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[0:00] Josh Mitchell: In the spirit of reconciliation, we are theatre and theatrically allowed acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.

[0:10] Josh Mitchell: We pay our respects to their elders, past, present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

[0:30] Josh Mitchell: Today I am here with Bonnie and Clyde.

[0:33] Josh Mitchell: Blake and Teagan to talk about Bonnie and Clyde.

[0:36] Josh Mitchell: Um coming to the Hayes Theatre uh starting this weekend.

[0:41] Josh Mitchell: Hey guys, how are we?

[0:43] Teagan Wouters: Hi, we've become each other.

[0:49] Blake Appelqvist: Amazing.

[0:50] Josh Mitchell: And that's what we want considering that was pretty much who Bonnie and Clyde were.

[0:53] Josh Mitchell: Um stuck at the hip.

[0:55] Josh Mitchell: So um let's dive in to you guys individually before we dive into the show.

[1:02] Josh Mitchell: Um we'll start with Teagan.

[1:04] Josh Mitchell: How did you get into performing and start doing what you're doing?

[1:08] Teagan Wouters: Big questions that you probably weren't expecting.

[1:10] Teagan Wouters: Here we go.

[1:11] Teagan Wouters: Was not expecting uh the big questions.

[1:15] Teagan Wouters: Uh how did I get into performing?

[1:17] Teagan Wouters: I uh was one of those children who danced growing up.

[1:22] Teagan Wouters: I did calisthenics um for seven years.

[1:25] Teagan Wouters: Um which I don't I don't where are you, Josh?

[1:29] Josh Mitchell: New South Wales.

[1:30] Teagan Wouters: So you are New South Wales.

[1:31] Josh Mitchell: Yep.

[1:32] Teagan Wouters: Um, so I did that and then um I said to my mum that I in calisthenics you're not allowed to smile.

[1:39] Teagan Wouters: And I found it really, really hard uh to not smile during any performance.

[1:46] Teagan Wouters: And I said to Mum, one one like, you know, competition, I I want to do something where I'm allowed to, you know, smile and express.

[1:53] Teagan Wouters: Uh and so I moved to dancing and then I danced growing up, um did all the amateur theater shows and all that kind of stuff and just loved it um and sort of fell into it that way uh I was telling Blake the other day at um when we were at that I I kinda was competitive and someone told me to audition for the VCA and I had no idea what what that was uh and so I was like well yeah I'll I'll audition and I'll get in so I auditioned I got in and then I was like oh no I don't actually want to do it like I just wanted to like get into it so um the rest is history really I went on and did two years at the VCA and then um got my first show after that and um here we are.

[2:38] Teagan Wouters: Here we are um Blake memory lane for you um well I I didn't always want to do this as like a career but I always loved like performing I did similar to Teagan I was doing like dance classes when I was a kid um and I think I did like my work experience in year 10 was at this architecture firm and I'd been working so hard to like you know make a good impression and as soon as I got there I was like this is just terrible like I just hate all of it all of this like office no creativity no nothing it was just um the worst and so I went back um to high school and changed up all my um subjects and made them into the ones that I liked to do but wouldn't necessarily get a career out of, and I just worked hard and um yeah, similar to Teagan, went to the VCA, rest is history.

[3:40] Blake Appelqvist: Um yeah.

[3:43] Blake Appelqvist: Here we are.

[3:44] Josh Mitchell: Um so we're doing a show, um Bonnie and Clyde.

[3:48] Josh Mitchell: Now this is a really cool story because it's a true story um that some people might not know about because it's not really a big thing here in Australia and it's not very heavily touched on in like mainstream media when it comes to movies and TV shows.

[4:04] Josh Mitchell: Um so let's go into individually who you are as Bonnie and Clyde and give us your little elevator pitch of your character for people coming to this show um who they're gonna see you guys as.

[4:17] Josh Mitchell: Uh we'll start with you Blake.

