Ellen Leslie
A trolley with hairdressing tools, a huge encyclopaedia and a somewhat creepy yellow and purple bird puppet are just some of the props decorating the stage of A Head Full Of Bees. Written and performed by Lela Bergeron, the musical follows Lola, a hairdresser living in London who is in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD. As she waits for her mother to complete her forms, she looks back at her childhood, reflecting on how the wiggly, anxious little girl was constantly told off by her parents and forced into religion rather than given medical and practical help.
The ways that ADHD affects Lola are seamlessly wound into the narrative, providing a good overall picture of what she was like as a child. She was always on the go, and would be extremely anxious that she was going to Hell. Her extremely religious mother just encourages her to pray, and flushes her medication down the toilet, even though it helps to quieten the constant buzz in her head. Her insistence that there’s nothing wrong with Lola, and that ADHD is only for boys sadly mirrors the outdated stereotypes that many parents still believe.
Changes in time are marked by news bulletins that give a rundown of events taking place that year. They are satirical and witty, poking fun at the belief that America is the best country in the world. Bergeron’s script is extremely clever, including themes that make us think about the way that ADHD has been perceived throughout history. For example, Lola’s mum tells her she suffers from Saint Vitus disease, a medieval plague where women would dance uncontrollably. This reframes the epidemic, making us wonder if these women could have possibly had ADHD.
While it is a compelling story, the script strays away from Lola, moving towards her mother praying to God, and the pastor talking to the congregation. These don’t add anything to the plot, and simply take time away from more interesting, creative concepts. Later in the show, Lola participates in a brief gameshow to find out what’s “wrong” with her, and entertains us with a brief battle between the amygdala and the frontal cortex to demonstrate how an ADHD brain functions. These scenes are both entertaining and educational, and would benefit from being expanded upon. Similarly, the bird puppet is used to represent Lola’s inner voice, becoming less critical over the course of the show. I would have liked to see more rapport between Lola and the bird, and more explanation on the strategies she used to make her inner voice more positive.
The songs, which are composed and arranged by Jake Moss, complement the narrative well and are performed with energy. Some could have benefited from more oomph, notably the ending one which feels a bit flat.
Lola’s story is one that will resonate with lots of late diagnosed adults: when her daughter is diagnosed as neurodivergent, she realises that she shares many of the same traits, and seeks her own diagnosis. A Head Full Of Bees is a sweet, fun musical that shares one woman’s experience of ADHD while encouraging us to be ourselves and follow our dreams.
Recommended Drink: a honeycomb milkshake, sweet like Lola.
You can catch A Head Full Of Bees at C alto at C Arts from 5-30 August at 17:00 (60 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Roe McDonnell
Hannah Hamilton
Romeo Lau
