Bea fails to buzz

Bea is the latest new play to appear at the Hen and Chickens Theatre. A ‘paranormal comedy’, the overall result raised more wry smiles than raucous laughter.

The bumbling Bea (played by script writer Lynn Howes) lives with a bee in her bonnet. Ever since a childhood incident where she ate a bee stuck in honey, she has been haunted by a constant buzzing in her head. When the noise threatens to ruin her life, she pours her heart out to fellow children’s entertainer and flat mate Tracey, who enlists the services of psychic Steve to try and get to the root of the problem.
The unexpected occurs when the harmless, if slightly odd, Steve is possessed by a dark spirit mid-séance. The two women then have to rely on Tracey’s butch sister Fiona to save the day.
Although the bar of the Hen and Chickens was brimming with Friday night drinkers, the same could not be said for the theatre upstairs. In the cosy 50-seat venue above a pub, the evening became even more intimate when only six people turned up. Fortunately for the cast we were not a tough crowd to please, with one punter laughing at just the slightest change of expression on stage.
As a mild-mannered psychic, Steve (Peter F Gardiner) looked and sounded like Changing Room’s friendly carpenter Handy Andy. Once possessed by the spirits he has raised, Gardiners’ evil cackle and piercing stare were terrifying and made the terminally wet Bea melt understandably into an even bigger puddle.
A vision in bright pink and black spandex, the bossy Tracey (Jessica Brohn) was a neat contrast to her flat mate and she stole the show with an unabashed musical performance. Her booty shaking was gamely matched by that of her female co-stars, including Sarah Jane Brindley who was suitably chunkier-than-life as the ex-military sister Fiona.
Set designer Christine Osborne deserves praise for her attention to detail. An Anne Geddes photo showing a baby dressed in a bee outfit hung on one wall, and a bee-themed vase, mug, teddy bear and key ring swarmed to cover a cupboard on the other side of the room.
Howe’s’ script lacked the comedy buzz that would have made the £12 ticket price worthwhile. This was in spite of the tremendous efforts made by the four actors. Sadly, their level of professionalism at such a low turnout was just not enough to shift the production from amateur to pro. Bea is playing at the Hen & Chickens Theatre and runs until 17th March.