[4:20] Blake Appelqvist: Uh so I play Clyde Barrow um who uh grew up quite rough um and was constantly in and out of jail and constantly told that he wouldn't be anything and um we see in the play him and uh Bonnie pretty much rewrite their story and elevate themselves to being American folklore yeah that solid pitch that was good thanks Teagan competitive um I played Bonnie Parker uh she like Clyde uh grew up in basically the height of the Great Depression um in America and had massive dreams, wanted to be a poet.

[5:17] Teagan Wouters: Um, she was very intelligent um so she wanted to be a poet, she wanted to be an actress, a singer, um really determined a young woman who then um obviously had her dreams uh sort of dampened by the fact that there was really no way out of West Dallas.

[5:37] Teagan Wouters: Um and then she met Clyde and the rest is history, really.

[5:44] Teagan Wouters: She she became famous for all the things that um yeah, she uh she didn't expect, I I'm sure.

[5:52] Blake Appelqvist: 100%.

[5:53] Blake Appelqvist: Um really interesting story, like obviously being a part of the Great Depression crime was running wild through the US at this point.

[6:01] Blake Appelqvist: Um we see our Capone mentioned throughout the story and everything like that.

[6:05] Josh Mitchell: Um doing your character study and kind of getting to know these people.

[6:11] Josh Mitchell: Um where did you go?

[6:13] Josh Mitchell: How did you find kind of non-biased opinions to kind of figure out who these people actually were to be able to draw um inspiration or knowledge from to build your character into what you're putting on stage um in the coming weeks?

[6:31] Teagan Wouters: So do we go first?

[6:33] Blake Appelqvist: You can just jump in.

[6:34] Teagan Wouters: Okay, okay.

[6:35] Teagan Wouters: Um I think I found you said you said trying to like find non-biased opinions, but I think it is important to find the ones that were biased because you know, during their heyday, they're um in the court of public opinion, they went from being heroes to villains so quickly.

[6:54] Blake Appelqvist: Cool.

[6:55] Blake Appelqvist: And that was kind of odd to sort of see that um because we see that with celebrities today all the time.

[7:02] Blake Appelqvist: You know, one week they're you know, the bell of the ball, and then the next week it's a scandal, and um I think it was important for me with my character study to find the humanity of him and to try to not justify his actions but to see how someone in that position could make those actions.

[7:24] Blake Appelqvist: And um yeah I it really taught me a lot about how people will do or what people will do in the pursuit of their dreams and then by extension the pursuit of the dreams of those they love and how that can sort of really just um tunnel vision you into doing some pretty dire stuff for um yeah but still somehow connected in a true place.

[7:55] Teagan Wouters: Yeah.

[7:56] Teagan Wouters: That's cool.

[7:56] Teagan Wouters: I love that.

[7:57] Teagan Wouters: Uh Tia Well I think adding to that then we then go to the script and the script really tells a version of Bonnie and Clyde that is their love affair and their obsession with each other which you it does sort of get um talked about a little bit uh in all the research that we did but I think it's our the what the version that we're doing this this musical is definitely um telling it from their their point of view and their love story.

[8:28] Teagan Wouters: So um we also get to create that and not um you know just rely on things that we have read about them.

[8:37] Blake Appelqvist: So yeah.

[8:38] Teagan Wouters: Yeah it's not very often either you get to tell stories as actors that everybody knows the like outcome too.

[8:49] Teagan Wouters: So sometimes people will be coming seeing this with no knowledge at all, but I'd say 90% of people that are gonna come see the show will know Bonnie and Clyde and know how it ended.

[9:01] Josh Mitchell: What do you think there is in this show um to captivate people that know the story and know who they are?

[9:09] Teagan Wouters: What does this script and music bring to the table that will kind of make people bite in and be engaged for the two and a half hours that this show runs for you go no I I was just gonna say again it's the love it's their um you you fall in well I mean I'm probably biased because I'm in it but you fall in love with Bonnie and Clyde.

