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Regional Reviews: St. Louis Bonnie & Clyde Also see Richard's reviews of Assassins and Off the Map
The two young lovers are not what you'd call 'introspective,' nor is anyone else in the story. And yet, the implications of murder and robbery tower over them as their celebrity grows—thanks to directors Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy. The crazy love on stage becomes an end in itself for this bank-robbing Romeo and Juliet. It shouldn't work, but it does. There is no "Tom Joad moment," where we see Clyde Barrow working out some kind of "I'll be there (for the common man)" ethics. He just starts giving out stolen money to curry favor with his own tormented parents, and to placate Bonnie's appalled mother. It's addition by subtraction, but Clyde's lack of philosophizing may actually lend the story all of its mad overtones. Matt Pentecost is brash and fun and persistent in the role, with a slew of songs that show real charm: enough to draw a fantastic (but worried) redhead to his side. Bonnie Parker (the lovely and talented Larissa White) goes from wanting to be the next Clara Bow, to swaggering with delight when a bank patron finally asks for her autograph in the middle of a heist. But we don't get any ponderous ruminations from her, either... in fact, a lot of her fears vanish when she finally achieves some kind of notoriety: shooting up banks, and living on the run with the man she loves. The 2009 musical by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black (with a libretto by Ivan Menchell) made it to Broadway in 2011 where it garnered two Tony nominations, five more for Drama Desk honors, and three nominations from the Outer Critics Circle. But the show closed after just four weeks, allegedly due to poor notices. Too bad—at least it's about something, and captures the deep moral friction of Texas and the suffering of the Depression, bristling all the while with the sharp elbows of defiance. It's full of fine love songs (appropriate to the era), and songs of rebellion and dire warning too. But it's also a tragedy without remorse, and a comedy full of consequence, possibly making it anathema to a commercial marketplace. Are the star-crossed, bank-robbing lovers completely without redeeming qualities? Since the main substance of the play is their relationship, I'm forced to say something sappy, like "their love redeems them." It certainly propels most of the action. There are voices raised against them in a sort of cookie-cutter Christianity, and cocky lawmen abound, but all their warnings only encourage the pair across a 1930s purgatory in the American South and West. There are others in the story, of course—Alison Helmer can be fierce as the winter wind, as Bonnie's mother; and Brendan Ochs brings out the childish fun—and awful danger—as Clyde's brother. Sarah Porter is truly great as Mr. Ochs' sassy Baptist wife who runs a beauty parlor in West Dallas; and Reynaldo Arceno sings wonderfully as Bonnie's childhood sweetheart, sworn to bring Clyde Barrow to justice. New Line regulars Zachary Allen Farmer and Mara Bollini are excellent as a preacher and a lady governor. Mr. Farmer is husky-voiced and bent in half like a face-down bible, and Ms. Bollini is unexpectedly fierce in managing the manhunt. Christopher "Zany" Clark makes a long-overdue return to the New Line fold as a no-nonsense sheriff; and Kent Coffel most assuredly nails down the roles of a cruel guard and a detective who specializes in hot pursuit. The anti-moralizing structure links Bonnie & Clyde to a lot of other terrific New Line shows. Taking it one step further, let's ask: is the Amoral Musical the best means of saving a whole art form? Maybe a dose of moral darkness aids in our suspension of disbelief: where an acrid mood counteracts the whole, improbable premise of musical theater, and the darkness on stage can become giddy and contrary, when dubious characters actually do burst into song—as long as it's reflecting something all-too-real. Favorite songs here include Mr. Pentecost's "Bonnie" (see photo), and Ms. White and Ms. Porter's duet, "You Love Who You Love." Through October 25, 2014, at the former CBC prep school, 6501 Clayton Rd., Clayton MO, 63117. For more information visit www.newlinetheatre.com. The Players The New Line Band The Artistic Staff
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