Above: Darby James, whose exposé on the use of curious gay men in the fertility industry makes for an hilarious and thought-provoking cabaret.
Darby James’ journey to Sydney during the 2025 Pride Fest has a treasure chest of a tale to tell. This awarded musical rime of a helpful gay tells of his brush on the high seas of society as a gay sperm donor.
A fin-de-Covid chance for a vulnerable creative gay to enter a sperm donation programme comes with more gravitas than first imagined.
It is nothing to do and simply brush off as nothing when this gay opportunity is taken up to assist non-homosexually-identifying people to procreate by proxy.
This is an intelligent precis of the clinical and post non-coital activities and admin needed to be a sperm donor. And the tugs at your conscience regarding the future creation of life.
Darby is that rare thing-a gay donor in the decades post a complete ban on blood donorship by gay men during the AIDS years. Now equipped and genetically tested to prove his use and worth to the struggling mainstream. Every performer’s dream you may say to be so wanted, needed and appreciated financially plus on in inclusive community level.
But the ramifications of helping to create anonymous lives now has him stranded on his own island of conflicting emotions-with an impressive string of original songs and ribald, reflective recitatives.
Concepts of guilt, hope, utilitarian society functionality and avoidance of wasted fertility in a world still predominantly primed to reproduce are all covered in this clever, candid and entertaining triple threat treat .
And this is done in variegated song, hornpipes for right now, elastic expressions, consummate performance ease and using an engaging, ball-breaking pace. Darby’s character- a shipwrecked seaman /queer all at sea/ a gay marooned on an island of thought is a visual and sentimental motif that works a treat-with sea shanty singalongs on board and all.
Little Squirt is a worthwhile entertainment and yet another perfect selection in the Pride Fest line-up. It has a huge heart, is the product of an active head (pun intended) and asks the searching questions we all should entertain whenever our undertakings and output impact the future.
This show is a must see to see the contradictions queers attract whenever their double helixes of a different biology and lifestyle dare to blend in with the mainstream.
But this was a quality shot at a complex practice, delivered from the edge, by son of a minister, a queer child of our time-in song, movement and with an Edinburgh Festival-bound theatrical ingenuity that offers much more than you might expect.
Take tissues.
