Michael Cox reviews a musical that’s ‘a delight from the start’.
Sometimes, the Fringe is a place to watch passionate political statements giving chilling state-of-the-union accounts of the oppressions of the world, making one realise how fragile our world is and how evil seeps into our lives.
And sometimes we get a wonderful bit of fluff that blissfully allows one to forget about such things. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is one such production.
An award-winning Broadway musical, Spelling Bee is a humorous full-length musical (nearly two hours, and without an interval) that teases, jabs and sends up Americana and its wholesome image. Six kids (and a few audience members) are onstage competing in a local spelling bee heat, with the winner proceeding to the national competition—and winning a $200 prize. The six kids (of course played by adults) all have quirks—the adults judging the competition are even less normal. Shenanigans ensue.
Perhaps not the most engrossing plot, but honestly: who cares? What the musical has, in spades, is charm—and lots of it. The jokes are constant, the pacing quick and the laughs are plentiful. William Finn’s music & lyrics and Rachel Sheinkin’s book results in a highly enjoyable musical—it’s funny, and yet it’s also easy to get caught up in the lives of the children and to root for a favourite to win.
This production, directed by Graham Hubbard with musical direction by Joe Carter, is presented by LAMDA students and has four casts. The performance reviewed here was of the ‘Nectar Company’, all of whom were charming from the start and embraced a performance style that allowed for constant laughs with a touch of empathy.
Call it escapism or call it a musical treat. Either way, Spelling Bee is an absolute winner and a delight from the start.
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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee performs at Greenside Venues on George Street (Forest Theatre) at 19:45 until August 23, 2025.
Photo by Alex Brenner.
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