[9:38] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah. Uh you and it's this weird it's even weird as actors playing it that you're kind of like I'm not supposed to like this person. This person went and killed people and robbed people and all that but you do you absolutely fall in love with them and you almost excuse and forgive their behavior. So I think um I think that'll be a surprise to well possibly be a surprise to some people.

[10:04] Teagan Wouters: Yeah. I think uh I think culturally Australians will latch onto Bonnie and Clyde in a similar way that um you know when we have like the Kelly gang here where that you know that's created its own like Australian folklore. And there's also just that thing of like the underdog like Australians are so willing and ready to just help the little guy. Um, so I feel like that'll be a a nice um hopeful hopefully um audiences will connect with that.

[10:42] Blake Appelqvist: Um but I think what I what attracted me most to this is the score. The score is just like nothing nothing else um out there like it. There's elements of soul and R and B and country and folk music. It's just a it's such an eclectic um yeah, score and to get to sing it um all the way through it, you really see the spance of like the expanse of of how much they wanted to get um out of what it was like to live um that in that time.

[11:15] Teagan Wouters: Yeah, that's a really interesting point with all like the different genre kind of pulls is that when you think about the lay of America today and where Bonnie and Clyde kind of operated, all of those genres are represented up and down that US coast of all the states they ran through. Um so like that's actually really interesting, like musically as well. Um these personalities, putting them big personalities onto a small stage, bringing that into the a really intimate, unique venue being the Hayes.

[11:49] Josh Mitchell: I know you guys I don't think you guys have seen the set yet um at recording of this, but by the time it comes out, you will have what are you most excited for about getting this show into a really intimate, unique space where people are literally right on top of you and you can tell it straight to their face. Teagan, off you go.

[12:09] Teagan Wouters: Um what am I most excited about? Uh oh, you stumped me there. We haven't seen the set. We I don't know what it's gonna look like. Um there's a little bit of apprehension still there about like what's gonna happen. Uh but I think it is it is you know, one of our big themes of the show is intimacy. And you like in the Hayes, you are absolutely going to be a part of this story.

[12:40] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah, it's not you you're not looking on from a uh from a distance. Yeah, you're gonna almost live and breathe it with us. Um so that's always thrilling and petrifying as as an actor to do something in the in such a small space like that. Um, because the audience can see absolutely everything and can absolutely tell if you're faking it. So uh yeah, it'll be a good challenge.

[13:12] Teagan Wouters: Um yeah, I just I think it's the perfect space for something like this. Like the audience is being invited into the psyches of two of these, you know, people who were real people, and yeah, I think it'll be a very intimate um experience.

[13:30] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah, you don't want to miss it in a space like this. Because like if you if you've got questions about, oh, it's such a big thing to have it in such a small space, it's like it'll only be in this teeny tiny theater for four short weeks. So you want to you want to make sure you're you come along to it.

[13:45] Teagan Wouters: Yeah. I've got two book tickets booked. Um I'm coming on two different nights to make sure I'm getting everything. So you guys will be sick of me by the end of it. Um but I think that's a really cool thing about Hayes is what uh what's it like from an actor's perspective as well? Because Hayes is really unique for not having a kind of barrier as an actor.

[14:06] Blake Appelqvist: Like on your bigger theaters, you've got either an orchestra pit or a three-foot drop to the audience on the Hayes. That front row is dead on the same floor that you're sitting on nothing in between is. Um and walking through the center aisle and you know being yeah, being absolutely immersed in the audience.

[14:28] Teagan Wouters: Yeah. Not to get anybody that's listening that's never been to the Hayes before excited, but this is probably one of the coolest small venues that I've ever seen a show in.

[14:37] Blake Appelqvist: Um to the same. Yeah, I'm like, the more I talk about it, the more I think about it, the more I'm like just getting myself up for how I'm gonna be to see you guys do this.

[14:49] Josh Mitchell: Um if you had to look at a moment or uh a song or something in the show um that you think everyone can look forward to.

