordan’s twisted features as he changes his fate in ‘Raise A Little Hell’ to Natalie McQueen’s anguish and Frances Mayli McCann's breaking hearts, I was in awe at how wonderfully this has all been put together. This film doesn’t just match the calibre of the show – it elevates it, in what I consider to be one of the best-filmed productions I have had the pleasure of witnessing.

It was a joy to be taken back to the beginning for Bonnie & Clyde and relive a night I hold dear in my heart with a show I have cherished in the years since. A great night of theatre that we can now thankfully relive time and time again, it may have taken years to perfect the release of this film but you can see the painstaking level of care and detail that has gone into it to ensure it matches the legacy of the show and doesn’t fall flat for its many fans. In that respect, this is a job well done. You may not be able to see Bonnie & Clyde in a theatre at the moment, but this fantastic and flawless film ensures this world will remember them for a while yet.

Bonnie & Clyde is available to stream online on demand at www.bonnieclydelive.com