Review: BIRDS AND BEES, Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse

Have you ever thought about how there is minimal sex education in schools? Or have you experienced an awkward class assembly where your year group is reprimanded because someone has leaked someone else's nudes?

Written by Charlie Josephine and directed by Rob Watt, Birds And Bees discusses these exact topics. Starring Sandra Belarbi as Maisy, Richard Logun as Aarron, Milo McCarthy as Billy and Dumile Sibanda as Leilah, four high-schoolers who find themselves in detention needing to be honest about their insecurities. Although only an hour in length, themes such as gender identity, sexual orientation, pornography and masculinity all manage to be explored.

This funny, educational and relevant story details the stories and experiences of young people growing up with little-to-no sex education in school,along with calling out the Government for falling to protect trans lives.

In this new play, Josephine writes about key feelings that many people question, feel and experience themselves. The four performers bring these to stage eloquently, giving the audience a sense of reality, proving these are real life emotions and realities for some school kids.

Aarron is a football star who is feeling the pressure of toxic masculinity and struggling in that environment. He eventually opens up about what happened the day the nudes were leaked.

Milo McCarthy, who made their professional debut in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at the Hope Mill Theatre, portrayed Billy fantastically. They are labelled a "freak" for being non-binary throughout the play, but eventually, it's realised they're just misunderstood and being let down by the education system. As the character who is misunderstood, they are the one who stands out the most within the show.

The four actors work well together, immersing themselves in the topics of identity and consent, particularly that everybody has a right to choose what they want to do with their own body.

The play's ability to discuss relevant and important topics will chime with anyone who is feeling or has felt similar things during their high school experience. What comes across is the real need in society for education on the topics explored in Birds and Bees, with an emphasis on respect.

Birds And Bees is at Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield until February 11, then touring.

Photo Credit: Chris Saunders

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