Seasoned theatregoers always find something to love in this crazy creative world of performance. Amateur through semi pro to professional, school concerts to Granny’s tap dance showcase. There’s always something unusual, exciting or unique to enjoy.

How unusual, exciting and unique though, to find a community based amateur show about which you love everything! BONNIE AND CLYDE at the Sutherland Memorial School of Arts is a cracker production. It’s slickly produced, really well sung with some terrific acting; it’s got a great set; costumes with purpose and brought together with intelligent stage and musical direction. And wigs … good ones! 12 by my count.

The Shire Musical Theatre’s (SMT) production is the NSW premier of a show written in 2009 which made its Broadway debut late in 2011, closing 4 weeks later despite some industry award nominations. To tell the well-known story, it begins at the end when we see the bullet riddled bodies of the famous pair in their 1930s V8 Ford. We then meet the young Bonnie and Clyde and follow them as they grow up, meet and fall in love then embark on the course that will end with their death.

As the young Clyde, Cole Zoernleib provided a very engaging opening to the show. Looking out confidently at the audience in him you could see the excitable and driven man that the boy will become. As Young Bonnie, Zoe Allsop-Lander had that good command of the sustained notes which were elemental to the score. Plus a lovely rapport with her mother which carried over into scenes with the adolescent Bonnie (Amity Lees) and through the rest of the show.

These early scenes exemplified the professionalism of the show to come. I especially enjoyed the way that when we first meet the adult Bonnie and Clyde, despite having no engagement with each other, they performed the duet with beautifully blended voices, clearly drawn characters and a shared longing. All backed by some expert orchestration from Musical Director Belinda Robinson who successfully used keyboards to invoke other instruments. There was a strong steel guitar feel and even a hint of accordion as the score ranged from slow blues to fast paced gospel.

The lead artists were all very good indeed. As Clyde, Daniel Cullen is charismatic and completely charming. He sings well and brought some very fine acting to the part, especially his traversing of the emotional topography. This was particularly on display when he was in the cell, and he travelled from brash to beaten with a longing for something he never had to a restored arrogance. All without ever overplaying the emotion. His understanding of the character is also on display when Clyde accidentally kills his first victim. We see and understand his struggle. And there are some whimsical moments too. His “Raise a Little Hell” solo is great fun.

Playing Bonnie, Lauren Lofberg never allowed herself to be overwhelmed by Clyde’s strength. She was feisty and sassy despite having aspirations that he really can’t understand. Lofberg created a rich character and was able to show that hunger for that different life which would precipitate events. Plus she has a lovely singing voice and her higher notes were hit without strain and floated rather than peaked which it was perfect for the role, quite chilling in places. Loud and clear audio mixing back to their best here too. And kudos to whoever did her makeup, those red lips and wide open eyes gave her the beautiful face that belied the steel within.

Cullen and Lofberg worked so well together, in both the duets and the dialogue and they had some very able players in support. As Clyde’s brother Buck, Luke Lamond was so much fun. Hen-pecked and somewhat dim, he brought a comic easy-goingness to the role. When he does stand up to his wife Blanche it is not out of character and he has a powerful physical presence which was well matched by Sally Redman as Blanche. They have a rapport which supports their characters though to the end of the show when Blanch and Buck are quite underwritten. Redman is not only a talented actor but she did a great job vocally, especially those quick tempo changes in her first song, “You’re Going Back to Jail”.

In another supporting role was Michael Astill as Ted Hinton, a police officer who cares deeply for Bonnie. His solo parts are excellent and when he stands still downstage centre to tell us about he just wants to keep her safe, there wasn’t a movement in the audience … except for those of us reaching for tissues.

The large ensemble was also very good. They all had a character, a sense of place and period. The choir scenes with the Preacher, a great voice in an uncredited role, kept the momentum of the plot propelling forward. It’s a small stage but the exciting choreography in moving the choir around was just one aspect of the excellent direction by Jamie Lee Kemp. It was cohesive with well blocked and rehearsed movement and neat use of the limited acting area. The Director’s hand was also evident in the theatrical thinking that was evident in the tech.

Bernie Wallace’s costume design featured a colour palette that was subtle and pivotal to the period feel of the show. I loved the way Bonnie was in block colours when there were checks and small florals all over and when Clyde’s striped suit has puppies, I want one! Similarly impressive was the historical illusion in Bonnie’s chevron topped, striped sleeve death ensemble.

When we came in from interval the Depression had arrived and the costuming was in all shades of brown, tan and off white. This was when the really terrific lighting design also showed its true colours. There was a light steel, washed out feel that went with the autumnal sadness of the costumes. The well-chosen rig in the ceiling had the potential for horrible splashy colours but in keeping to lovely aquas and light blues and soft purples on the clever wood slat set, Designers Tim Dennis and Chae Rogan didn’t get in the way of the cast; simply highlighting emotions as required. Especially clever was the use of the red after the murder when the lovers fight. Red shadows on the wall snapping suddenly to a hit of pink as they make up. Very romantic.

It’s not just our two anti-heroes who love in this production. BONNIE AND CLYDE is an entertaining package which has been brought together by many loving hands and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as my friends and I did. It plays until May 8th.

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