BONNIE & CLYDE - THE MUSICAL

How do you have Bonnie & Clyde The Musical end without a bang?! Director Jeff Calhoun, who I admit I am not a fan of, does next to nothing with Frank Wildhorn’s musical in La Jolla. Very little happens onstage except singing pop ballads. But it’s not a complete disaster thanks to it’s two leads, Laura Osnes (Broadway’s Nellie Forbush in South Pacific) is a hot & feisty Bonnie with a sweet powerful singing voice, Stark Sands as Clyde has matinee idol looks and a voice perfectly suited to the pop songs but is lacking the edgeiness of an outlaw. Mr Calhoun keeps him naked and shirtless as much as possible (wonder why?)

The show is basically a love story which makes it very compatable for musicalization and there are some very nice songs here but the style doesn’t fit the substance. Bonnie & Clyde shouldn’t sing pop ballads, it diminishes the edginess (the same problem Lestat had). The ensemble law & order songs are completely forgettable.

Granted the requisite chase scenes are challanges for designers but no one even tried here, no chases and bad gun work with very fake blood leading to an ending thats leaves us to recall what happeneed rather then tackle any excitement onstage is a real problem all pointed at the incappabilities of it’s director. With some revamping and alot of needed edginess, Bonnie & Clyde could be a wonderful show, but this production isn.’t it