BWW Reviews: GAYBIES Answers the Question “What About the Children?” From The Child's Point Of View

Tuesday 24th February 2015, Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst NSW

Dean Bryant's (Playwright and Director) GAYBIES gives the children of gay parents a voice and the public confirmation that those raised by gay parents are living satisfied, happy lives and have pride in their parents. Originally written for Midsumma 2013 (Melbourne Mardi Gras), this latest staging is part of Darlinghurst Theatre Company's offerings during the 2015 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Set in a local school hall, complete with small proscenium stage, markings of a basketball court, upright piano and refreshment table, the intimate opening scene feels like a group therapy or focus group session as each of the 7 cast members, Cooper George Amai, Sheridan Harbridge, Rhys Keir, Steve Le Marquand, Zindzi Okenyo, Olivia Rose and Georgia Scott, sit across the front of the stage, close to the audience. As each shares a brief, often humorous, memory of growing up with gay or lesbian parents, it is already clear that each is well adjusted and ok with who they are, and who their parents are. As the performance progresses, these vignettes are expanded on and additional characters introduced.

The program provided explains that memories and opinions that the 21 characters share are all drawn from the research Bryant undertook in creating the work, interviewing a range of people from little children, teenagers and adults. This 'verbatim theatre' performance is not invented stories but actual quotes and the performers retell the memories and opinions with the openness and honesty I'd imagine that they would have been told to Bryant.

Bryant has captured the stories of two sets siblings, little children, teenagers, and adults of varying ages, utilising the height differentials and lighting(Lighting Designer: Ross Graham) to indicate the different characters a single actor is playing. Whilst the characters for the siblings, teenagers and little children are clear, it isn't as clear if the memories that each individual performer conveys in monologues are still tied to the sibling or teen characters but the content is poignant so the differentiation is possibly not that important. The performers retell the stories, memories, and opinions with care and understanding with the delivery and mannerisms reflecting their age and a little bit of personality from the popular school girl from a private Melbourne highschool, the quiet older man that doesn't normally talk much and his gossipy sister, the younger gay man and the 20 something lesbian woman. The memories weave in the opinions on political and social questions, with some surprising viewpoints, along with reference and connection to some recognisable events including the effect on the, now teenage, daughter of the lesbian couple shown on ABC's Playschool in 2004.

The music that is interspersed between the stories, composed and arranged by Mikey Bee, is sung with passion and accompanied by ukulele, guitar, piano, and percussion, performed by the cast and serves to break up the stories.

This is an enlightening work that gives and insight into the minds of those that have grown up with 'unconventional' families and shows that despite the prejudice often delivered from outsiders, not part of the family unit, that children can grow the same as those raised in 'conventional families' and are normal, well-adjusted individuals that love their parents regardless of who they are. This is well worth seeing, regardless of your own persuasion. It is informative and honest with the right level of humour and pathos as the prejudice that the families must deal with and the struggle to even have a family is highlighted.

GAYBIES

Eternity Playhouse

39 Burton Street Darlinghurst

6 February - 8 March 2015

Photos: Helen White

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