Synopsis Only those blessed with an extraordinary ability and love of language qualify for the Putnam County Spelling Bee. But there can only be one winner and with a place in the national final at stake, emotions run high, hopes are quashed and dreams are broken. Dust off your dictionary and prepare yourselves for the spelling challenge of a lifetime in William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s hilarious Tony Award-winning musical. This riotous musical comedy is guaranteed to have you cachinnating (use it in a sentence, request a definition?).
William Finn and Rebecca Feldman’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee received its UK premiere at the Donmar Warehouse on Monday (21 February 2011, previews from 11 February).
Directed by Donmar associate (and potential artistic) director Jamie Lloyd, the musical comedy showcases the tension and emotion of a regional spelling contest with a place in the national finals at stake.
"If Jamie Lloyd’s high-octane, brilliantly cast production doesn’t clinch him the artistic directorship of the Donmar Warehouse in succession to Michael Grandage, I don’t know what will. With designer Christopher Oram, he’s transformed the theatre into a school gymnasium, replaced the bench seating with blue school chairs and created a playground atmosphere with some stabbingly sharp characterisations and a perfect balance between music and comedy; it’s so much more fun than Passion … Finn’s score, endlessly inventive and mordantly intriguing, with great use of shifting rhythms, has several great break-out moments, and Jesus himself puts in an appearance to confirm that he deals in more important matters than spelling; suitably enough, the competition is then won with “weltenschaung.” I loved every minute, and there’s also a top-notch five-piece band under the musical direction of Alan Williams.”
“What clearly struck everyone else as blissfully funny seemed tooth-rottingly sentimental and insufferably cute to me. And, after achieving such a thrilling success with his brilliant production of Sondheim’s demanding but richly rewarding Passion at the Donmar, director Jamie Lloyd’s decision to stage this glib, candy-floss confection seems unfathomable … The show is clearly meant to be a satire on America’s passion for competition and achievement. It becomes evident the kids’ parents are fiercely ambitious for their offspring and have palpably screwed them up as a consequence. But the musical packs a remarkably feeble punch … most of the characters are little more than glib stereotypes and the show’s mixture of satire and insufferable whimsy struck me as nauseating. That’s spelt n-a-u-s-e-a-t-i-n-g, and it is not a word I expect to see prominently displayed on the theatre’s billboards.”
"Designer Christopher Oram has transformed its intimate space into a school gymnasium. The atmosphere calls to mind the early stages of the lovely documentary Spellbound and also - strangely - that goofy Ben Stiller vehicle, Dodgeball … With assertively appealing music and lyrics by William Finn, and a sassy book by Rachel Sheinkin, there's plenty of chutzpah in evidence. But there are serious elements: flashbacks give us an idea of the parental manipulations and evasions that cause a child to become a prospective spelling champion … In addition to the six children, each night four members of the audience are selected to take part. On press night I was one of them, and crashed out in the second round … There are enjoyable performances throughout. Katherine Kingsley is excellent as imposing hostess Rona Lisa Peretti, and while all the actors playing the contestants are impressive, David Fynn, Hayley Gallivan and Iris Roberts stand out.”
"Given the Donmar's exemplary musical track record, it is a bit of a shock to find them importing this flimsy, vacuous diversion … The pretence is that we are in a high school gym watching a competitive spelling bee. To add verisimilitude we are asked to stand and recite the pledge of allegiance and four audience members are invited to join the contest. It says much for the bravery of my colleague, the Evening Standard's Henry Hitchings, that he agreed to participate and he acquitted himself with dignity and style. But much of the spontaneity and fun goes out of the proceedings when the four volunteers are eliminated and all we are left with is a remorseless whittling away of the survivors: it's a bit like The Weakest Link without the laughs … the highly forgettable songs seem to be imposed on the action rather than arising organically from it and many of the jokes are just as arbitrary … The best one can say is that the cast in Jamie Lloyd's production works with unremitting energy.”
Libby Purves The Times ★★★
“This Tony-winning musical by William Finn and Rachel Shienkin is knowing, upbeat, clever, all-American. The Donmar stage is a school gym with ropes, explosive cheerleader romps, and a mission to send up spotty teenage bewilderment and rah-rah winner-worship … Hollywood and TV have made high-school culture as familiar to us as St Trinian’s, so in-jokes work. Most of them, indeed, are so true to human absurdity that they’d work anywhere ... The music is unmemorable, bouncy, brassy: the movement terrific under Ann Yee’s choreography and Jamie Lloyd’s direction. Oddly, it was the attempt at sadness which failed to produce any lachrymosity: Hayley Gallivan does a belting job singing about her mother who has sloped off to an ashram, but amid the larks it didn’t quite fit. The show will vary night by night, judging its audience and whichever patsies come up to join in and fail.”
"Jamie Lloyd’s production pokes gentle fun in all directions, including at the Donmar itself. Following King Lear with a chamber musical about this American social/educational phenomenon … is a change of gear, but Lloyd has a sure touch with musicals … Steve Pemberton of The League of Gentlemen is several thousand miles from Royston Vasey as vice-principal Douglas Panch, presiding over proceedings smilingly but sometimes through gritted teeth. Hayley Gallican is the most engaging of a winning bunch of contestants, but the 100-minute show is very much an ensemble piece. To conclude, I am happy to give the lie to the press-night joke that the Critics’ Circle’s own spelling bee had no winner because none of us knew how to spell a particular word: this show is excellent.”
Is musical comedy making a comeback? The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by William Finn (music and lyrics) and Rachel Sheinkin (book), a semi-improvisatory ninety-five minute spelling competition musical which made it from off-Broadway to on five years ago, is witty, punchy and slightly off-colour.
