Drayton Entertainment’s current production of The Birds and the Bees is that rarest of theatrical gems: a genuinely clever comedy.
Billed as a “courtship comedy,” the play features sharply-drawn characters in complex relationships using dialogue that real people might actually use.
That’s a credit to Canadian playwright Mark Crawford, a relative newcomer to the national theatre scene. Crawford now has three professionally-produced plays under his belt, including his first, Stag and Doe, which, like The Birds and the Bees, debuted at the Blyth Theatre (the former in 2014 and the latter just two years later).
Stacey Smith is compelling as Sarah, a turkey farmer, who just left her husband and moved back home with her mother. Smith handles the humour and heartbreak the script sends her way with the savvy of the stage and screen veteran that she is, while managing to bring a fresh take to the role of rom-com female protagonist.
Thomas Duplessie gives a strong performance as a student who comes to town to study the decline of the local bee population and ends up learning some key life lessons as well.
Gabrielle Jones plays Stacey’s mother, Gail, a long-divorced beekeeper who isn’t looking to have her empty nest refilled.
Jones’ role is vital here as the keystone relationship with the rest of the cast, including Terry Barna who plays her eccentric neighbour Earl, who divides his time between cash cropping and cruising dating sites.
Jones is by turns hilarious and intense in her role, while Barna makes the most of his outlandish character to keep the audience laughing throughout.
The small-town setting makes it easy to get comfortable with the characters, as they gear up for Turkey Days and later deal with the festival’s unexpected aftermath.
The entire play is set in the second floor rooms of Gail’s farmhouse, a quaint and classic setting ably created by set designer Samantha Burson.
While Crawford’s script does a lot of the work here, director Marti Maraden clearly knows how to get the most out of a talented cast. Their combined efforts result in a great evening at the theatre and drew a spontaneous standing ovation from the opening night audience.
The Birds and the Bees runs until June 10 at the Hamilton Family Theatre in Cambridge. Later in the summer the show will run from July 25 to Aug. 11 at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
Tickets are $46 for adults and $27 for youth under 20 years of age. Tickets for groups of 20 or more and selected discount dates are $37. Tickets may be purchased at draytonentertainment.com, at the box office, or by calling 519-621-8000 or toll free at 1-855-372-9866.
