Theatre Orangeville’s latest production comes with a warning about mature subject matter.
“Please be advised,” states the theatre’s website, “The Birds And The Bees portrays adult situations and language.”
The Mark Crawford production tackles various sexual situations, but as the theatre’s “warning” also notes, it’s generally “all in good fun” and in good taste.
The Birds and the Bees opens with 38-year-old turkey farmer Sarah (played by Rose Napoli) forced to move back home with her beekeeper mother Gail (Susan Johnston Collins) after splitting up with her husband.
Gail’s laundry list of questions about the breakup, including inquiries about the couple’s (revealed to be non-existent) sex life, generates a lot of hostility between the mother/daughter duo.
Compounding the animosity is Gail’s outright refusal to even entertain similar queries from Sarah.
Gail, it turns out, swore off men two decades ago after her husband ran off with the wife of neighbour and friend Earl (Sheldon Davis).
Despite his cantankerous tendencies, Earl, who farms land owned by Gail, is the only character in the play enjoying a healthy sex life.
He seems awfully proud of his NSA (no strings attached) romantic rendezvous, but extending an invite to Gail to participate in such an arrangement immediately lands him in hot water.
Things really get interesting with the arrival of Benjamin (Michael Pearson), a university student studying the decline of bees on Gail’s farm.
Audiences can surely guess what happens between the four characters, but the story line does include a few twists and turns. Plus, it’s flat out funny.
All four actors seem perfectly cast in their respective roles and appear to have received great direction from Jane Spence, who is making her Theatre Orangeville directorial debut following several months under the tutelage of artistic director David Nairn.
The script does drag in a few places and some of its jokes are telegraphed, but overall Crawford does a great job at balancing the humorous with the heartfelt.
Behind the laughs there is some heavy material addressed here, but clever writing ensures the production’s jokes do not minimize serious relationship issues, and instead serve as welcome comic relief.
Despite age, gender or occupation, audiences will surely relate to one or more of the characters in the production.
The Birds and the Bees affirms that despite all we think we know about life, everyone of us is vulnerable when it comes to the matters of love and sex.
More importantly, it’s a great reminder that we should try to laugh and have a little fun as often as we can.
The Birds and the Bees, plays five shows a week at Theatre Orangeville until May 20. For tickets call 519-942-3423 or 1-800-424-1295 or visit theatreorangeville.ca.
