Bee-luther-hatchee Reviews
Stage and Cinema- Recommended
"...If someone should recommend Sierra Madre Playhouse's production of Bee-Luther-Hatchee to you, they're not off the mark. My advise would be that you walk, don't run, to see it. Two main issues keep this from being an impactful evening. One: This isn't a great play; Act I is all set-up and Act II is all diatribe (albeit a fascinating debate). Although I love that so many great questions are asked, often in a compelling way; the best to chew on would be, "Who has the right to tell another person's story?" The other issue is the issues; there's a lot of them to cover and Thomas Gibbons' 1999 play can feel overwritten."
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...With racial violence on the rise, racists increasingly fearless in spouting (and acting upon) their hate, and an incoming President owing his election, at least in part, to racist backlash against his predecessor, the timing could hardly be more apt for Sierra Madre Playhouse to give Thomas Gibbons' provative Bee-luther-hatchee the powerful revival it deserves, now more than ever."
Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended
"...With all its stimulating promise, however, the production doesn't deliver - and while the script has limitations, the shortcomings here come down to performance. Graham is certainly well-cast as an assertive and intelligent woman, but there isn't enough subtext behind her speeches (we may get the anger but not the pain). You never forget you're watching a play, and that's regrettably true with the supporting players as well. Lebano is far more adept with his craft, but just can't bring this narrative to life all by himself."