Alex James-Hatton and Sam Ferriday in the touring production of Bonnie & Clyde The Musical. Picture: Richard Davenport
The first UK and Ireland tour of the hit West End production of Bonnie & Clyde The Musical was cancelled just hours before the cast was due to take to the stage at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend.
Following an opening run at Leicester Curve beginning on 22 February, the tour had been due to run until October. Reportedly due to disappointing ticket sales, the cancellation of the remaining dates on the tour was announced on social media.
The posting on the production’s X feed read: ‘Bonnie & Clyde The Musical will conclude its UK & Ireland tour with immediate effect. We would like to thank the extremely hard-working and endlessly talented cast and company that have entertained thousands of audience members across the country with this production.’
Ticket holders were informed that they would be contacted ‘shortly’.
The touring production starred Alex James-Hatton (Heathers, The Other Palace, Newsies, Troubadour Wembley Park) as Clyde Barrow opposite Katie Tonkinson (Bat Out of Hell, UK/international tour) as Bonnie Parker. Former Coronation Street regular and one-time Strictly Come Dancing contestant Catherine Tyldesley made her musical theatre debut as Blanche Barrow in the production which also featured Sam Ferriday (Heathers, West End, The Cher Show, UK tour) as Marvin ‘Buck’ Barrow, singer/songwriter Jaz Ellington (The Voice UK, Eurovision: You Decide) as The Preacher and Nate Landskroner (Waitress, UK tour, Heathers, West End) alternating the role of Clyde Barrow at midweek matinee performances.
Sadly, several additional cast members, due to join the Bonnie & Clyde tour later on in the run, discovered the news via social media.
Directed by Nick Winston, the production received its West End premiere at the Arts Theatre in 2022 after the same producers, the DLAP Group, presented two sold-out performances of Bonnie & Clyde In Concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The production returned to the West End the following year, playing a limited season at the Garrick Theatre.
Featuring music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll and Hyde, The Scarlett Pimpernel), lyrics by Don Black (Tell Me On a Sunday, Sunset Boulevard, Mrs Henderson Presents) and a book by Ivan Menchell (The Prince and The Pauper Musical), the musical version of the story of one of America’s most infamous criminal couples had a short run on Broadway at the end of 2011.
Reviewing the production at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, Musical Theatre Review’s Christopher Wiley wrote: “This production of Bonnie & Clyde enables audiences to become newly captivated by the tragic tale of two Depression-era lovers long romanticised as folk heroes in the public imagination.”
Angela Thomas
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