Tiny Replicas: humour and heart

"Tiny Replicas” succeeds in taking gender issues out of the politically correct minefield they usually inhabit and gives them room to live and breathe in a fresh, funny romp that doesn't sacrifice substance for style.

This is theatre at its best, full of urgent physicality, humour and heart. You'll laugh. You may not cry, but you'll certainly feel stirrings in your chest cavity.

Simon and Ethan Want a baby. Simon is 30 and ready for the responsibility. His slightly younger partner Ethan says he is too. Combining Simon's lesbian friend's aspirated egg, his sperm and Ethan's hetero friend's womb, they create a unique biological family. Everything's going fine until Ethan finds himself feeling alienated ... an outsider, with no biological stake in this brave new experiment.

The performances and staging of this light-hearted, but significant piece are naturalistic. The play bops along at an exuberant pace, but takes time where needed to let things sink in. The dialogue captures the cadence of day-to-day speech while also giving the characters depth and dimension. You care about them, warts and all thanks to inspired performances by the 5 member ensemble cast.

A fun night out at the theatre.