And if Jamie Lloyd’s high-octane, brilliantly cast production doesn’t clinch him the artistic directorship of the Donmar Warehouse in succession to Michael Grandage, I don’t know what will.
With designer Christopher Oram, he’s transformed the theatre into a school gymnasium, replaced the bench seating with blue school chairs and created a playground atmosphere with some stabbingly sharp characterisations and a perfect balance between music and comedy; it’s so much more fun than Passion.
The marvellous documentary movie Spellbound (2002) was a record of a national spelling bee; this show, more small town, but similarly revealing of the children’s backgrounds and “type” of American they are – in a more cartoonish way &mdsash; has adult actors playing the kids (and doubling as various parents) and three pre-selected audience members.
On opening night, one of these was the critic of the Evening Standard, Henry Hitchings, who acquitted himself admirably in declaring his allegiance to the flag, spelling “telepathy,” fielding some mild insults and joining in some simple ensemble moves. Bravo, Hitch! The other spellers include a girl who lisps, has two “dads” and is lumbered with “cystitis” (Iris Roberts); a boy scout nobbled with a sudden erection and a song to celebrate it (Harry Hepple); and a hippie offspring who goes into a boss-eyed trance to spell words he doesn’t know(Chris Carswell).
Love interest? An impatient fat boy (David Fynn) and a lonely dreamer (Hayley Gallivan) strike unexpected sparks, and they’re all deliciously supervised by Steve Pemberton (of League of Gentlemen fame) as the not-so-virtuous Vice Principal and Katherine Kingsley as an ex-champ moderator with brash, leggy, cheerleader impulses.
Finn’s score, endlessly inventive and mordantly intriguing, with great use of shifting rhythms, has several great break-out moments, and Jesus himself puts in an appearance to confirm that he deals in more important matters than spelling; suitably enough, the competition is then won with “weltenschaung.” I loved every minute, and there’s also a top-notch five-piece band under the musical direction of Alan Williams.
Gosh, this was fun, with some lovely tunes and witty lyrics. Why isn't this transferring? - addicted to theatre
07 Apr 11
I rather liked this quirky tongue-in-cheek celebration of a peculiarly American tradition, the high school spelling competition.
The composer William Finn has shown promise for a long time, but failed to fulfil it. I remember seeing the first outing of March of the Falsettos zonks ago and thinking ‘he’ll go far’ – but he hasn’t. In truth, the simplistic formulaic music here shows he hasn’t moved on much, which is perhaps the reason. The show’s success has more to do with a terrific idea, the right theatre with a brilliant design, funny lyrics, a production that fizzes and performances bursting with enthusiasm and energy.
Designer Christopher Oram has turned the Donmar into a school gym with a blue and yellow colour scheme that extends to the letters at the end of the rows of special blue seats and the ‘confetti’ which falls from the rafters. Jamie Lloyd’s staging and Ann Yee’s choreography are just as bright and they’ve teased lovely portraits of archetypal kids from Harry Hepple, Iris Roberts, Chris Carswell, David Fynn, Hayley Gallivan and Maria Lawson. Steve Pemberton and Katherine Kingsley are excellent as the adults as is Ako Mitchell as the helper on community service.
Adding four volunteers from the audience as ‘extras’ is an inspired idea and on the night we went, they were so good I wondered if some of them were actually plants. The way their characters are ’invented’ is clever and when one manages to spell a word that was clearly meant to be her exit, it brought the house down.
95 minutes of infectious fun – it won’t change your life, you might struggle to remember it in 10 years, but you probably won’t regret going – and it’s a whole lot better than The Umbrellas of Cherbourg! - Gareth James
29 Mar 11
Lightweight, occasionally funny but not worthy of a place in the Donmar repertoire. - Paul Wallis
21 Mar 11
This rather lightweight piece includes that most dreaded of features - audience participation. Even before you enter the theatre itself cast members mill around in the bar, remaining in character, and four unfortunate victims end up onstage as part of the show. Actually they provide some of the best bits as the script is cleverly adapted to suit them, especially as one managed to spell his word correctly when he was supposed to get it wrong. Equally impressive is Chistopher Oram's design which has transformed the auditorium into a high school gym complete with school chairs in place of the bench seating. The show itself is high energy with plenty of bouncy songs but the main joke that spelling bee contestants are nerds and geeks driven by pushy parents wears thin long before the end of the 95 minutes. I suspect Bill Finn didn't like these kids when he was at school as the characters are thinly drawn and you certainly aren't involved enough to root for any of them to win. Spelling Bee is a bit of fun but looks very insubstantial against Passion or Parade, the Donmar's previous musicals. - David Baxter
17 Mar 11
We loved this show. Witty lyrics, well directed and exemplary performandes from all cast members. I found Hayley Gallivan particulary moving in the role of Olive. Surprisingly there were some empty seats on the night we went (must have read Michael Billlington's unfair two star review in the Guardian) so I would urge you to purchase a ticket before the run ends. - Diane
10 Mar 11
Great fun and quite moving in parts. Much better than the Broadway production. About time the Donmar did something upbeat - I can't remember the last time I left the Donmar with a smile! - Ed
27 Feb 11
Surprised when I entered the auditorium to find a school basketball court and the Donmar's usual benches gone. Excellent cast and a rare musical comedy that made me laugh. Great night out. - Ivor
22 Feb 11
Really entertaining. A real laugh. Catch it at the Donmar, because it won't be the same in a bigger venue. Some great Steve Pemberton ad libs. He was brilliant. - Anthony K
Re-opened in 1992. Seats 254. 1999 - Ambassador Theatre Group takes over from the Associated Capital Theatres as the landlord of the Donmar Warehouse. 2002 - Michael Grandage succeeds Sam Mendes as Artistic Director of the Donmar. Nick Frankfort succeeds Caro Newling as Executive Producer.
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