Photo Credit: James Terry
One of the theatrical highlights of last year was Vic Theatre Company’s production of Loving Repeating, a complex musical fantasy about the life and work of Gertrude Stein. This bold and beautiful show played at Chapel Off Chapel but for their latest production the company have moved to the fancier digs of The Lawler Theatre at Melbourne Theatre Company.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a cute and quirky 2005 Broadway musical written by composer William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain) with a Tony Award winning book by Rachel Sheinkin. As the lengthy title indicates Spelling Bee takes place at, you guessed it, a spelling bee contest. The show focuses on the intense competition at the heart of the story whilst simultaneously exploring the emotional complexities of adolescence. The adult cast inhabit the characters of these children brilliantly and the songs and scenes explore childhood with hilarious wit and a gentle poignancy.
Six precocious child prodigies battle it out for the title of spelling bee champion and the event is overseen by perky former winner Rona Lisa Perretti (Rebecca Moore) and recently disgraced Vice Principal Douglas Panch (David Spencer). In a novel theatrical twist three members of the audience are plucked from their seats to also enter the on stage competition; watching these members of the public attempt to keep up with the production is entertaining stuff. Much of the comedy in the show is derived from the ridiculous words the children are asked to spell, their often hilariously obscure definitions and the examples of using these words in a sentence. Moore and Spencer deliver these clever zingers with expert comic timing.
All of the cast assembled by director Benjamin Giraud are equally hilarious. Andrew Hondromatidis brilliantly brings out all of the eccentricities of his character William Barfee (“it’s pronounced Bar-fay”), the boy with the ‘magic foot’ who seems arrogant before revealing a more vulnerable side towards the end of the show. Henry Brett’s portrayal of the sweet and dim-witted Leaf Coneybear is fantastic; he imbues the role with a loveable wide-eyed innocence and pulls off a perfect Southern accent.
The roles of Olive Ostrovsky (Caitlin Mathieson) and Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere (Sage Douglas) are the two characters in Spelling Bee that generate the most empathy and reveal the darker side of these kinds of academic competitions. These children are affected by their parent’s behaviour in completely different yet equally destructive ways. Olive’s parents have no interest in supporting her and Mathieson perfectly captures Olive’s disappointment and her conflicted relationship with her mother and father, particularly in the moving ‘I Love You Song’ in act two. Beneath the funny lisp and the grotesque ambition of Logainne lies a childhood destroyed by pushy parents. Douglas’ performance is perfectly balanced and when Logainne is knocked out of the competition the moment of disappointment is heartbreaking.
Giraud previously directed Spelling Bee for the Camberwell Grammarians’ Theatre Company and his experience with the show and understanding of the material makes this a wonderfully executed production. The staging is imaginative, the comedic moments land successfully every time and the cast work extremely well together. Trevor Jones’ small on stage band produce a surprisingly full sound and Marcello Lo Ricco’s sound design is perfectly polished. The only let down from the creative team is the unattractive yellow tarpaulins used to create the school gym walls as part of the set design.
Spelling Bee is a playful and whimsical musical with a surprisingly acerbic streak. This show celebrates the funny awkwardness of being a kid, but also reveals the harmful pressures placed on children and the damaging effect this can have on their development. Vic Theatre Company has nailed this thematic duality in their fantastic production and Spelling Bee should only further this company’s burgeoning reputation within the Melbourne theatre community.
3 ½ stars out of 5
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Presented by Vic Theatre Company
Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Lawler Theatre, Southbank
March 30 – April 10
