Buzzing with Laughs: ‘The Birds and The Bees’ Takes Flight at Ottawa Little Theatre

Billed as a rural comedy, The Birds and The Bees arrives with a marquee poster featuring a bee, feathers, and an idyllic pastoral backdrop. If you didn’t catch the hint of sweet indulgence and playful sensuality—even with the dripping honey imagery—the moment the lights rise and the set is revealed, there’s no mistaking it: this is a real spring fling, and a cheeky romp in the hay too.

On stage until Saturday, May 23, at Ottawa Little Theatre, the play opens with Sarah returning to the family farmhouse to stay with her mother, Gail, a divorcee who’s been living solo since her husband ran off with the neighbour’s wife and her daughters moved out decades ago. Played by Kim Strauss, Gail is managing quite well as a “single pringle.” Though she rents out her field to her neighbour, she keeps busy with beekeeping and volunteering.

The role of her daughter seems tailor‑made for Sarah Aaron, who plays the marriage‑in‑crisis character, also named Sarah, with believable vulnerability. Aaron fully embodies a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, craving human connection. Her only intimacy, inseminating turkeys on her husband’s family farm, is as bleakly comic as it sounds.

While the humour often revolves around sex, the play’s true centre is relationships, self‑discovery, and the joy we find in the people we choose. Written by playwright Mark Crawford, himself a native of rural Ontario, the setting feels completely relatable, and his blend of heart and hilarity lands beautifully.

Gail’s neighbour Earl, played by Ian Stauffer, is a bachelor who lives by the motto “NSA—no strings attached”. His girlfriends have come and gone like bees from Gail’s hives, and he wears that as a badge of honour. Stauffer’s timing and phrasing are spot‑on. His delivery brings levity to serious scenes and nuance to the funnier ones. When Gail scolds, “You don’t hop into bed with any Tom, Dick, or Harry,” Earl deadpans, “My name’s Earl.” It’s a perfect moment of understated comedy.

Under Barbara Kobolak’s direction, the play flows smoothly. Relationships feel authentic, pacing is tight, and the stage is used effectively. The production doesn’t need much embellishment; the dialogue itself is irresistibly funny.

ABOVE: Ian Stauffer as Earl, Kim Strauss as Gail, Steven Dworkin as Ben, and Sarah Aaron as Sarah.

Rounding out the cast is Steven Dworkin as Ben, a young master’s student in etymology studying Gail’s colony. He represents youth, vitality, and that can‑do lust for life—proven by his perilously long bike commute on rural roads to the farm. When Ben gets stung, the story takes a playful turn, and soon both bedrooms on the set see full use. Those scenes are cheeky but well‑directed, amplifying the humour without crossing into farce.

The Birds and The Bees keeps the audience chuckling right through to the final blackout. The laughter is communal, a rare treat that reminds you why live theatre matters.

No spoilers here. You’ll have to see for yourself how it ends. When you do, give a well‑earned round of applause for the entire crew who make productions like this a pleasure to attend.

The Birds and The Bees runs Wednesdays to Saturdays at Ottawa Little Theatre until Saturday, May 23, 2026. For tickets, visit the theatre’s website.

Photos: Maria Vartanova