S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E, Part 2

I realised I never got around to writing more about this.

It was a fantastic show. Just hi-larious in parts. I especially like the crack about Tom Cruise and his short legs. So that's why... Our Nicole is so much better off with Keith. Further off topic for a sec, I heard a rumour Katie Holmes has noticed Tom's short legs also.

The cast was fabulous and all played their characters beautifully:

• William Barfee with his 'Magic Foot' (Magda Szubanski)
• Chip Tolentino with his ill-timed affection for Marigold Coneybear. (David Campbell)
• Leaf Coneybear who can spell but hasn't a clue how.
• Olive Ostrovsky who daydreams and is forever waiting for her father to watch her spell.
• Marcy Park who over-achieves in everything and can speak 5 6 different languages.
• Logainne Schwarzandgrubeniere, the youngest and most neurotic of the bunch.
• Rona Lisa Peretti, a former Spelling Bee champ herself, now 'Bee Hostess'. (Marina Prior)
• Mitch Mahoney, the comfort counselor for the losers not-so-good-with-the-spelling spellers.
• Douglas Panch, long term Vice-Principal and future stalker of Rona Lisa Peretti.

I think some of the funniest parts involved the real-live audience members who volunteered to take part in the Spelling Bee up on stage. They were such good sports.
Vice Principal Panch: "Spell 'Cat'."
Audience Speller: "Can I have a definition please?"
Vice Principal Paunch: 'It means CAT!'
FUNNY! FUNNY!

We first saw an act from the Broadway production on last year's Tony Award, hosted by Our Hugh Jackman and I'm pretty sure we mentioned back then that we'd have to keep an eye out of it here. As soon as Mum saw it was on at the Art Centre, we were there.

If you aren't familiar with the whole Spelling Bee phenomena in the USA you could check out the Official website. And also check out the movie, Spellbound.

On a side note, in the lobby before the show I saw a couple of people I thought I recognised from a previous life -- or at least a previous time in my life. One pretended she didn't see me and I pretended I didn't see her so it was all good. The other person, if indeed who I thought it was, wouldn't know me from a bar of soap, but I think it was Frank from Home and Away -- Alex Papps! I couldn't see Bobby but then I remembered the boat -- So sad :(