Powerful, endearing, and exceptional comedic timing, the cast and crew of UCD Musical Society’s Bonnie and Clyde left it all on the stage on Wednesday’s opening night.

By Lucy Warmington | Nov 21 2024

Bonnie and Clyde’s story is exciting; it is a story of love, jailbreaks, and survival during the Great Depression, pushing back against a system which has cheated the country. Last night, UCD Musical Society brought that story to Astra Hall, with one persuasive adaptation. 

Under the direction of Séan Sheehy, Bonnie Parker (Aimee O’Neill) and Clyde Barrow (Rob Hogan) quickly whip us into their love story, convincing us of the struggles they are facing, and forcing us to love them, pity them, root for them. Buck Barrow (Joseph Gibney) and Blanche Barrow (Sorcha McGlynn) effortlessly inject humour and energy into the storyline, and Sheriff Ted Hinton (Elijah Lopez) pulls on the audience's heartstrings throughout. They are supported by a fierce ensemble and skilled dancers, led by choreographer and assistant director Emma Rogerson. 

It is always risky, adapting a musical that is beloved by so many; for Musical Soc, their adaptation paid off. The addition of The Actress (Brianna Kelly) and The Gangster (Frencesco Bach), collectively known as ‘The Idols’, are representative of the desires and inner turmoils of the titular characters. Through beautiful and emotive dance scenes, they reflect the inner tensions and strain between what Bonnie and Clyde are feeling, and what they are saying, leaving it to the audience to interpret this new dimension; never is this more powerful than when the two duos, The Actress and The Gangster, Bonnie and Clyde, lead us into the drama of ‘Too Late to Turn Back’. Time after time, O’Neill and Hogan build up the energy, the tension, the stakes, captivating us until they just as brilliantly pull us back down to the intimate moments between Bonnie and Clyde. 

UCD Musical Society clearly has no end of talent, the acting and vocals are at a professional level. Further, all the music throughout comes courtesy of the live band led by Dario Ragazzi, with musicians on reeds, keys, fiddle, guitars, bass guitar, and drums all visible to the side of the stage. Produced by Daniel Jackman, UCD Musical Society’s Bonnie and Clyde (nothing rhymes with Clyde and Bonnie) has the capability to shock you, make you laugh, and dare I say, move you to tears. It’s more than should be expected from a production with only eight weeks of rehearsals, (a testament to the entire cast and crew), and I am certainly glad I got to see it. 

Tickets can be bought on the door, showing at 7:30pm in Astra Hall on 21, 22, 23 November.