Beehive

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Beehive

Playwright/s/Composer/s – Created by Larrry Gallagher, music and lyrics by Claudia Brevis, Lincoln Chase, Shirley Elliston, John Gluck, Walter Gold, Seymour Gottleib, Herbert Wiener, Edward Holland, Lamount Dozier, Brian Holland, Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weil, Leon Rene, Otis Rene, V. Catalano, A Levison, P Alonso, Guy Hemric, Jerry Styner, Donna Dijon, Doug Morris, Elliot Greenberg, Barbara Baer, Roberts Schwartz, Richard Gottehrer, Robert Feldman, Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Claudia Bevis, Dick Holler, David Madara, David White, John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins, Don Black, Mark London, JC Fogerty, Jeff Barry, Donald Covay, Gerald Wexler, Ronnie Shannon, Davney R. Slick, Bert Berns, Norman Meade, Jerry Ragovoy, Chip Taylor, Warner Chappell, Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster.

Production Company/Theatre space – Stage West

Length – 2 Acts (2 hours 10 minutes one intermission.)

Genre/s – Musical revue

Premise – Six young women recall the music decade of the 60s and comment on some of the social changes.

Why this play? Why now? – Recognizable songs from 60 plus years ago.

Curiosities – Is the premise that the six women are characters who get together to pay homage to the music by acting like the famous singers or were some of the women supposed to be the singers; it was confusing.  Many of the face of the women used to show the face of woman’s liberation were contemporary. Why show the Zapruder footage in a light dinner theatre musical?

Notable Moment – Aretha as a blond, white woman.

Notable writing – This isn’t crafted in the way musicals like Hair or Hairspray are. There is the tease of a plot that doesn’t stand up. The success comes from the 54 lyricists and composers.

Notable performances – The voices are the stars of the show.

Notable design/Production – Costume Designer Rali Boe put the performers in clingy staticky polyester and then ill-fitting cotton dresses finishing with smocked tablecloths rimmed with feather boas. The costumes missed period authenticity and the high standard of design and glitz we have come to expect at Stage West.

Notable direction – Artist Associate Troy Goldthrop’s direction lacked clarity. Why have one singer start Tina Turner’s anthem and then switch for the iconic second verse? If the show is about progress for women who evolve from beehives to the natural look why have them return to the wigs at the end? Some performers maintain characters and some look like Young Canadians? However, Musical Director Konrad Pluta did amazingly with so few instruments in the band.

One reason to see this show – Nostalgia of the 60’s (plus, tasty food and great staff.)