Musical theatre is, by nature, a rather melodramatic format. The best—from Les Misérables to Legally Blonde—weaponise this melodrama to tell us stories about who we are, who we’ve been, and who we could be, regardless of premise. It seems unusual, though, that one musical revolves entirely around a small American town’s spelling bee, but the more you think about it the more it makes sense; these kinds of competitions invite the fiercest competitors, with pushy parents and child geniuses galore. They are, whether you’re a contestant or a spectator, as melodramatic as it gets.

The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (a production of which, by Guild Musical Theatre Group, plays now until 20^th June in the Underground) recognises the ripeness of its innocuous setting for comedic value, and exploits it to such a degree that this is one of the funnier shows in this reviewer’s recent memory. Yet it’s to the credit, too, of all involved that this production hits those comedic beats, making for a intriguing and altogether delightful viewing experience that’s quite unlike anything GMTG have done as of recent.

It’s worth noting, for starters, that alongside the six cast members participating in the bee, four audience members each night are chosen to partake; improvisational comedy, perfectly handled, ensues, with more than a few jokes aimed at slightly embarrassed GMTG alumni. Though my own turn as a contestant in the bee was brief (how far the fall has been from my year eight spelling competition), I thoroughly enjoyed my time onstage, not least because the cast seemed to know the material inside out, making easy and seamless what could’ve been an uncomfortable experience.

Where to start with this cast? Abi Cannon and Matt Ng (as Rona and Panch respectively) seem as though they’ve been teachers for years, with that specific weary optimism nailed down perfectly. Ng in particular has impeccable comic timing, with more than a few snarky definitions of words (the best being ‘kampanaphobia’—if you know you know, and if you don’t, buy a ticket!). Elsewhere, Lucy Gradel and Annie-Faith Obed are as convincing as can be when it comes to uni students playing kids half their age, and Fraser Stevens is hilariously awkward as Chip Tolentino, who finds puberty striking at an inopportune moment. Iona Berry also is marvellous in the double role of ‘comfort counsellor’ Mitch and (checks notes) Jesus.

Yet the night belonged to two standout performances. Hannah Stobart, whose Olive Ostrovsky is the emotional fulcrum of the piece, gets the most developed arc of the lot, with an affecting rendition of ‘The I Love You Song’ yielding more than a few tears in the house. Stobart is, of course, vocally stellar, but she also commands a certain emotional tenderness that made it impossible not to feel at least briefly moved. Meanwhile, the most laughs of the night were garnered by Joe Blake, whose sweaty William Barfée was just the right amount of creepy, and his magic foot was milked as far as a joke can go.

If there are gripes to be had, it’s mainly with the material. Marcy Park—who was imbued with one of the finest performances, by the lovely Ella P’an—is a little underwritten, and unfortunately falls into the ‘model minority’ stereotype that restricts her character from more interesting movement. Similarly (and it’s unclear whether this is a writing problem or something for these creatives specifically to address) Logainne’s dads are an interesting addition, and a worthy explainer for her progressive values, but there were moments where it felt that camp mannerisms were uncomfortably exploited for laughs, in a way that didn’t feel in line with the rest of the show.

Yet these are minor quibbles when one takes into account the breadth of talent enlivening this already-killer material. With lively musical numbers (movement courtesy of a top-form Lottie Russell), incredible vocal performances and joke-a-minute storytelling, Spelling Bee is—despite its inevitable ‘it’s the taking part that counts’ message—an unequivocal winner.

4.5/5

You can buy tickets for GMTG’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee via this link. Hurry: ends 20^th June!

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