[15:04] Teagan Wouters: Uh, what would be your moment to kind of sell to people to come and see the show? Do you have an idea off the top of your head, Blake?

[15:14] Blake Appelqvist: Was that yeah, yes, I do, yes I do, yes I do. But but it'll spoil um it'll spoil something. So I mine's gonna be a secret, and you're if if you come up to me and you're like, was this the song? I'll be like, yes, okay. But I can't tell you what it is unless you see it.

[15:30] Teagan Wouters: Okay, all right. That's we're keeping secrets.

[15:33] Blake Appelqvist: What song it is?

[15:35] Teagan Wouters: I'll tell I'll tell you which one it is.

[15:37] Blake Appelqvist: That's cheating almost, I think.

[15:49] Teagan Wouters: I I think I'll uh what well I didn't even know what the question was anymore.

[15:54] Blake Appelqvist: A moment or a song that um people can look forward to coming to see.

[16:00] Teagan Wouters: Oh, the whole thing.

[16:02] Blake Appelqvist: Everything.

[16:03] Teagan Wouters: All the songs are great.

[16:04] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah.

[16:04] Teagan Wouters: All the music's great. That the talent in the show is outrageous, quite frankly.

[16:10] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah, it's actually rude.

[16:11] Teagan Wouters: Singing is yeah, people are um they really did put together a very talented cast.

[16:18] Blake Appelqvist: So yeah, you won't be disappointed.

[16:22] Teagan Wouters: Won't be disappointed.

[16:23] Blake Appelqvist: And if you and if you've fallen in love with the with the album, um you are going to just you don't even know.

[16:23] Teagan Wouters: You don't even know what this is gonna be like.

[16:33] Blake Appelqvist: Oh yeah, sorry.

[16:35] Teagan Wouters: Zara has done a phenomenal job with um music direction.

[16:39] Blake Appelqvist: Yeah, yeah.

[16:41] Teagan Wouters: And of course, Reese casting everyone, like it's just a very stellar group.

[16:46] Blake Appelqvist: We very quickly become family, and um I'm obsessed with everyone. It's just like oh such a good group.

[16:54] Teagan Wouters: The excitement is buzzing.

[16:56] Josh Mitchell: We've got secrets, we've got the whole show being amazing, an amazing group. Um that's gonna wrap us up. Nice, quick, short, sharp.

[17:06] Teagan Wouters: Um just like the season of this show is gonna be at the Hayes, just four weeks.

[17:11] Josh Mitchell: Um so make sure you get your tickets. I'm pretty sure that it's a limited availability for most nights at the start of things anyway at the moment.

[17:19] Teagan Wouters: Um I struggled to find tickets at one point um for certain shows.

[17:24] Josh Mitchell: So we're running from this Friday, 17th of June.

[17:28] Teagan Wouters: Oh, this is so exciting. I'm so excited about this.

[17:32] Josh Mitchell: Um guys, make sure you go and see the show. This is 100% the not gonna want to miss it type of thing.

[17:41] Teagan Wouters: Um links for everything are gonna be down below. Easy access, so you guys can just click and run.

[17:47] Josh Mitchell: Um any final words as we wrap things up, guys.

[17:52] Teagan Wouters: I think we've said most of everything.

[17:55] Blake Appelqvist: But come and say hello.

[17:58] Josh Mitchell: Yeah. There we go.

[18:00] Josh Mitchell: All right, guys. We are gonna wrap it up there. Thank you again for joining us, Blake Teagan.

[18:05] Blake Appelqvist: You guys are amazing.

[18:05] Teagan Wouters: Thank you for having us, Josh.

[18:07] Josh Mitchell: Spending some time. And everyone, check out the description box for all your tickets, links, everything you're gonna need because I'm probably gonna be there multiple times.

[18:17] Teagan Wouters: Um, so you'll probably see me, and you'll definitely see these two.

[18:21] Josh Mitchell: So get your tickets. Let's go. Uh, we will see you next week with a brand new episode of the We Are Theatre Podcast. Goodbye.