Guy Montgomery's - Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Live

In recent years, Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee has undergone an impressive metamorphosis. The larva that began developing in the cavernous depths of the Melbourne Town Hall is now a beautiful queen bee, with an ABC television show to prove it. 

Monday night’s live iteration in the art-deco grandeur of the Palais Theatre harkened back to the Spelling Bee’s youth, ditching the game show plinths that each contestant stands behind on the TV show and instead parking them – and host Guy Montgomery – in five chairs side-by-side. The simplicity of this set-up, with very little to reinforce Montgomery’s authority as quizmaster, makes  the fact that he subjects fully-grown adults to something as juvenile as a spelling bee all the more hysterical. 

Contestants Nish Kumar, Julia Morris, Jack Ansett and Desiree Burch brought the ideal level of spelling talent – mixed – with Kumar taking home the top prize and Burch crowned dunce. The “Spell the name of the audience member” round was the night’s highlight, with Montgomery’s twin assistants Tom Cashman and Paul Williams roving the crowd to the delight of Taskmaster – and Spelling Bee – fans across the Tasman.