Book by Rachel Sheinkin. Music & lyrics by William Finn. Conceived by Rebecca Feldman. Hayes Theatre. 8 Sep – 8 Oct, 2023.
Perfect. No Notes.
Oh okay, I’ll break it down. The last time I saw Spelling Bee was back in 2011. I remember really enjoying it but I never gave it another thought. The songs weren’t anything I’d listen to out of the context of the show so it went to the back of my brain. All I remember is laughing. A lot.
For those unfamiliar with the show, welcome to the Spelling Bee – a school competition where the brightest kids compete to see who can spell the most complex words. Our collection of contestants includes Chip (Matthew Predny) the returning champion, William Barfée (Daniel Rasso) an obnoxious boy with an unusual “magic foot” that helps him spell, Logainne “Schwartzy” Schwartzandgrubenierre (Adeline Hunter), a politically aware teen with two pushy dads, Marcy Park (Jessica Kok) a recent transfer student who is a total alpha, Leaf Coneybear (Axel Duffy) a home-schooled kid who goes into a trance when he spells, and the sweet Olive Ostrovsky (Rebecca Ordiz) who is patiently waiting for her absent father to take his seat. For these kids the Spelling Bee is high stakes.
The big conceit here is that adults are playing the children, with all their unguarded quirks, and this cast is comedy gold. They make each child endearing, you can’t help but feel protective of them even though you know only one can win. The adults are almost all, well, awful. The parents are either pushy or neglectful. Vice Principal Douglas Panch (a gloriously deadpan James Haxby) feels like he’d rather be anywhere else than here. Only Rona Lisa Peretti (Katrina Retallick), a former winner of the Bee, and Mitch Mahoney (Nathaniel Laga’aia), a convict doing community service as a comfort counsellor, seem to actually care.
It’s tough to pick a stand out among the cast, but Axel Duffy’s gentle, savant-like Leaf was a real joy to watch. Especially after seeing Duffy switch to playing Schwartzy’s unlikable father and back again. But the whole cast are wonderful, each character is lovingly created and fully realised.
The script has been subtly updated with some contemporary gags but the story is essentially the same. Full of joy and heartbreak, the commentary on childhood and the pressure parents place on their kids hasn’t lost its punch. Director Dash Kruck and choreographer Vi Lam keep the show constantly moving (thanks to a smartly multifunctional set by Monique Langford).
This is another absolute crowd-pleaser at the Hayes (following on from Murder For Two). Grab a ticket before they’re all gone.
Cultural Binge 
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