Humble Boy

continued

It's hard to say who deserves most credit for this extraordinary production, which is deeply funny as well as intelligent and touching. Besides being a fantastic ensemble, the actors each have their star moments, and Gillian Eaton, as Felix's mother, is an entire galaxy. As for the play itself, I'm glad I didn't see any of the early press releases, which apparently make the story sound a bit precious and contrived — the entire play is framed around a pun on Hamlet's most famous two words. In other words, it's a play about the life of bees. On paper, that probably sounds like a bit much to toss into the mix, but onstage, it merely adds another dimension to a story that is well able to accommodate it.   

[Originally published in October, 2004.]